The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-05
BEECHER'S REC0LLECTIONS.
A Characteristic Table-Talk with the
Great Pulpit Orator.
RecOllections of Some of the More Prominent
of His Former ParishiOners-HiS Ex-
perienees as Farmer.


stopped here yesterday en- route for Richmond,
where he lectured last night, and whence he re-
turns to lecture here tonight at the Plymouth
Church; Rev. o. G. McCulloch, Mr.. Pond, who
is Mr. Beecher's agent and travelling companion,
and the Journal reporter The three last were
seated at the table when Mr.. Beecher took his
place. The reporter was introduced. The great
divine started back in mock terror. "a reporter
All, yes; L see the lean and hungry look in his
eye. 1 recognize 'em at once"
Mr.. Beecher is a delightful table talker, as
bright and CHEEKY boy youth being appar-
emily perennial in him, and the conversation ran
on light and joyous between the knife-and-fork
interpretations
''What will l have7 What do you think a
man of my complexion ought to havel Bring
me beefsteak, of course. No, I'm not an En-
glishman this in answer to a question of Mr..
McCuoch). I'm some English but more Welsh.
think Tn little of several nationalities. I've
been trying to make myself out a Hebrew.
That's on account of my wonderful success in
money matters" This with a droll look and a
roguish twinkle of the eye, as his financial in
capacity is so patent as to be almost byword.
1--WE have all heard of your success as farm
ef, said Mr.. McCulloch
''Oh don't come up to me on that side. My
farm is a success 1t pays everybody about it,
but me- Mark Twain has done me great injury
by writing up my experience as a farmer. What
he has written that subject will go into history
as truth, and do my reputation injury through
all the ages to come.
Il edited the agricultural department of the
Indianapolis journal when l lived here, but that
was many years ago. 1 rode out to Your GENE
terry to-day. 1t is, indeed, a beautiful place,
and as read the names on the monuments
there many of them familiar They bore
the names of my old parishioners and L felt
that could almost shake hands with them.
have preached some good sermons to those folks
and great many bad ones, too. In that day
there was demand for big sermons on strong
Soctrinal subjects. l couldn't get the matter to-
gether and hold it long enough to preach one. l
couldn't preach until l got the spur of Sunday
into me, and then worked. All the preachers
of the other churches here had big sermons. l
thought ought to get up something [ con
uluded to try some sermons, or lectures, to yo--g
men, and gave three or four of them. They
caught on, and then [ continued and preached
the series, as they got more and more attractive.
The foreman of the Journal at that time wanted
to print them. He said it would set him up in
business l began to read my notes and prepare
copy when l got hold of Isaac Barrows' three
sermons. l read one of them nearly through,
and it said more and said it better than what l
had said altogether. / threw my notes across
che room and quit. A little later saw similar
sermons from another author, which was told
people had read with profit. They were not
very good. So l went to work again my
poor neglected sermons and had them printed.
/ don't think l ever had an audience in those
days of over 300 persons There were then here
only about A, 900 people, and sixteen different de
nominations. There were great many strong
men here then. James Blake was not strong
man. but he was a good man.. James NJ. Ray
was a strong man, good man, and man of
great tact 1 could got more out of Calvin
Fletcher in the way of good counsel than of any
one. He was wise, acute observer CT men.
He used to say that he held himself accountable
for his own conduct, and not only that, but the
conduct of everybody he had business with, and
If things with which he was connected did not go
right he did not blame others but himself 1
have adopted thatrule largely myself" continued
Mr. Beecher, "and it has done me very good serv
. ice. He was rigorous, but he was wise l re-
member these men especially well-James Blake,
James NJ. Ray and DR.. COe-three good men,
and of great influence for good in the commu
nifty. 1t was said of their restraining influence
a certain hard character of those old days
that he would go to Blake, until Blake died,
then to Ray until Ray died. then to Coe, until
Coe died, and then-he would go to the devil.
Oliver II. Smith was a strong man in some
spects-if he could have been persuaded to have
q good ODniOn of himself
'That's very broad irony, Mr.. Beecher" was
suggested by one of the listeners.
Yes" he answered frankly, lit is. When we
get to heaven no doubt there will be great sur
prises for nearly all of US. Here we are like
ehestnuts with the burs oil; there will be
without the burs and many of us will be aston
tshed to find there that we are not half as big as
we thought ourselves on earth.
81 was somewhat of farmer when / lived in
this thriving city. l lived on Ohio street, oppo-
site the residence of the late Stoughton A.
Fletcher NOW the Billiard property, and cult
waited that quarter Of square There We're
good-sized farms near by and woods that are
now covered with houses. Bob Duncan is dead,
ooh no." was the answer 'You ought to
hear him tell of the wild turkeys he shot forty
years ago"
Il think 1 identify him. Remember me TO
him. Is old Judge Stevens alive, the brother of
Thaddeus Stevens? No? He was a singular
man, and with advantages would have been al
most as strong as old Thad.
81 thought a great deal of Stoughton A.
Fletcher, Calvin's brother He was certainly
the most curious compound I ever met He was
really a kind hearted, generous man, but he
seemed to glory in being strange. and would
never do anything that anybody expected him to
do Nick McCarty was very active business
man in my time but he is long since dead.
Swedenborg tells of a man who was dead
eighteen years and did not know it, When
think of men and women l once knew in Indian
apols l feel much like that man.
Here Mr.. Beecher stopped to shake hands
with Mr. and Mrs. VIM. Mansur ''You do not
know me, Mr.. Beecherf said the lady. 81 was
Hannah Gully" 'Oh yes" said the great
preacher, shaking hands warmly 81 remember
you very we'll"
After they were gone he continued: "Her
father, David Gully, was one of my elders
spoke few moments ago of Oliver HI. Smith.
A.nl i,+: H.