The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-05
THE OLD BEEcHER STOVE FOUND.
The Celebrated Church War AID the nlu-
sions to Which 1t Gave Rise.

LITCHFIELp. Conn. Dec. 4.-Henry F. Middle
ton. Q New York antiquarian. has found at the
homo of Jason Aldrich. n farmer living near
East Cornwall. the old box stove which was tho
innocent cause Of Litchfeld's celebrated stove
war in the Sabbath Day House on Litchleld
Green during the ministry OF the Rev. Lyman
beecher. and has carried 1t of to New York in
triumph. He had been in search of the stove for
several months. Aldrich had owned the stove
for years, having bought it at an auction.
The stove is n box-shaped affair, standing on
slender wrought iron legs more than eighteen
inches long. 1t is q wood burner. and will take in
sticks three feet long and twelve inches through.
The door is at the front and the pipe is at the
back. With a good bed OF Goals at the door, d
pile of large sticks laid over them. and with the
damper open. the old stove will get up 4 draught
like that of a small blast furnace in an incred.
IDLY short time. Its heating powers, when fed
on quantities Of seasoned oak or
hickory, are indisputably good.
There are still a number of Lltchfeld people
who remem Der the story of the stove war. Ly-
man Beecher. the ConGregationalist, preached
in the Sabbath Day House from 1910 to 1926.
and 1t was during his term OF service here that
the trouble occurred. Henry Ward Beechcr.
his son. was born In this historic town, and
more than once referred to tho matter in his
after life as Il goOu story illustrative of the diff
cult!es encountered by progressive church peo-
Nle' y - carly days.
The box stove had already invaded the sacred
but irigld precincts OF "A number Of churches IN
Connecticut. Some of the most influential per-
sons among the LitcEtield ConGregationaiists
determined to get one to see what IT would DO
toward tempering the frost-tingcred gales which
howl in winter across the BLEAK Litchie!d hills.
An unexpectedly determined opposition was
immediately encountered in the church. how
ever, and a fierce war was waked against the
stove, the principal grounds for which were that
1t would dcsecrntc the house OF God. that it
vnIIlI ny HtZtn an E. sam art r. 49,. ,-a,,,
oers of the congregation unduly sensitive to
cold, and. still further. that the auditors ought
liigion AS to pass unnoticcd the rigors of winter.
during the delivery bv the preacher OF the two
long midday discourseS. which were then the
invarIable rule on sunday.
The church split in two factions upon tho
matter. the stove party, and the anti-stoye
party. and for several weeks the stove Was the
topic OF the hour. The deacons of the church
were besOught and buttonholcd; tho members
were arrayed individually on one side or the
other: the women were especially active. many
of the older ones who had lowered shiycringly
over foot stoves IN the old church for years
being most pronounced il their condemnation
OF the innovation rs nm invention OF the evil one.
Al, length the stove party triun phcd, in 30
and pipe in the church on trial. and one Satur-
day AFTERNOON in November the stove was put
near TO The tenor gallery. The members OF tho
stove Committee were early at church on the
following day TO see how the mgch-hated, new.
tangled production was received.
As the congregation came in tho anti-stove-
ties noticeAbly turned their steps as far away
their number. elderly Mrs. Peck, as soon
as she reached her pew. hirtei open Il
large fan. and began using it vigorously.
declaring that the heat of tho stove made her
faint. At length sho created considerable COM
motion In the church by throwing up her hands.
and apparently swooning.. She recovered. Then
Deacon Thomas TrOwbridge came In. He WAS
very venerable. and one OF the simplest and most
worthy. OF men, who had been induced not 20
up past the Offending article in question,
shaking his head doubtincly rs he reached ont
hi hand and felt the heat from II. and he gath
rs he took his seat nj the head OF the broad aisle.
Next entered Uncle" Noah stowe, a wealthy
farmer OF the West End, who was a rank anti
st0veite. and scowled Mt the detcsted stove
which he had been bitterly denouncing for
weeks. Iiezekiah Marsh, another farmer and
also an anti-stove man. advanced nearly half
way into the room before he saw the stove, and
then he turned on his heel and walked out. the
madtest man in LitcEtielh.
All this seemed to strike the Stove Commit
tee as ridiculous. and when they saw Ed tor
Bunce of the village newspaper como in aud
walking up - the stove, warm his hands over IL
In II thoroughly satisfied manner, rubbing them
in evident enjoyment. they came near bringing
down a reproof upon themselves in consequence
OF their unseemly lcvity.
Bnt the climax came when Mrs. Peck, who
hhd been apparently overcome by the heat from
the, sinful stove, was forced To 20 out IN tho
middle of the service. wiping her face with her
handkerchief, and unable TO bear up longer un-
der her suffering. Then II was that tho stove
Sommittee fell over backward out OF sight In
the bass gallery, where they had been sitting,
IN pAroSysms OF laughter,
Asa matter Of fact no fire had been placed in
the stove Tor the day. the weather being too
mis-, ana the actions OF the members OF the con-
Rregalion who were so oppressed 10y the heat.
ma e4nvulSed the committee. Tie bitterness
enHehdered by the purchase Of the stove was
"A long tune in passing out Of the church.
mr.. Middleton intends TO present the stove to
n historical society.