Huntsville gazette., 1885-01-03

Political Action, Apologies for Rash
Utterances, Offers to Resign If Necessary,
But Pleads for Unity in the Church He
Has Helped to Build Up.
NEW YORK, December 29
At the close of his sermon yesterday Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher made a personal
statement. He said that for the first
time in thirty-eight years of his ministry in
Plymouth Church, there was enough of
disagreement in the church to need
notice. The disquiet was not on account
of his ministry, for no one had charged
him with introducing politics into his
sermons. He had discussed slavery
from the pulpit because it was
permanent question, and in
volved the necessity of education;
but the present question was small one
and would of itself soon pass away,
and therefore he had not thought it
fair to vex those among them who diff
fered from his views by ailuding to the
matter in the pulpit. But he felt when
the great Republican party had failed to
crown its career by bringing in unity of
sentiment north and South that like
Moses, he who had helped bring the
people within sight of the Promised
Land, was to die without entering it. He
would gladly have given his life if the
Republican party could have given such
welcome to the South as to have made
one of the great candidates a Southern
man. Feeling as he did, after long
consideration, he went into the can
vass. They knew very well he never
went into anything by halves.
(Applausel He threw his life, his repu-
tation, his influence to the winds. They
were nothing to him if only the country
might live again in absolute harmony. He
would not say that he had not said things
during the campaign that he ought to
have said differently. But after he had
been with them forty years, they should
have had confidence enough In him, and
manlinesS enough not to take an impetu-
Gus speech and draw it out into every
base application. 1t was shame for
them to have done it. Applause]. AS for
himself, it was shame for him to have
said ANYTHING that should lead them into
such mistake. On no other point was he
SO sensitive as that it should be supposed
that he in anyway undervalued the sancti-
ty of chastity and the purity of household
life On that subject time would do him
justice, and he had right to expect diff
ferent treatment from them. AS to his
polical Judgment he looked back upon it
with approval AS to what had been
said about persons intending to leave the
church, if any preferred other ministry
1 they should have his blessing wherever
they chose to go. So far as pew renting
was concerned, all he cared was that the
charitable work of the church might not
! tns1 1n6
not rebuke him by reducing the income.
[Applausel He came to the pastorate on
$1,000 year, and could live happily on
that now. But if he supposed that even
a large minority felt no longer benefited
by his preaching he would resign. If
they wanted him to stay they must receive
him with open hands. He regretted if
any ones feelings had been hurt, and for
any mistakes he had made he apologized.
But they should remember that in speak
ing to a crowd one addressed jury
rather then Judge, and used less formal
language. They should not lay
the Attic rule of their measure
ment too severely upon a
speaker who was sent out to counteract
Ben Butler. [Laughter]. He was their
servant for Christ's sake and for loves
sake, and he trusted in their love for him.
Many of them would soon be with him in
the other life, where they would smile in
remembering how they let the grandeur
of life 90 by while thinking of little in
felicities and slips. For the sake of men
perishing in ignorance, let them hold on
their way, all the purer and stronger for
the slight misunderstanding that had
come among them" Mr.. Beecher was
warmly congratulated by host of friends
at the close of the services.