The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-01-10

for M. Ii 5s5s Y. years, / think that you
should have had confidence in your
pastor and that you should not have
made one special speech of his the, SUD-
iect of unfair criticism. 1t was shame
for you TO have done it, and now, Tor
myself, it was shame for me to nave
said anything to which men as WISE as
you and women as good as you couiq
possibly take exception. For myself l
am heartily ashamed, and | sincerely
hope you, too, are ashamed for your
part. "a
The discontented parishioners must
have regarded this as anything hut an
apology or going back on anything.
Continuing, Beecher said: AS far as
my political judgment is concerned,
and the stand / took in the last canvass,
1 look back upon it with an unfeigned
appreciation, although now see that
there were some mistakes"
To the carper! and critics, he said:
1t has been ssid that some of the best
men of this church are going to leave
US, presumably on account OF my ac-
ton. If any single person - member
Of this congregations Of the opinion
that he can no longer remain here with
profit to himself, then ! say let him go,
but let him go openly; don't let him
sneak away as If he was ashamed of
what he did. Go openly; don't sneak
away. Go with open face and l will
bid you godspeed. AS far as the ques-
ton of pew rent is concerned l don't
care snap of my fingers.
Another extract from this very hum
BILE apology is this: fs9
Everything that has in any way hurt
your feelings or that has grieved you
in any manner, if it was my fault am
heartily sorry for, and you on your
part should be sorry for all that is your
fault You should be as sorry for your
faults as am for mine. ] am conscious
of my imperfections. and | should be
very conceited man indeed were | to
think or say that had made no ill-con-
sidered or hasty speeches during the
campaign, but Judge of it from one
standpoint and you you from another.
| was after votes.
Every man who pretends to be a
speaker, every lawyer, knows that there
is an immense amount of difference be-
tween addressing his Honor on the
bench and talking to the jury in favor
of the individual for whom he pleads.
Had been making speeches to you,
my brethren, they would have been dig
nified and correct but when Invent out
70 conquer Ben Butler, (at which allu-
sion the congregation became convulsed)
| made speeches that | thought would
suit the common mind. Therefore, it
would be unfair of you to use your Attic
scale of measurement for weighing me.
am quite ready to have you sandpaper
me or censure me, but, really, after all is
said and done, don't believe made as
many mistakes as you have credited me
with.
Altogether this is an apology and re-
traction which Sounds very much like
triumphant rejoicing and defiance on
the part of Mr.. Beecher. The truth is,
the old man did much towards the cleo
ton of Cleveland, and he is proud of it,
and well he may be-. He knows his
power, and understands how much
easier it would be for him
to spare Plymouth church than
for plymouth church to spare
him. He can afford to go, but the church
cannot afford to lose him. The play
of Hamlet with Hamlet left out would
be quite as successful and interesting as
Plymouth without the pastor who
created and has sustained it. Beecher
didn't apologize; but he forced his
grumbling parishioners into an en-
dorsement of him.