New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-28

y
DIT. EDWARD BEECIER
Edward Bcechcr was born to Lyman Pccchcr and
his wife at Ensthampton. L. l.. on August p. 1903.
His fathe- was pastor Of the Congregational 'hurch
there but soon removed to Connecticut where young
Edward WAS prepared for college, entering Yale wheh
he wa, II years old. lie was graduated IN the class
Of Is22. only OF his classmates are living. Dr.
Thomas vermilyca, formerly one Of the pastors OF
the Collegiate Reformed churches in Ncw-lorN' ana
Henry Hefrlck. Both born in tile same year
As Dr. Bccchcr The latter became principal Of the
Hartford Grammar school after his graduation ana
remained in that place for two years lie theh went
TO AndOver Theological seminary and studied icDre"
and attended lectures theology While there nc
wa, appointed A tutor at Yale In $50, ana served
A little more than year teaching the freshman 'lssS'
He continued his Theological studies and while there
was called the p,sOratc OF the Park Street con-
prc,.i,nal Church Of Boston. This was one Of the
leading societies Of the city. and the Young minister
felt hi, powers tested 20 the utmost, as hu'h was
expected Of Lyman Beechcr's son. But he mot al
expectations and conducting an ehuemcN sue
ces,nl work when he was elected tho FIRST president
OF the Illinois College. at Jacksonville ILL., ana W
signed his pulpit IN 1890 TO take the place lie hah
married two wears before. and his wife, four wears
vopnc.r than he went with him to what was then
the remote West near the banks Of the Mississippi
only - years old President bcerher TOOK up INC
work of starting great educational insntutloh Tic
remained It's president for twelve years ana IN 'ha'
period ~ students were graduated. Among thehl
were Dr. Newton Bateman arer~ard president oil
Knox College Richard Yates, Governor "i TIE sta'e'
and the Rev. Dr. r. ". Patterson
II was while Dr. Bcechcr at the head oil ILLINOIS,
couoco tba, the riots occurred at Alton H.. In 1870,
and Elijah H. Ioycjoy was killed. Alton Is about
arv miles from jacksonville but the excitement was
rrcat in the latter place. and Or. Bcecher himself
had threats Of violence for his outspohcn woris lie
preached sermon upon the subject anu NJ" ss"'
If u disturbance A. he started I" leave Tue '"u'.n
lo hcord voices say where /, he Where is hef
and he walked calmly forward and said Here am
"a. mon sunk away and lie went on unframed. Tic
,r,o,e an account " the Alton RIOTS which was pun
IIshcd in a thin volume. The ohly copy m u KNOW"
90 lao iu existence f. I'm his library. When the manu-
script was first sent TO the publishers IL was oft VI
dcsro, cd and had not copy OF been madc ny MI
peechcr the work would have bad to he rewritten
After rcsienlng his presidency. Dr. beecher ~
,,-nea N BOSTON and accepted a call 10 the Salem
rect Conversational Church, with which he remained
,,r,u ISM Thi, was period Of theological hhfes'
and activity and DR.. Bcecher was an acuVe 'ea"c'.
lie vas one of the founders Of The CongTcsauo"'n'
with DIS Storrs and Paris. and con'fiDnteu "n'h I"
=, ,oluu,ns lie also wrote at this time "Thc Con
nict Of Ages II tho first published utt'rah'c w
,he line OF the new theology, ad set forth views
,,hich were by 40 means In harmony with the or
,n,dox Ideas OF the day, although now therc Is noun
Ing I'm the book which is not almost universally 4"
rcp,ed The book published In Boston III io'''
II met a much favorable and coriihi recep''.
than the author had dared to hope lie SAYS
evrccted that | would be tried for hcrcsy, and was
sgreeably surprised when found was not put upon
,L ,,l,orv DIR LYMAN Abbott has taken occasion
10 cav some complimentary things abont the book
,ybich I do not repeat" Henry Ward Bcecher al
WAYS attributed hi, liberal theological idea, TO the
teachings Of his brother.
DR. Beecner subsequently published The Concord
n Ages which supplemented the previous volume
and set forth the Same ideas carried I" 'heir ios
conclusion lie is also the author Of several other
works one upon Etcrnai Punishment" which com
bats the idea Of everlasting rctrbntion Tor the "ioh'
some minor works and many articles In inc "r'S'a
tni,n, "Congrcga,iona and other religious news
"Ppn 1s5' DR.. Deecher again left Boston and went
west. becoming pastor 81 me .ohs,s a ,,n,er
in The Chicago Theological seminary, his subject bcig
The relation of Christianity to lhe po,cl ~ While
IN GacsLurg where he remained until his seventeen
wear lie then came to brooklyn to I'VE. III, ii' Dc
romc a member Of plymouth Church and IL stu con
ncrtcd with IT, although living al such distance rom
il ~ to 10 unable 10 attend its servcee ~ recent
n ministry was celebrated in Plymouth Church In
1885 Dr. neechcr preached the sermon a. 1nS or
nd In 1917 Since hc has lived in Brooklyn he
las preached aud has spoken al many RELIGIOUS me nee"
N
"rsc,tional church IN Parkvillc between BROOKLYN ana
Concv Island on the Prospect Park ard Concl ishnn
poiiroad II while returning from a service w
Lis church three that he slipped fi.hn INC
nlatforn i'm the station nj Nntlave. and Iwenucils',
and hiA left log was over by car-wlecl ana
crushed. 80 that II had to be- anputatcd IN spi ,,
n hi. eighty six wears Dr. Bccch'r bore INC pam
~ thc opentlon which conducted NJ the MethhiSl
Epscop:l Hospital, with extreme fortitude lie wen,
olnut with crIicres for time, hut after an hrth'm
leg had been supplied and he had become accustomed
10 IT, he discarded his crchcs and he now whlhs
with . .
Dr Heccher's home Is ut No. ~" Macon-st near
Tompkins- ave. and from the rear windows OF ms
house one looks ont upon the wall Of the Church Of st
t'hry,ns tom. formerly the Tompkins Avenue Con
Is opposite and he attends tho services in It, lis
family includes his wife: now eighty-fvc years on,
,rhom he married sixty four years ago. and their
adopted daughter. Miss Voice Adams lecchcr VINO mas
Ieen with them for several years. one son. burnl'
p Gcechcr n publisher also lives In Brooklyn the
mil recently pastor Of the Congregational church I'D
VpIlsvllle - u, who resigned 10 take Orders IN Ia"
/ rntc.tqnt Episcopal Church
Three OF b.. Eccchcrs sisters Mrs. Harriet Beecher
.towe Mrs Isabella Decchcr Hooker. and Mrs Mary
rcochcr Perkins are s li"nf as also his brothers.
p"y Thomas X. Reechcr, OF Flmlra Mr.. stowe lived
wuh Or. Bcechcr before she wrote Uncle Toms
cabin and day In conversation Mrs. Beecher
I'D 10 her II | hId the power you have with the
nrm / would write something about the slaves which
,cond make people feel their wrongs To this Mrs
edited by her son. she credits Mrs. Edward Becehcr
"'i Dr. Bcechers birthday quietly celebrated BY
The family yesterday.
T.