The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-07-10
The Laurens Advertiser
81. 50 Per Year in Advance.
BILL ARP QUOTES BEEcHER.
The Noted Minister Used Cuss
Words and the Hot Weather
Co.oaI II

WOfdS ana thC &o'
Caused 1t.
Atlanta Constitution.
This horrid, torrid weather reminds
me of what Henry Ward Bcechcr said
in his church one sweltcring day in
July. He took no text. He wiped the
perspiration from his brow and look
ing solemnly at the large congregations,
SAID: "It is hot today. 1t is damned
hot. 1t is as hot as hell" Every
body was amazed and shocked until he
added, "That Is the language | heard
two young men use at the door of the
church as i passed them. My young
friends, it is uot as hot as hell" Then
in low, earnest tone he pictured the
torments of hell and the certain fate
of the wicked until the atmosphere of
the church seemed TO be cool and
pleasant in comparison. The ladies |
ceased 20 move their fans and every |
body was still and solemn as funeral
1t was something like Jonathan Ed |
wards at Northampton when he got
his hearers so wrought up aud 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.. Edv ards; stop now
and tell them of the mercy and love Of
God"
What wonderful power is in the
words of an eloquent, earnest man.
Mr.. Beecher was all of that-a gifted,
ELOQUENT man. | heard him preach
twice before the wal and was profound
ly impressed. | looked upon him as
the impersonation of the man of God.
Later on, when he began his viDdiC
tive war upon the South and said that
Sharps rifles were better than Bibles
for John Brown IN Kansas and 1t was
crime to shoot at Il slave. holder and
miss him, L wondered at my mfatua-
ton with the man and exclaimed with
Isaiah, Z" How are the mighty fallen" !"
And still later when Tilton charged
him with alternating. and scducing his
wife and 1t took two months to try the
case and the jury two days to make up
verdict, which virtually said, 4" He is
not guilty, but he must not do 80 any
MORE" L was mortified at my own
weakness in becoming his idolalcr and
resolved to worship no man while he
lived. A great mans character can.
not be made up until after he is dead
for young man to say damn and damn
it, Pll be damned, and even TO take
the name of God in vain. Damn is {
more convenient and expressive word
than dogon or dinSnation or blamed
and it shows Il defiance of the dcvi
and self. cOnccit in the man VIII,
uses it. But it is very handy cXplc
tive and when Il young man gets il
l,,1, ,Nf,, l,, n,,l,, D
He knows that it is not good manners
for he does not use it in the prcscnc,
of ladies or preachers or his parents
Nevertheless there are some good pco
pie who think damn ii without sayln!
it. l heard a good story the other da,
on Colonel Livingston, our member o
Congress from the Atlanta district
Last summer he was sent over TO Yves
Virginia to speak and help the Demo
clats in their canvass. He ventulct
into pretty hot Republican town an,
was haranguing and eleCtrlfying
large audience, and while scariiyin:
the Republicans and this fighting I'D
miuistration soft, half dono lrisl
potato took him kerzip right bctwecl
the eyes. 1t Knocked off his spccta
clcs and tattened into musb all owe
his classic countenance. Il SURPRISE
and shocked him, OF course. Recover
ing his glasses he wiped the stick
stuff from his face and said with eX
cited tone. "My friends, l have been
| have been Il consistent-a consistcn
member of the Presbyterian church
the Presbyterian church, | say fC
more than-more than fifty years-ycs
fifty odd years, and have tried to live
tried to live in harmony with all men
with all men, but if :hc dirty, dogond
dadblamed puppy who threw that po
tato will stand up or raise his righ
hand I'll be-I'll be dadblasted if
don't stop speaking long enough tc
come down and lick the hair and hid
off of him in two minutes by tn,
clock" AS nobody rose or raised
hand the colonel resumed his broker
remarks, but declares that he nevcI
came as near curslng since he ioinct
the church.
This thing of cursing is of very an
cient origin. Sometimes it was done
by proxy. Balak, the king of Moab
hired Balaam to curse Israel, and some
of US veterans remember when we, too
wanted to hire q cussin man to eXpenC
our wrath upon the Yankees. Peter
cursed and swore when accuscd oI
being one Of the disciples. 1t is pro
bable that he said F." 'll be damned il
am" or perhaps worse. Soldiers anC
sailors have in all ages been profane-
the very class that are in greatest peri
and should have the greatest reverence
for their Maker. Uncle Toby says
"Our army swore terribly in Flanders. y
And Uncle Toby himself swore an
oath when he found the sick soldier
lying and dying at his gate. " He
shall not die, by God," he said, and
the accusing spirit flew up to heaven
with the oath and blushed as he gave
it in. The recording angel as he wrote
it down dropped tear upon the word
and blotted it out forever" That is
beautiful, isent it? Verify, charity
hideth multitude of sins.
But this is enough on this subject.
1t is too hot to work In the garden and
so I get in the shade of the vines on
my verandah and ruminale. Judge
Griggs, eur h0noied member of Con-
gress, tells that story on Colonel
Livin gston and he told another that
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