The Indianapolis journal., 1885-06-13
Beecher and the Twenty Third Psalm.

New York Letter in Boston Herald.
Henry Ward Beecher has come into renewed
scrutiny since he began TO preach his evolution
sermons. AS he trudges in Broadway, people
stop to look at him. He shows every year of his
age, and yet there is visible evidence Of hale
heartiness. He becomes more and more
Beechery, as the lines Of his face deepen and his
figure broadens. In the pulpit he has as much
elocutionary power as ever Here is an anec
dote told to me by one of his admirers, right
whether the congregation would stay with the
pastor if he made new and further departure
from orthodoxy, and the man replied that
Beechers emotional power over them was equal
to any requirement.
I'm the height of what has gone into history
as the Beecher scandal, he continued, 'it was
at one juncture the toss-up of a cent whether We
stuck to him or not. The proofs against him at
that juncture seemed absolutely conclusive, and
his most intimate and steadfast friends could
make no argument, but assert their blind faith.
Most of us subsequently, thought that the trial
cleared him, but it was not so when, at certain
Friday evening prayer-meeting, the atmosphere
was fairly chilled by doubts and outright con-
demnation. Beecher took his usual seat on the
low platform-he remained seated during this
service-and as he looked around the assemblage
he appeared to me for the moment to be crushed
by the situation. Detection and sorrow were
expressed in every line of his strong face He
slowly turned the leaves of the Bi
BILE to select passage of Scrip
ture to read. His choice was that
famous Psalm of consolation and faith beginning,
The Lord is my shepherd, / shall not want
His eyes were not on the page, and throughout
it was recitation from memory, not reading.
There was an almost piteous tone of appeal in
the utterance of the sentence, though it was
his prayer for the fulfllment of divine promise,
rather than a declaration of confidence Then
he went on, quietly, fervently as though some
what reminiscent of past religious sweetness in
his experience: He maketh me to lie down in
green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still
waters He restoreth my SOUL Into the sue
ceeding sentence he injected clearly as though
he had interpoated an explicit assertion of his
personal reetitude, spirit of bold set-vindica
tion He guideth me in the paths of righteous
ness for his names sake! The accused preachers
head was now held high, his voice was declama-
tory, and something of defiance was in his mien.
But after silent moment, his aspect changed
utterly, indicating that the weight of his trouble
had been lifted for instant only to return
crushingiy. Tears came into his eyes, and his
voice was tremulous as he proceeded: Yea.
though walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, will fear no evil, for thou art with
me- Again a pause, with ensuing civilizations
Thou preparest a table before me in the pres
ence of mine enemies. Thou has annointed my
head with OIL My cup runneth over By this
time tears were dropping from half the eyes in the
house, and the sobs of deeply affected women
were heard. Beecher is poorreader His part
in the recent authors exhibition disappoint-
ingly tame, so bad was his elocution. But this
was impusive, emotional. with those qualities
which make his impassioned preaching so won
drously effective. The final lines were delivered
in s,climax of Quivering agitation, Surely good
ness and mercy shall follow me all the days Of my
life and will dwell In the house of the Lord
forever That Psalm won the case for Beecher
so far as his own people were concerned. 1t was
the grandest eloeution ever heard on earth"