The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-05
ANECDOTES OF BEECHER.
His CareIessness in Money Matters and His
Independence in Religion and Politics.

His CareIessness in Money Matters and His
Independence in Religion and Politics.
William f. G. Shanks.
George W. Gable recently published that
Henry Ward Beecher entered heartily into Ge
preparation of the practical Joke of the autograph
hunters on Mark Twain, but | am loath TO be-
lieve he found any enjoyment in that stupid joke.
But Mr.. Beecher has come to be SO generally re-
garded as a man of humor, as well as one of wis
dom, that many standard jokes and some profane
ones are being attributed to him. For instance,
they are telling of him that he once encountered
one OF the many more Jealous than discreet
Christians whe have an idea that there is no
safety by any other through route to heaven
than their own, who asked him: Brother
Beecher, do you feel that you really
know our Lord Jesus Christi To
which Mr. Beeeher is reported
to speak favorably of Him from my pulpit" To
him, too. is now attributed the remark that
Plymouth Church congregations were the
MODEST to which eloquent prayers were ever fer
vently addressed.
The following story of Mr.. Beecher is true,
and | tell it for that reason and because it illus
trates another of his peculiarities. | was passing
the Office of j. B. Ford & Co. when they were
his publishers, years ago, and Samuel Wilkin-
son, one of the firm, called me in to show me
the proofs of the Illustrations of the first volume
of the Life of Christ on which Mr.. Beecher
was then engaged. | had admired a great many
of the prints, when Wilkinson. comm G to a new
OHc, Sullucluy SlldtCIcu u up anu tA-
claimed: See that, now There is an
illustration of Mr.. Beechers ignorance
of the value OF money. That steel
plate cost $500, and he has made a correction
which compels the reengraving of the whole"
1t was the title page, beautifully executed on
steel. 1t read. as engraved: Life of Jesus
Christ by Henry Ward Beecher," etc. But on
the margin was written, in cramped characters.
to be inserted after Jesus and before Christ
a comma and the word the, the latter looking
so like a capital H" that l read it so aloud,
whereupon Wilkinson laughingly explained what
it was. Beecher laughed over it a year or two
later when l told him of it, and admitted that
the idea of the peculiar title had come to him
after the volume had been written, and he at
once adopted it without the slightest thought of
the cost to his publishers. He has no idea what
ever of the value of money. His mortgaging
his house to raise So, 900 to place in the hands of
Frank Moulton for the use of Mr.. and Mrs. Til
ton is a further proof of this, and also of the
fact that he does not question very closely the
characters of his almoners or the objects of his
charity. There is no man living more careless
of his reputation as well as his money, and he
displays this in his associations and his utter
anees, whether in his pulpit, his paper or in his
private letters. TIL letters to Moulton are illus
tratiye of this weakness. His love of man and
his Savior undoubtedly permeates Beecher's
entire being. | do not believe he can harbor
malice long. The humanitarianism of Christ is
a frequent pulpit theme of his. Years ago
used to send George E.. Mills, q brilliant young
IOUOTICL AbOO bIlliidlG 70 ICHudtH SUI 10 TcpOTI
Beecher for the Tribune. This conversation
usually followed Miles's return to the Office:
Miles-''How much space for Beecher|
Night Editor-"What did he talk about"
Miles-'Oh, the love of Jesus. of course"
Night Editor-''One column for the love Of
Jesus. One page if he said anything about the
love of Tilton.n
Ihave not told these stories in any irreverent
spirit, but solely with the purpose of giving an
idea of Beecher as he exists. He is the greatest
commoner of all the really great men | have ever
met, not excepting Sherman, and he is more i'm
pressive in this characteristic than the general,
because you are sure Beeeher does not affect it
while you are not SO positive about Sher-
man. Beeeher is democratic in everything
but his party affiliations, and is already
Democratic in his political principles. There
is no trouble in approaching him at any
time, however busy he may be. and he does
not impress you in the slightest degree
with anything akin to awe. On the contrary,
his greeting is so hearty that you are at once put
at your ease. You are made TO feel that you are
as good as he is, and know quite as much. His
tendency to independence is manifest in every
thing he does. His language would sometimes
horrify Lindley Murray and shock the purist who
can't abide slang, even when it is more express
i've than pure, indebted English. His attire is
never orthodox in cut, is very often threadbare,
and is always shabby genteel. His SLOUGH hat is
worn on the street and is thrown on the floor
pulpit with equal disregard Of how it fits or
where it falls. A stranger in his church is pretty
apt, unless his bump of reverence is pretty fully
developed, to laugh when the preacher first
energies to view on the platform-there is no
pulpit-and 'shies his castor against the back