The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-26
a RETROSPECT.
Hale and Hearty at Seventy-The Anti
Slavery Struggle, and His Connection with
Plymouth Church

sound, my stomach and digestion are sound;
| am not weakened with the old mans
trouble OF bladder or kidneys; | am as regu-
lar as clock work and all right in every
physical respect, except
Then there is an exception?
Yes" rejoined Henry Ward Beecher, and
his eyes twinkled like blue twins in a starry
armament Yes, | weigh 800 pounds, where
l used to weigh but $50, and anybody who
rides horse and knows what a difference
ten pounds on that horse makes will appre-
clate that man cannot carry around 220
pounds as easily as $50 pounds, as 1 did when
was only fifty years old"
But it's all YOUR
Yes it is all me and just as much more
me than it was, as 220 are more than 150."
After Mr., Beecher was sixty years old he
conceived the idea of building magnificent
homestead for himself and his family. He
paid the architect superintended the erection
OF the finest residence OF its type on the
North river, furnished it richly with every
known convenience and all atlainable lux
ries and paid for every bit Of it with money
made since that time by lecturing from Maine
to California The house stands on the crest
of a lofty hill in Peekskill, and is reached by
long and winding drive through magni6-
cent trees, which line it on either hand.
From the broad piazzas can be seen the
range of distant mountains and the silver
thread of the Hudson not far off. Peace
IelSHS III All the rePlOu TOunu dDOuG ana IN
that deliciously restful atmosphere the
writer yesterday found the venerable pastor,
pen in hand, preparing data for his lecture
duty near at hand He was the picture of
health, as, with characteristic cordiality,
he rose and welcomed his guests
to heart and home. His workshop and
library are the beau ideal of comfort
and temptation to duty. Tables books, elec-
trio lights, deep Turkish rugs, ample chairs
and all the paraphernalia of workmanship
abound. After a few moments rest Mr..
Beecher was asked, You are seventy years
old are you not?"
Il am"
How are your
II am well-perfectly So"
Then if you are all right you don't intend
to stop preaching and working?"
Il do not intend to stop working but I
have mortal dread of holding on after all
my friends know, but are afraid 10 tell me,
You had better stop | have thought very
seriously OF just resigning my position as
pastor when am seventy years, preaching
out the rest of the year, of course, in all
honor; but can go through the same work
that used to with less fatigue than | used
to feel. If knew that the Lord was going
to strike any church around and burn it up
| would suggest Plymouth Church, and
then we would go up near the Park some
where and I would build a church,
not quite so large, in a good locality, and
leave that to my successor in position that
he co uld unquesuonably maintain and pro-
long. As tits, it is going to be pretty hard
for anybody to go down there and fill the
church and carry ii on. One of two things |
should like Let us have a suttee, as they
do in India, where, when the husband dies,
they burn the widow with him; or | would
have the church expire and go out as a thing
in history that had short and useful dura-
ton, rather than to have it linger on as
hAfr 1rl OH
recollectlons and not making any progress.
1t sprang up from the necessity of public af-
fairs at the time of its origin. 1t has gone
through all these great transitions that have
been as wonderful as any that have ever be-
fell a nation in fifty years, and has been in
the ascendarcy in the front, leading on all
those clements that are now recognized as
constituting our safety and prosperity, and
now do not feel as though l wanted such
church to go into its dotage and drool and
drizzle life away"
OVER HALF A CENTURY OF WORK.
"Mr Beecher, you have been at work quite
fifty years?"
"Yes, more than that"
subject"
"a little after 1880 when | was in Amherst
College. My father, Lyman Beecher, was an
enthusiastic coonizationist then. | belonged
to the Athenian Society in college, and one
of our early debates turned on the Colonial
Society, Garrison had begun to attack that
society, and, knowing that my father was n
coloniZationst, naturally would have sided
that way, but in the distribution OF parts |
was drafted to attack that society and defend
Garrison, or the anti-slavery movement [
had very able men on the other side Well,
when | catne to think the matter over, [
found myself drawn, not as mere debater.
lNtlr
the anti-slavery side; and | read up on it and
studied it all around, and when [ came to
make my speech, ! made n strong one on that
side That gave me my first impulse in that
direction, and it was one that remained per-
manent and grew deeper and stronger to the
end OF my life. After left college l went
Immediately to Cincinnati, in the fall of 1884.
When was in Cincinnati, Charles Hammond
was the editor of the Cincinnati Gazette, ore
of the ablest men of the West and the Gin
cinnati Gazette was by all odds-head and
shoulders-the leading Wing newspaper.
Hsnry Clay used, before any important
movement to consult with Charles Ham
mond"
Did you ever meet Henry Clay and hear
him speakP'
Yes. I thought he was the dullest old
fellow | ever heard. 1t was at a barbecue in
indianapolis. He was jaded and tired; he
was not wound up, and had nobody to stick
pin i'll him."
do you think he was an eloquent mani"
"Yes; if you take in his animal magnetism
and the adaptation of himself to the currents
of thoughts and feelings that were existing.
Henry Clay was not man that out of his
own day was or ever will be SO great as he WAS
in his own age"
"Ile was not as great man as WebstcrN
mo, nor as Calhoun, but a man that made
passionate friends, and natural born leader
of men,"
"Magnetic?"
"To the last degree, and he had all The
intuitions and that union - 'ffectionato