Savannah morning news., 1885-08-29
MIR. BEECHER INDIGNANT.
he Brands the Philadelphia story as =
Malicious Lie"

From the Ne1o York World.
Mr.. Beecher was found by reporter en-
joying the cool breezes which were chasing
each other across the magnificent land
scape which is spread out before the
Beecher summer-seat at PeekskiH, The
morning papers had not yet arrived, and
Mr.. Beecher. when he had completed his
perusal Of the article published in the
Philadelphia Times, which Assistant Pas
tor Halliday contradicted in the World,
laid it down with gesture Of impauence
and said:
at is baseess fabric Of nothingness,
without the least foundation. 1t Is all a
lie, an infamous lie; and, first OF all, /
would speak Of money matters, for 1t is 80
put as to reflect upon a mans honor when
1t saws 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 iced wait longer for what is due him
than the time IL viii take me to put my
hand in my pocket There is not trades
man who has one penny owing which he
cannot have on demand. This part oil the
Philadelphia article | would declare a
wholesale, malicious lie. ! cannot Tor the
life of me see why such tales should be
set afiOat but / suppose 1t ls one of the
necessary Affections OF life"
''What OF your retirement from the pull
pit of Plymouth churchY
"The matter has never been discussed
barely mentioned. There has never been
any formal consideration OF II in the
church. ILhas been thought of, Of course;
il would be strange II il had not been. |
am not q perpetual motion machine.
There is a span to every human life, and
sOme day it will come about that there
will be Plymouth church and no Mr.
Beecher. As soon as | feel myself going
/ am ready to stand up and say: Breth-
ren, we have had a good time together.
Thank God for that But now let us Tea-
son for the future. And ] Will then well
come younger man and help him all l
san TO 90 right on with The work"
"How is your present health p
"NeVer better In my life. | am prepared
Tor any amount of work, and l am ready
now to enter the lists against any man Of
half my age, and run him a race, say for
a year-an intellectual go-as-you-pl
contest in writing sermons and preaching
them, in doing hard brain work night and
day. My mind is clearer now than it
ever has been, and there is not an ache or
a pain or a weak spot that l know or
''And the churchg"
sis stronger ana better today than ever
1t was. The 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
stronghold; it was as such that l founded
II, and such 1t had grown to be. Many
were not ready 10 follow me when |
thought it my duty as a good citizen to
support Mr.. Cleveland. Some Of the
members Of the congregation felt very sore
for time and absented themselves from
the church, but all save two are now again
IN full working fellowship. These indig-
nant ones remember that | had always
preached the fullest freedom of action on
the part OF every man, and they saw that
j had a right to live up to my doctrines.
No man can say that ! used my pulpit as
political agency or that / uttered one
word as pastor to which any one in Ply
mouth could take exception. 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, l did openly and
and above board. There was a reason for
every utterance | made, and this reason
j gave with all the power had. History,
j think, has justified my course. Mr.
Cleveland has made an excellent execu-
tive and | have not one word to recall
not one sentiment to change or alter.
These of my people who differed with me
then are coming round to my way Of
thinking now. All the bitterness of the
strife is passing or has passed away, and,
as / say, can think of but two instances
among all my people where the old Ply
mouth church feeling is not back again
in their hearts. One of the leaders in this
opposition, if we might 50 style it, in a
letter on this very point, said it
was not so much question OF
Plymouth church leaving MIR. Bee
cher as Mr.. Beecher leaving Plymouth,
but there is no danger, think, of either
catastFophe-nOt for time at least. The
question OF a change has been considered
by the lOng-headed men of the church for
ten years past, but il seems as far on AS
ever IN any practical sense. / think | can
be OF great service vet, and mean TO try
TO give the people the fun 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 appetite and digestion, and
this year my old enemy, hay fever, seems
20 have forgotten that l am in existence
another matter to be thankful for.
II win be the first one ia the Plymouth
church TO urge the retirement Of Mr. Bee
aside. II may come at any time, but
have no intlmRtiOn OF it yet. l Will watch
for 1t and will speak out when the Occa-
sion presents itself. do not think there
IL any demand for a change in the church.
ASK any OF the deacons or any Of the nine
trustees. Go TO :. V. White or Prof
Ross Raymond or his father. Dr.. Ray
rnond, or Horace b. Clafiin, or Mr.. Ropes,
OF 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 50, even. were il possible.
There Is no division, no talk of any sepa-
ration, and we will work on to that end,
which 1 hope is yet far on"
Mr.. Beecber spoke OF himself and his
church work with calm satisfaction, In
marked cont asst TO the vigorous way in
which he had opened the conversation
when money matters were touched upon.
a ~ nmaaa