New-York tribune., 1879-06-10
TALK WITH MR.. COLLYER.
HOW he BECAME An ABoLuoNIsr AND UNI

HOW lie BECAME An ABOLTONlsT AND UNI
TARTAN.
The Rev. Robert Collyer left New-York for
Chicago Yesterday mOruIug Before staItlng however
the Of the Church Of the Messiah received from
him the that If call was extended TO him he
would acceptit. While in the city Mr.. Coyer was the
guest Of DOrman b. Eaton. In the course OF pleasant
conversation yesterday, Mr. COlyer reviewed at some
length ms career in this country particularly with
reference his to the doctrines OF Unlta
uauism and the part which he took in the antsavery
rontest twenty years ago. Mr. CoIlyer's personal
sembancs 10 Mr.. Beechcr is striking The
size feure and gait the wellshaped head flowing gray
hair and smooth aud ford face alike in both uGn
in referring TO this resemblance Mr.. Collyer said
On my way from Chicago East this time, got OF 70
walk about the platform at one OF the stations no
ticed several persons put their hands 10 their mouth
sideways and whisper 10 those next TO them.
young man from Chicago, whom knew, came mp TO me
and said Mr. COllyer, do you know what the PEOPLE
here are sayingP 'OLyes,' Ireped they are saying
that am Beecher." 'Wo' he continued alter hearty
laugh both from blacksmith stock Beecher's
grandfather. believe, blacksmith and my father
was blacksmith, aud 50 was L
Il was born at Haworth, England, near where the
BrntGs lived, IN 1928. landed in New-Iork twenty
nine years ago, IN the middle of May. left England
the day after was married. Ny wedding trip lasted
Just wenty-one years, wife aDdI returning at the
end of time friends. We arrived I'D New
York on q Saturday ana the following Monday started
for Philadelphia, reaching there on Tuesday, secured
work on the following day at shoemakerown, just out
SIDE OF Philadelphia, IN Montgomery County,
aul there | rewoiued for niue years. leaving
the anvil in Hammond's shop TO 20 TO
Chicago to preach in 1859. ] brought with me from
England letters from the Methodist Church and pre-
seuted them TO the Methodlsts at Milesown, place
Rot far shoemakertOwn and where became what
is known local preacher. We used TO have yceum
in the sboemakertown schoolhouse where discussed
~ and lIOtp
remember one of the questions Does the Indlan or
Negro receive the worst usage at the hands of the
American people OF course we talked on important
questions Of general character, such for instance
which are beautiful the works OF Art or the
works OF Nature 4
THE influences OF THE MOTT FAMILY.
1--WE were tuggiDg away at this great question when
Edward NJ ID ivis the sonInaw of Lucretia Mott,
in ana proposed the question, Are the Garrisonian
Abotiouiss entitled TO the confidence Of the American
peOple1 Now was gradual emancipauonist and
believed IN the influence Of the Church and the growth
of morality end slavery some time before the NH
lennium took that side. while Davis talked uncon-
diuonaI emancipation. Our party had the strongest
backing, but Edward had the better side, and he
whipped US Lucretia Mott, who had recently removed
80 that neghborhOOd, attended some OF the meetings
and took part the discussions in hcrquet, sohdua
erly way. ! thought great in the Bible aud that
Edward was weak, so l believed had him; but Lucre
tia turned out to far ahead Of anything knew about
the Scriptures. they touched the great yaquesnons
before the lyceum. soon thai was on the wrong
side promptly went over into the ranks OF the Gar
risonian AbOtODlsts.
Mrs. Mott never stopped at the point at which we
expected she would stop IN discussing any questions
but launched out in other directions aud threw
new light on many dark subjects. | gradually
began 70 see that my confidence on many
poipts was leaving me. / cOuld not feel sure any
longer about total deprsvty and got to doubling the
q r.ruf- fug %
hear Dr. Furness in Philadelphia. His sermon was a
great revelation OF the human side OF Jesus. AtJer
some rejection began 10 teach that slce III my SET
mons The folks got little scared. one OF them came
20 me- remember and asked me If had given np the
true that had taken up His humanity.
"AbOut that time, also began TO go with tbs CARR
sOnan AboitODsts, went % tnor conventions, oaine
here New-YOrk in 1887 10 the May meetlng opened
meeting with prayer, which Garrison always invited
from any who had a PRAYER in his heart Some OF
used 90 out into different parts OF the country
and bold meetings also. During all this time was a
Methodist local preacher, working through the week
at the anvil supporting myself, and preaching on
Sunday. But felt myself gradually becoming es-
tranged from the Methodist faith. l found that the
sympathcs OF the preachers generally ay on the pro
slavery side, and could not stand H. II IuIt me 10 see
the cOlored people Kept from the sacrament until
anpt m & JACK man bad no show against the n.aRest
white man, and had nean white men, as every de
the people hked At iast b1gan feel that was not
where ought 70 be any more ana became greatly dis
LEAVING THE METHODIST CHURCH.
Finally. at the quarterly meeting in January, 1859,
when TO have my license renewed as local
preacher the presiding elder said he wanted TO examine
tne on the Articles FAITH and the first question put to
me was whether thought it consistent with my
rofessiop as Methodist 70 go 10 inn1el conyentio
and occupy inhdel pGlpits; for nad preached
once or twice for DIR. Furness IN Philade-
mia / said / mad made up my mind on
mai point had tried look at the thing fairly
and had come 10 the conclusion that the Garrsonhn
AboIltiOnsfs aud men IKE DR.. FurDess were the real
Christians; and that II any inndels around
tLey belonged TO church. The presiding elder
asked give them some idea 20 what really ala
believe ! said that for thing Gld not beleYe In
eternal dnnnatOn IDeleYed tnat there would De just
as good "A for human souls on the Otner slde as
there this. and possibly little better said fnr
ther mat did not believe the doctrine OF human de-
praylty nor In the literal Inspiration OF the Bible
and It's infnnbihty thought that tnere were fautA IN
IL and we should get the out or IL as we get gold
out OF the mine and refine it. lie asked what do you
believe about these Umtarians have been preaching
for 4 replied. Il believe that good Unitarian VIII gotO
Heaven as straight good Methodist 'Then, he
said evident Brother ColyeT, tnat you are not a
Methodist answered tnat tnat had been my suspi-
clon We canuOt your license, said the presd-
IL IL ~ mi il