New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-22


q, 1895.
One Of the most striking remindors OF the
character Of Henry Ward Beecher IS IN the III
tie town OF Wabaunsee, Kan. IL Is the Beecher
Rifles Church. erected by the men who Went out
frcru Hartford Conn, in 1891 to help free Kan-
saa AT one of the meetings held at NeW-
Haven to organize the colony Mr. Bcecher mace
the principal address After he had finished
speaking it was announced that. while me party
was well prepared to dig and plough IL was hOt
In shape to fight. Professor Silliman' OF haie
College arose and in a short speech urged the
furnishing of the cOonists with guns. so tha'
they could do something for freedom as wen az
for the bull ling up OF prosperity on the plalhs,
He ended by subscribing 20 for the purchase
of a Sharps rifle. Others followed. ana III lew
minutes half OF the col0nsts had been provided
with weapons for either defensive or Offensive
warfare.
REMARKABLE MEETING.
The meeting was in many ways remarkable.
but most for what followed. Beecher. then at
the zenith of his power again took the rostrum'
ard in a magnetic speech gave his blessing 10
the new plans. and promised that II the COLO
uistS could get half enough rifles there ne would
prL mise that his church would furnish the re-
mainder In few days he sent To the company
the required number of guns over SOOO having
been subscribed by his parshioners for the pur-
pose and along with them came Bible ana
hymn- book for every member CT the party. on
the last day Of March they tramped out of New
Haven, as splendid a party OF men as ever gain
cred for the colonization Of the West. In the
party were doctors. lawyers. merchants. teach
and preachers. and every one carried on MS
shoulder rifle. in his pocket Bil!e and hymn
book and in his heart a determination to honor
the people who had fitted them out with the
means to conquer slavery and the Wilderness
In St Louis they organized cooperative com
parry. and brought the necessities of life TO the
bare prairies and went into the new lands with
a complete outfit, prepared to make living and
fit out homes for the reception of their families,
who were to come later
With them went the words of the preacher
who wrote them from his study in Brooklyn as
he sent the rifles: Let these arms hang above
your doors the old Revolutionary muskets do
in many New England dwelling. May your
children in another generation look upon them
with pride and say. our fathers courage saved
this fair land from blood and slavery Every
mornings breeze shall catch the blessings OF our
prayers and roll them westward To your prairic
homes May your sons be large hearted as the
heavens above their heads; many your daugh-
tiers fill the land IA the flowers do the prairies,
only swceter and fairer than they. You VIII
not need to use arms when il il known mat you
have them. 1t is the essence of slavery to be
arrogant before the weak and cowardly before
the strong.
The Beecher Rifle Colony shot it prayed
and did not forget to pray often. Most of the
members were Ccngrcgat'Ona'!sts. and there
were not few who carried along with the
Bibles and hymn books Yale diplomas But
there a broad cathOlicity i'm their religion.
and when it was proposed to found church the
platform was made so broad thai all denoml-
nations came in, and In the big tent that the
colonists had bought. in the grove where in sum
mer services were held and in the same build
Ing that later sheltered the gatherings, only the
purest Christianity was expounded
CALI. TO ARMS
once during the time Of service came the
alarm of an inroad by Indians. The rifles were
unslunE and the congregation went on the war
path No scalps were taken. but the Indian raid
was stopped. hOWiiZer was added 10 the ac-
coItremcnts Of he party. and when il was
known that the rules Of the Territory forbade
if4gfl tb.
was hidden in a haystack SO the colouists
WORKED out their religious and financial saliva
ton, and founded town thai has eyer remem-
bered the kird and patriotic offices of the
fri nds who put both Bibles and guns into their
hands. It is often said i'm the community that
both weapons We're used effectively and well.
With The growing need Of the church came
the demand for better building and at the
beginning Of the war came more funds from the
East for the purpose Of erecting new struct-
ure In 1862 the stone church was completed
and occupied. Inside its walls have g. rViCes
been held since. and in many ways il is the most
notable structure of the kind on the plains.
Plain roUgh-hewn and unassuming, IT stands
testimonial to the inYinCibe spirit of Patriotism
and religion that animated the first corners Of
the plains. II was rot more marked here, per
haps than in many other colonies but ii came
out more boldly because Of the conditions under
which the originators Of the expedition acted.
IT Characteristic of those Ncw-Englardors
To take with thom the stem. cody spirit that
had been their teaching in early days into the
new lands. II seen in the contests that
came during the border warfare and had its
highest cXempcation. perhaps. in the almost
fanatcdl enthusiasm that shonc in the acts and
words Of John Brown, not that he was one Of
them. but he showed in his life the spirit that
was seen in lesser and Saner degree in the
leaders Of the New England forces. This feel !
ing shared by those who fitted out the col
ony, and their wishes were reflected in the /
settlers history
"The spirit that Reecher breathed in the col |
ony named after him." says one writer. the !
Writ that animated The Emi6rant Aid Societies