The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-04
ROBERT coLLYER.
An Interesting Chat with a Famous Chicago
Preacher.

An interesting Cn2C with "a ia 1nOu6 chicago
Preacher.
Interview Railway Train
why do you have so few ministers of or
iginality and force. men who make their
mark as great preachers said the CORE
spondent
TOO little life and too much learning, sir;
too little blood and too much education. A
man makes great mistake when he sacri-
fees lifeS forces for books. Generous life in
health keeps it fresh and creates originality"
was the quick and earnest response
Does Europe or America have the greatest
Minister'S
America by all odds 1t has several su-
perior to the best there are in England. The
old world has not one that can compare
with Henry Ward Beecher. He is the great
est preacher on the planet. II mis- superior
ever lived | have never heard or read of
him."
Does Spurgeon approach him."
''No, sir. In no particular, if l can under
stand what great minister is. He lacks the
very elements that make Mr.. Beecher great"
'"What are they?''
"In the first place Henry Ward Beecher is
the most human man l ever knew. He gets
near the people rather than above them. His
generous bodily force keeps his great mind
bright and makes him fearless. No
man will perhaps can express
himself with the simplicity. originality,
eloquence. and courage that Mr.. Beecher
does The struggles of his early life may
have had much to do with this and his later
successes. They may have made him the
natural man he is. Great as he is l love him
for his simple tastes and his courage l ad-
mire man who never gets great enough to
refuse TO expiess his opinion upon small sub
jects There is a great deal in the simple
fact that Mr.. Beecher will say in a great COM
pany, 1 love apple-pie and like to farm by
lying, during the summer months, under an
apple-tree and going TO sleep"
You began life, DIR. Collyer, like Mr.
Beecher, in a. humble position in the
West?"
mo, l did not begin at the West, but
went there early. | came to America about
1850, and landed in Philadelphia, in search
of a job. | was mechanic, and got situa-
ton in hammer shop at Shoemakertown.
on the outskirts of the Quaker City. For
nine years L made hammers in that shop
when I went to Chicago as missionary, at a
salary of 81 200 year. Both me and mine
had been taught to live frugally, for had
made only about 50 week in the hammer
shop. So my salary of 81, 200, upon which
l went West, gave me the means to live COM
fortably. Therefore you see | did not have
the hard struggle, after | went to Chicago,
that Mr. Beecher did when he began in In
diana"
did you have a regular church,
mo, did general missionary work among
the poor establishing Sunday schools, etc. L
recall an amusing incident that happened
soon after reached my post l had gather
ed together little Sunday-school. Many of
the children belonged to the families of Ger
man emigrants. One day ] received from
some of the church dignitaries long list of
questions about my work, which l was to
answer and return. The first was:
"'W hat is the present condition of your
Sahhath -schO0l and what does il most t1aei
at the present momentY
''Under this question wrote this answer:
Windsor soap, crash towels, and fine
tooth combs
THE rest of the questions were in the
same general vein, and | understand the
dignitaries were very much shocked at my
temerity."
How long did you continue in that
church afterward2"
Not long In Chicago. on what is called
the North Side, few Unitarians had a small
church. The minister went away, and was
invited to go over and take temporary
charge. l did not know | was out of the
Methodist church then but after a while
found l was. Finally, besides looking after
the church mission, preached one Sunday.
These heightened Boston people who had
moved out into that new country and set
up to do its business wondered. / was
rather a rough looking man, me-
chanic, and my hands were hard, red and
calloused from work. They said: How
strange; why, this man can preach They
were satisfied and | kept on. The church
grew, and l saw that little flock increase
from handful to one of the largest con-
gregations in the land. 1t finally built the
most beautifully constructed church in the
country, at cost of 500 900. 1t was destroyed
in the Chicago fire. They rebuilt it again.
and stad there until about four years ago.
when accepted a call to New York. 1t was
the greatest struggle Of my life to leave my
friends in Chicago and come East, but |
thought it for the best"
There was something of sadness in the great
preachers remarks about his change, and
be seemed to dwell with great earnestness