The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-11
R1IL ARP QUOTES BEECaER,
The Noted Minister Used Cuss
Words and the Hot Weather
Caused it.
ilanta Constitution.

Caused 1t.
Atlanta Constitution.
This horrid, torrid weather reminds
me of what Henry Ward Hcccher said
in his church one swclterlng day III
July. He took no text. lie wiped the
nerspiration from his brow and look
ing solemnly at the large congregation,
said: "It is hot today. 1t is damned
hot. II is as hot as hel!' Every
bodv was amazed and shocked until he
added. "That Is the language | heard
two Young men use at thc door OF the
church as passed them. My young
friends. it is uot us hot as hcll.H Then
in n low, earnest tone he pictured tho
torments of hell and the certain fate
of the wicked until tho atmosphere OF
the church seem 1t to be cool and
pleasant in comparison. The ladies
ceased 80 move their fans and every
body was still and solemn rs funeral.
1t was something like Jonathan Ed
wards at northampton when he @"t
his hearers 80 wrought up and alarmed
that they groancd in fear and graSpcd
the posts and braces to keep from
sinking into hell, and another preacher
in the pulpit begged Mr.. Edwards to
stop. " Stop, Mr.. Edwards; stop now
and tell them of the mercy ami love Of
God.'
What wonderful power is in the
words of an eloquent, earnest man.
Mr.. Bcccher was all of lhat-~a gifted,
eloquent man. | heard him preach
twice before the wal aud WAS profound
ly impressed. looked upon him ~
the imrcrsonalion Of the mau ui Goa.
Later on, when he began his >iudic-
tive war upon the South and said that
Sharps rifles were better lHIu Iublcs
for John Brown III Kansas and ii WAS
crime to shoot at II slave c-hUidcr ami
miss him, | wondered at my miHtua-
ton with the man amt exclaimed with
Isaiah, /" How are the mighty iaicn.>
And still later when IIt"u charged
him with alternating anal ScUl!rnT his
vile and 1t took Two months ~ try the
case and the jury two days To make ~
verdict, which virtually said, " lie is
not guilty, but he must not 60 80 any
morc,' l was mortified al my own
weakness IN becoming his lNuiAivr an,
resolved to Worship NO man while h,
lived. n great mNn ) charactcr can
not be made up uutil after hv Is dca,
But | WAS Illuminating hnN ,.-N il !
for Il young mHu nSay dI,0n IlnI ua1,
ii, l'll be damned, and even to- iak
the name Of Gud il yulu Damon i.
more convenient amt uNp,.-iyr Wpr
than dOyun on dNrunliDu "r hIuur,
and 1t shows Il uriI,uyU Ui lhr d,N
and Scll.cnuccii ~ ;Nc man wu
uses 1t. l;ui il Is u very hNnhy rMpl,
tive and when a young Nl&n gets
the habit OF ustng ii nc rarely r.i:llu
lie knows that ii Is not good MANNER
Tor he does not use ii III The prr$rn
OF ladies' or preachers or !us parent
Nevertheless there are some good PC
pie who think damn il without Savti
1T. | heard good story ihc ull,rr Il.
on Colonel Livingston, our m,mh,r
Congress from the Atlanta ala,rIr
Last Summer nc was sent over to W,
Virginia To speak and help the DEM
cIats in their r;lnN.rS. lie NcHtul,
into pretty hot Erpubllrau i,,,u or
was haranguiny aud clrctui\inn
large audience, and white scalij\iu
the RepubllcanS and thlN lighting Il,
mlulStration soft, hali uuur lr!a
potato took him kCrzlp ri~ht hriwrc
the eyes. 1t Knocked off his Sprcl;
clcs and ilntiencd into mush ali owe
his classic countcnancr. 1t SURPRISE
and shocked him, OF course. Kcroyrl
ing his glasses he wiped the stick
stun from his face and said with uH
cited tone, "My friends, | have hecn-
L nave been consistent a Consislrl
member Of the Presbyterian church
tho Presbyterian church, | say t,
more than-morc than fifty yearS--yc,
htty odd years, and have trlcd to live.
tried to live in harmony with all mcn
with all men, but If :hr dirty, duyun,
dadblamed puppy who threw tha, p,
tato Will stand up or raise his ugl
hand l'll bc--Ill be dadbaslcd II
don't stop speaking long enough t
come down and lick the hair and hid
OIL of him in two minutes by in
clock" AS nobody rose or raised
hand the colonel resumed his broke,
remarks, but declares that he ncvc
came as near curslng since he joinc,
the church.
This thing OF cursing is of very an
clent origin. Sometimes il was don,
by proxy. Balak, the king of Moab
hlrca balaam to curse Israel, und som,
OF us veterans remember when we. too
wanted TO hire a cussin man to cNp,u,
our wrath upon the Yankees. 'c,c
cursed and swore when accused O.
being one OF the disciples. 1t is bro
bable that he said "Ill be damned ,
/ am" or perhaps worse. Soldiers au
sailors have in all ages been ~ ploranc-
the very class that are III greatest per
and should have the greatest rpvcrrnc
for their Maker. Uncle Toby Sa,
"Our army sworo terribly III Flanders.
And Uncle Toby himself sworc a
oath when he found the sick sudic
lying and dying at his gate. :" II
shall not die, by God,' he said, an
the accusing spirit flew up to hcavc
with the oath and bushed as he gay
it in. The recording angel as he wrot
it down dropped tear upon the wor,
and blotted it out forever" That i