The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-07-31
HOW MIR. HEECHER READ.
His Books Suggested to Him Many Of His
Best Thoughts.

Best Thoughts.
New York Press
Stimulated, doubtless. by Mrs. Henry
Ward Beecher's published "reminiscences OF
her husband, u paragraph has recently been
circulated to the effect that the great
preacher rarely read book. and never
could command the patience necessary TO
the careful reading of volume. This Is
erroneous. MIR. Beechers library was large
and selected with great care. But after his
entrance into public lite he had but few
leisure hours and comparatively little time
for reading. He wasa very slow reader.
stopping often TO ponder on what he had
read.
If his attention was particularly at
Iracted by a passages or some Thought was
suggested by il not specially connected
with what he was reading, 1 have seen him
drop his book and sit long time with that
intense, far of look so peculiar to HIM. and
turning quickly to his writing table begin
to write rapidly. This writing would per-
haps consist of notes for u sermon. but the
book which suggested the thought was
forgotten, and perhaps not opened again
for week. Many books In MIR. Beechers
library would seem from their looks never
to have been opened.
Yet. after listening to some peculiarly in
teresting sermon and on questioning him AS
TO how the subject came mp before HIM, he
would often say. "Oh, 1t was suggested
weeks ago from few lines in that book"
pointing to a set on the shelves opposite
his desk.
At one time Mrs Beecher SAID: why. /
never saw yOu open one of thOse books"
Quietly he reached for the book, opened it
and pointed TO a small pencil mark, and on
reading the sentence one could understand
that the passage might have suggested the
topic for the sermon.
Mr.. Beecher seldom read novels. and
when lie did he would. in all probability:
he called away when just in the middle of
a chapter. Then he would lay aside the
story, and perhaps not take it mp again for
days. The first early years OF Mr. Beech
or's public life he used to read Walter
Scott's novels for rest and relaxation. Not
all of them, but many, so. If be had u IA
vOrite writer 1t was Scott. In looking
through the titles of Scott's works Mrs.
Beecher recalls that there were sOme of
them which did not from q superficial ex-
which henever read. But those thai be read
had special charm for him during the par
tlal rest of the first spring months. Yet
the next year he would read them again
with renewed interest, always lneisting
that no didn't remember them. IL is true
that Mr.. Beecher had poor verbal men,
ory. and it Is doubtful if be couid ever re-
peat a sentence from any work correctly.
His friends who knew this trait in him,
were always uneasy If he attempted TO
quote a text of Scripture. But he always
gave the right meaning even If he didn't
give the literal quotation. Often, in acme
illustration, there would be some incident
from one of Scott's works. greatly enrich
ing what he was illustrating, for which he
gave the author full credit, but could
never tell from which of Scott's stories he
had extracted it, or in what connection
the idea had come co him. In later years.
his lighter reading was done on the cars
going 10 OK returning from lecture. and
he bought from the boOk-stand what APP
peared most attractive and the least cum
bersome.