The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-04-14
BEECHER.
Eis Indiana Life and Wbere He
Began His Oratory.


Henry Ward Beecher preached the
first sermon of bis life, as pastor, in
this little Ohio river city. A hundred
miles of rail brought me here to view
the old landm arks of the pastorate of
his boyhosd. So often has Mr.. Beecher
spoken, in pathetic and personal terms,
of mis- little flock, and the hard times
of his brief career in "the backwoOds
town of Indiana" where he first un-
furled his banner, that all his admirers
are familiar with the theme.
Lawrenceburg forty-eipht years ago
was not Brooklyn nor Boston. nor
even Troy. By the accidental death
Of wealthy commercial and river
man, according to the legendary
chronicles, Lawrenceburg lost the per-
sonal impulse and encouragement
which made Cincinnati the Queen City
of the Ohio valley. For many years
Lawrenceburg and Cincinnati were
rivals, and forty-eisht years ago the
latter was one of the most advanced
towns in Indiana, did perhaps the
largest business, boosted the most en-
terprising men and fairest women had
wealth, the best ana biggest business
blocks in the state, and promised to
grow to be large and Important in
terror city.
FIFTY-sIx YEARS AGO
a dozen devout Presbyterians organ
lied ''the First Presbyterian church of
Lswrenceburg" They formed CO
partnership of devotion, money, and
enthusiasm, and erected one of the
most commodio9s and elegant dev0-
tional edifices of the West. To-day |
wandered with a friend to its door. 1t
was q substantial and symmetrical
structure, two full stories nigh, with
a broad gable of fifty feet fronting the
street, and the main building extend
ing back sixty feet. 1t was a plain
but had solid, frugal look. The
first story is Of rough stone and NOR
tar, the second of nicely laid and
primed brick. Until late years lis full
proportions doomed up the vision.
The exigeneies of the city improve
ments have required disturbance Of
the ground about it; ard heuce the
street ON which it stands, and the
neigbboring squares, have beer filled
up with earth. The old ediice is
therefore partly buried half of the
first story is hidden from view until
one steps aside and gszes through a
pGling fence on the Old moss tangled
doorway at the rear into the basement
story. Then the original SYM metrical
proportions of Beeehers first church is
before you.
MY escort was a Sunday school pu-
pill of Henry Ward, and is bordering
on sixty years of age. Obtaining the
keys, he opened the pinched up old
door, which ground on Ifs hinges as
he pulled it open to admit us. There
i beheld spacious hall, fifty by sixty
feet, neat, airy, comfortable, aad well
supplied with cushioned seats. A
new but empty book case, a church
organ, and stylish reading stand on
which lay handsome bible, COM
prised the additional furniture. The
only internal change since
MR.. BEECHEs's TINE
is in the substitution of slightly
raised dais for coop in the air, from
which elevated spot young Henry ed
flied and thrilled his hearers. Forty
eight years ago he was on the point OF
graduating from his fathers college
Lane Theological Seminary at Gin
cinati, under the care of the eminent
divine, Lyman Beecher. This First
Presbyterian church of Lawienceburg
was young in years. membership and !
power. Frequently il had no regular
pastor. From IFS erection to this hour
it has been custom, when without a
regular pastor, for this congregation
to send word TO generous old Lane !
and ask for cadet. There Was never
a tim when new-fedged diyines,
young men just graduated, were not
ready TO respond to any request
from Lawrenceharg. There was al
ways rush of the young theoIogians
when ii was given cut that vacancy
existed there. Sometimes for dozen
weeks in succession the pulpit of this
old church was occupied by as many
different young candidates for call.
In 1887, when Ward Beecher was
three or four years past his twentieth
year, a bright-minded, ambitious
graduate, he was one among several
young gentlemen from Lane Seminary
who responded to the request for en-
tries for the prize of Lawrenceburg's
pulpit. Young Beecher tried bis hand