West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-04-28
WHAT STEP rs Mr.. BEECHER CON
TEMPIITINGs

a New Y TX correspondent Of an
out -ot-town newspaper, says the
] New York sun, mentions report
hat Mr.. Beecher seriously coutem.
plates retiring from the Psstorate OF
Piyunuth Church next June. when
be Will reach his seventeen year.
HIS reason tor so DONG, the story
'soes, viii be has desire TO leave the
pap,t before his intellectual powers
begin TO decliue. He is suil IN lull
vlgor OF body aud mind, but tbiuks
Z has & To AL age vie be has Its
sou ID anticipate a steady enletb bnug
o! hls iscpItles. He wishes TO leave
the ia PIT, according to the CORES
Fondent, while he is yet strong, not
10 tall IRON 1T through weakness.
Thers may or there may not be
some truth IN this story. Mr.. Beech.
~ ; fear Of iu'el ectnai decline, how
ever, would probably be overcome
10y the assurances and persuasions OF
nie flock, # Tor that reason only be
really attem ed 10 take the step 1t
ls said he med,tttes Nor would l,
be wise. or even just,6able. Tor him
TO retire from putlc life at the bld.
ding OF dread like that ascribed 10
hm. He would be giving up bis
work. not because 1T was complete.
not because be was yet unequal to
IT'S Performance, or unworthy OF 1T,
but bsceuee he was atrsil his repu-
'atlon rs man OF intellect might
eventually suf1. II be continued IN
be pulpit. That rs not q motive
Which, should 'irlneuce a Cnretian
, r-acber, Dor do we believe that II
l. one which would b strong enough
alone, induce NJ B-~coer to ab4n
iop lifelong and congenial activities.
There il, however, reason why
Mr. Beecher should have grown
weary OF pre+eh,oG; why the perlor-
nance Of the functions OF A Christian
10 r'slsr must severely strain his en-
iucance, stroug as he is. For e,x
years or more be has hal conscience
lIi at e2se, a conscience with which
ne has been fighting incesesnlly, bur
which lie cannot s',f.. 70 conceal
hat inward srugg'e, TO feel for him
So I utter contempt ani loathing, and
yet al the ime wear in public an
untroubled countenance sn3 display
an upd nnted bearing, must be -
bitter trial Tor him. The effort can
not fait 10 the emf to destroy HE
e'as'. city and sap the foundation o.
his abilities. He Isa man Of too
mach oPenness oil chsracte. naturally,
Of TOO sensitive conscience, 10 thus
carry hi' secret ana bs e!p wilhou,
aonf:ing his peace and osing his
enjoyment Of lie and he OF for his
work.
To regain peace and 10 be rid Of
strain which is proving too much
t1r him to his credit be it said-
Henry Ward B-ecner must make
coniessIonl How bitterly bp can suffer
in conscience, we learn from Letters
he wrote previously TO the exposure
OF bis relations with Nara. Ii ton
II he had obeyed his own best i'm.
pulses aud not yielded to pressure
from outside, to appeals 10 bis pride,
10 cowardice, to dread of run TO biz
church, be would undoub btedly have
made clean breast OF it long before
the .egal investigation. Tue disas-
ter to bis fortunes which he and ms
friends dreaded was largely preven-
ted by his stout deuIals. But they
nut still heavier weight on bis con-
science. To make them, be bad been
compelled to outrage friendship and
add treacbery end perjury to his
original off nee. Yet be had the
excuse that be bad ialslfed himself
20 protect the woman With whom be
had sinned.
But long AGO Mrs. Tlton's con-
science forced her TO give up the ef-
iott TO save her pos'or'a reputst ion
aud her religion from stain. For,
lett alone, aud Tor her own sake, she
would never have lorsworn herself.
| Nh Beroher, therefore, cannot now
| alsy the rebellion Of he conscience
| by pretending that he must persist
no denial TO save the woman. She
has confessed. and by continuing in
bis present course heaps upon ber
the inlsmy Of making a lalse and Il
| dsgrsceiul accusation against bim
sell.
TIE step 10 which the manhood oil
Mr. Beecher promts blm, Rnich he