Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1885-08-29
BEECHER INDIGNANT.
HE BRANDS THE PHlLADELP HIA RE-
PORT AS A MALICIOUS LlE.r
All His Debts Paid Promptly and in Full
as Soon as Demanded The Divine
Talks of His Connection with Ply
mouth Church--An Interview.

mouth Church--An Interview.
NEW YoaK, Aug. a. Mr.. Beecher was
found by reporter enjoying the cool
breezes which were chasing each other
across the magnifcen, landscape which, is
spread out before the Beechcr summer seat
at Peekskin. The morning papers had not
yet arrived, and Mr.. Beecher, when he COM
pleted his perusai of the article published in
the Philadelphia Times, which Assistant
Postmaster Halliday contradicted, laid it
down with a gesture of impatience, and
said:
ut is a baseless fabric Of nothingness,
without the least foundation. It is all lie,
an infamous lie; and, first of all would
speak Of money matters, for it is so put rs to
reflect upon mans honor when ii says that
there is any assumption of debt without
intention or ability to pay. Nothing can be
more remote from the truth. There is not a
workingman in my employ, and have
seven about this place, who need wait longer
for what is due him than the time it will
take me to put my hand in my pocket. There
is not a tradesman who has one penny owing
which he cannot have on demand. This part
of the Philadelphia article would declare a
wholesale, malicious lie / cannot for the
life Of me see why such tales should be set
afioat, but suppose it is one OF the neces-
sary Affections of life."
"What of your retirement from the pulpit
of Plymouth churchg'
sThe matter has never been discussed
barely mentioned There never has been
any formal consideration of it in the
church. 1t has been thought Of, Of course;
it would be strange if it had not been. lam
not perpetual motion machine. There is
span to every human life, and some day it
will come about that there will be Plym-
outh church and no Mr. Beecher As soon
as feel myself going 1 am ready to stand
up and say: Brethren, we have had good
time together. Thank God for that! But
now let us reason for the future And will
then welcome a younger man and help him
oil can to go right on with the work"
"How is your present healths"
s'Never better in my life. / am prepared
for any amount OF work, and / am
ready now to enter the lists against any man
of half my age, and rur him race, say for
year--an intellectual so-as- you please con-
test in writing sermons and preaching them,
in doing hard brain york night and day
Ny mind is clearer now than it ever has
been, and there is not an ache or pain or a
weak spot that know Of"
"And the churchs"
''Is stronger and better to-day than ever it
was Tho asperities of the last political
campaign are gradually fading away, and
the old reign of love and tolerance coming
in. Plymouth has been a Republican strong
hold; it was as such that founded it, and
such it had grown to be. Many were not
ready to follow me when / thought it my
duty as good citizen to support Mr.. Glove
land Some OF the members of the congre-
cation felt very sore Tor time and absented
themselves from the church, but all save two
are now again in full working fellowship
These indignant ones remember that had
always preached the fullest freedom Of ac-
ton on the part of every man, and they saw
that had a right to live up to my own doc
trines. No man can say that I used
my pulpit as a political agency, or
that / uttered one word as pastor to
which any one in Plymouth could take ex-
ception. What did out of the pulpit, on
the stump and in pushing the cause which
then thought and still think had the most of
justice and right and honor in it, did
openly and above-board. There was a
reason for every utterance made, and this
reason gave with all the power / had. His
tory, think, has justified my course Mr.
Cleveland has made an excellent executive
and have not one word to recall-not one
sentiment to change or alter. Those Of my
people who differed with then are coming
round to my way Of thinking now. All the
bitterness of the strife IL passing or has
passed away, and, as say, / can think OF
but two instances among all M peo-
pie where the old Plymouth church
feeling is not back again in
their hearts. Ono of the leaders In this
.t<-l.k l.
on this very point, said it was not so much
a question Of Plymouth church leaving M
Bcecher A. It was of Mr.. Beecher leaving
Plymouth but there is no danger, think, Of
either castastrophe-not for time 1t least
The question Of change has been considered
by the long headed men Of the church for
ten years past, but 1t seems as far of as ever
in any practical sense. I think can be OF
great service yet, and mean to try to give
the people the full measure of my abilities
thank God for what he has permitted me
to be and do, and every day makes me to see
things clearer, and many matters that were
once puzzles are now plain reading and
thinking sleep well, eat with good appe-
tite and digestion, and this year my old enc
my, hay fever, seems to have forgotten that
l am In existence-another matter to be
thankful for.
II will be the first one in the Plymouth
Church to urge the retirement of Mr..
Beecher as soon as Mr.. Beecher should be set
aside 1t may come at any time but have
no intimation of it yet I win watch for it
and will speak out when the occasion pre-
sents itself. do not think there is any de-
mand for change in the church. Ask any
Of the deacons or any Of the nine trustees
Go to s. v. White, or Professor Ross Ray
mond, or Horace B. Claim. or Mr.. Ropes, or
any of the leading men in the church. They
are as hearty now as they ever were in the
support of Plymouth and its pastor. More
so, even, were it possible. There is no di-
vision, no talk of any separation, and we win
work on to that end, which hope is yet far
off,"