The Indianapolis journal., 1899-11-19
LAST OF THE BEECHERS
ONE OF THE MOST LOvABLE OF LY.
MAN BEECHER's SEVEN SONS.
Rev. Thomas X. Beecher's Church at
Work He Has Done i'm that City.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.


which at once enlists ones confidence, and
with hair worn a triie long and back from
a broad, high forehead, form personality
to which a stranger would give more than a
casual glance And with reason, for this
lovabe old man, with the mind of a seer
and the heart of child, is Thomas X.
Beecher. the most active living member Of
an illustrious family.
Than the Beechers no family has made
deeper mark on the hearts of Americans.
Lyman Beecher father of the famous group
of seven sons, all of whom entered the
ministry, and of four daughters, three ct
least of whom became noted women, began
his ministerial labors at East Hampton, l..
l.; went from there TO Litchfield Conn.
later was a power in the pulpit of the Han
over-street Church, Boston, and finally held
the presidency of the Lane Theological Sem
mary at Cincinnati. He was leading ex-
FOUNDER of Calvinism, forcible in the pulpit
and much given to sectarian denunciation
If he had any special detestation it was for
man who had no fixed opinions. Person
ally, he belonged to the class who have set
tied and clearly-defined convictions about
everything under the sun.
1t was natural therefore, that Lyman
Beecher's boys and girls should inherit his
decision and force Of character. but.
strangely enough, the severe Calvinism of
the father had or has no place among the
traits of his children. Catherine, the eldest
of the family, was one of the broadest-
minded women of her time. She was be-
trothed, when a young girl. to one OF the M
sudden death, she afterwards devoWd her
life to the education Of young girls, Drgan-
at Cincinnati, and later becoming the prin-
cipal of the Hartford Female Seminary.
Mary. the second daughter. married Thom-
as F. Perkins, well-known attorney of
Boston. and is the mother of the wife of
Edward Everett Hale.
THE BEECHER PLUCK.
William, Edward and Charles Beecher-
the last-named still liveS-were preachers of
pith, momentum and signal breadth Of
vision Like several of his brothers, Edward
Beecher married young, and when only
twenty-seven was at the head of a great
educational institution in the West-the
Illinois College, at Jacksonville. The pro-
verbal Beecher pluck was displayed by
him when his life was threatened during the
riots at Alton, ILL.,. in 1888. Elijah P. Love-
joy had been killed by a mob and mutter-
ings against Mr.. Beecher were heard on
many sides He preached sermon on the
riots and as soon as he started TO leave the
church he was jostled at the door. Where
is hep called out voices on the edge of the
u.
ward Here I am" said he; but the roughS
only glanced and slunk off. Edward Beech
err who was all his life athlete, used to
tell with glee how his father and he erected
a gymnastic apparatus in the back yard Of
their Boston house, and went through the
various exercises on the ladder and hori-
Zontal bar. "On Sundays he added naive
ly. when we couldn't exercise publicly. we
went into the cellar and split wood or SHOW
eed sand" Theology and athletics kept
curious pace in his whole career. which
at
exercise and the flesh brush he kept back
the advance of old age, and by a measure
| of religious latitudinarianlsm ne kept
abreast of the progressive doctrines OF the
church. although, in the latter respect. he
was much more conservative than some or
his brothers.
A career OF exceptional promise ended
rrematurely when George Beecher died in
early manhood, as the result of a hunting
who came next after George in order or
BIRTH il IS unnecessary to write, so wide
and enduring is their fame. These, with
Thomas X. were the children of Lyman
Beecher's first wife. gentle RoXana Foote.
OF the sweet second wife. who came to be
another mother to Lyman Beecher's nine
a sonNisabeila Beecher Hosker, of Hart
ford, who has long been an eminent advo-
of equdd dashng soldier in the civil
and the hero Of a career that has flavor or
Hedey Vickers and of Havelock. James
preacher, closely resembling his brother
Henry in style and eloquent power. He died
a dozen years ago at the house of his
| brother Thomas in Elmlra.
PARK CHURCH.
In his own immediate section. at least,
there are many who consider Thomas the
greatest of all of Lyman Beecher's sons.
His career goes long way toward proving
this contention He was born in the old
homestead at Litchfield in 1924 and was
/ xx-hiI ctiI1 in
his teens. Then he was principal in sue
cession Of a Philadelphia grammar school
and of a high school at Hartford. Remov-
ing in 1852 to williamsburg, now a part of
Brooklyn, he gathered and became pastor
of the New England Congregational Church:
Two years later he settled in Elmira, and
pastor Of the Independent Church, since
called Park Church, began the work which
he will only lay down down NTH Nit hssihsr his life
its pastor five-and-forty years ago, was a
poor and struggling body, weak in members
and badly housed Now It numbers 200 memo M
pupils, and owns and occupies one OF tne
finest church buildings in the country. This
building cost $4,000; and has never been
dedicated Mr.. Beecher did not believe in
dedica ting it till it was out OF debt, and
since the debt was lifted no dedicatory serv-
ices have ever been held. From the first it
was his desire to make the church much
like a family as possible, and his chief aim
has always been to develop social inter-
course and gOOd-fellOWSn1p among his hock.
To a marked degree he has succe eded. and
those churches are few that could not profit
ably take lessons of Park Church in the
man and woman far from home, and on the
sick. the poor and the desolate In wise aid
and tender hepfulness Park Church is en-
inent; nor is her charity limited to the usual
objects of benevolence. She knows and
practices the greater charity that is char
liable to peers and equals, and which, when
all is done, outranks all the rest.
Park Church, a spacious stone structure,
is located in the heart of Elmira. A small,
carefully tended park adds to the beauty
of the location. and the church walls are
covered with the foliage of luxuria MT
vine. The building Is divided into parts
known as church, home and school The
first of these is large. almost circular
ater Around the room, at proper dis
tance above. is a large gallery, and from
this open several infant departments of the
Sunday school. Back of this auditorium
extend beautiful parlors. out Of which open
DIRE ssing rooms, pantries, and large, care
fully selected library. free to any one VINO
will use It. The parlors are spacious cor
rooms looking upon the park and fur
| nishtd in a manner TO invite rest and COM
| for Here families often meet for a pleas
ant evening, and here many young people
have been married in lack of a home or in
preference. On this floor also is the ''romp''
are held One end Of the room is of hard
wood. where the children can play with
l.a-fect freedom. and are urged to do so.
In this room also is a stage, complete with
scenery, fOotlights and drop curtain, upon
w.1i,.n the highest class of amateur dramat-