The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-31
BEECHER's WILD FIGURES.
HIr. Shearman Explains the Meaning of One
of the Preachers Famous Sayings.
New York Special.

New York Special.
MY understanding of the disaffection which
existed in our congregation" said Mr. Thomas
G. Sherman, prominent member Of the Ply
mouth Church, this morning, lis that the per-
sons who were dissatisfied did not complain of
Mr. Beeeher for voting for Cleveland. They
were angry or grieved because of some express
sions of his in regard to Mr.. Joy, and also be-
cause of the statement by Mr.. Beeeher that if
every man in the State who had broken the
seventh commandment voted for Cleveland he
would have 100000 Now the secret of that 200-
900 statement is just this: Mr.. Beecher has no
appreciation of figures, He habitually talks of
doing a thing ten thousand times, when he has
done it only fifteen times He doesn't seem to
be able to finish a sermon without bringing in a
lot OF big figures, which he only uses and under
stands as figures of speech signifying indefinitely
great size or quantity. When he said 100000
the words meant Just what he would have meant
if he had said 100000 or 100000
He expected Cleveland to carry the
merely to express size. 1 think that the out
come of all this trouble will be that the pew
rents will fall off 81 600 OF So. 900 this year
Then people will get over the little bad feeling
they now have and will understand that Mr.
Beeeher is not man of logic and figures and
will not expect strict accuracy from him. One
thing about Mr., Beecher's mistakes is that they
are all made before the public, and, again. they
are all taken down by reporters If he says a
foolish thing, that is precisely what the report
ers very naturally select to print because he is
such an eminent man that mistake by him is
of public interest, especially as there is always
so much point and humoP in his sayings Mr.
Beecher never said foolish thing yet that was
not published all over the country; yet how few
these mistakes are"
"Beecher didn't know if New York State cast
one or five million votes" said Mr.. Thomas Til
ney. He has absolutely no idea of the value of
figures Yes, | was Blaine man during the
last campaign. There was very extensive dis
satisfaction over Beechers course. His
right to vote for Cleveland was not ques
toned; it was the spirit he showed.
Members said he was bitter Over so per cent.
of the congregation was dissatisfied The feel
ing was not anger it was grief. No one wanted
Mr. Beecher to leave Plymouth Church There
was no organization against him or movement
to leave in body by those who were dssatis
fed All love Mr. Beecher at Plymouth Church.
He's got his arms around the whole eongrega-
ton, A few would have left, but ne one would
have heard of his leaving, His explanation of
yesterday makes everything all right again, L
think. feel this way about the matter; have
sat under Mr.. Beecher's ministrations for years,
and have heard in that time ten thousand things
which have done me good Compared with
these the offensive sentences are too small to be
noticed, Professor Raymond feels the same as
!, and so do all the Blaine men l have spoken to
since yesterday, except one. Still there will be
an immediate loss, followed by a reaction l ex-
pect that pew rents this year will go down to
$40 OO0 Last year they were $32 000 afterward
they will become greater again. The diminu-
ton of the rents will not cause any difference of
arrangements in the church. The funds will be
forthcoming, matter from rents or not"