Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-05-22
ANOTHER ESTIMATE OF
HENRY WARD BEECHER

1 To the Editor of The Journal
In a recent issue of The Journal Is an
| article from the pen of Bishop Warren
| Gambler, in which the able and noted writ
! er refers to four great preachers who lived
/ and preached in New York thirty years
ago. and then proceeds to give the charac-
/ teristics of each one.
He designates Mr.. Beecher as a man OF
| colossal brain and the first preacher In point
| of intellect on this side of the Atlantic, If
not in the world. And very readily agree
with the bishop in his estimate Of Mr..
Beecher's talents. And wish to say right
here that / was not surprised when
| learned that Mr.. Beecher did during the
last years of his life, dissent to some ex-
l tent from views or opinions he may have
entertained during his younger days Now
a man OF a gigantic mind who accumulates
] knowledge rapidly, and whose judgment
! ripens as he advances in years viii almost
invariably change his opinions on some
| subjects. And a man of Mr.. Beecher's in
| tellect and information could not con-
scientiously endorse all the theological er-
rors Of the writers contemporary with
Luther, Calvin, Baxter and Edwards. We
now have a new theology which has sup
erceded the old theology. and the simple
reason for that is that God continues to
reveal new truths to man, and conse-
| quently men, or religious teachers, now
stand upon a higher plane mentally and
| religiously than they did two or three hun
| dred years ago.
Henry Ward Beecher's volumes Of great
| sermons will be read by thousands and
millions of human beings who are yet un-
| born. Even one volume Of his prayers
now in print VIII cause his name to live
| during coming ages. Yea, there are now
| thousands Of living men and women who
| can never forget the deep impressions
made on their minds while listening to the
prayers of that eloquent divine. And for
| instance one of the most eloquent preach
ers that the south has ever produced had
| the opportunity once of hearing Mr..
Beecher preach, and though he was I'M
| usually impressed with the sermon, he
was more deeply impressed with the
PRAYER that was offered on the occa-
sion. And even some Of the great preach
| ers of England were compelled on one oc-
casion to hold their breath. as 1t were.
while listening to the prayers as they
escaped the lips Of the great American
preacher and assembled to a throne Of
grace.
After the oath day OF October. 1852. when
the great Daniel Webster passed away,
Henry Ward Beecher was regarded by
competent judges as the man of the most
lofty talent on the American continent.
And though he has been criticised by some
writer's IL will never be known this side
of Jordan that he was not orthodox in his
religious teachings. This much is true,
! ne was a preacher fifty years ahead of his
age and Henry Clay as a statesman was
fifty years ahead of his age, and every in
telligent and we'll informed man in our
country is obliged to know II. And Beech
er was larger than the Congregational
church, and Talmage was larger than the
Presbyterian church. Neither one of them
would have been large enough II he had
not grown to be larger than the church
that he claims to belong to.
The four great preachers. Beecher,
Storrs, Deems and Talmage have passed
away, but not until after they had accom-
pllshed the work for which they were sent
into the world to do. We have no preach
ers now who possess as lofty talents as
they had. suppose that we do not need
them. And we have no statesmen who
will measure up to the standard of Clay
and Webster. We do not need them. II
we did God would certainly have given
them TO u.s. for he who is infinite In wisdom
has ever given us, men who were qualified
for leaders and counselors. For instance.
he gave us Washington, Hamilton and
Franklin, and without whom the great
government under which we live would
have never been organized. Afterwards
he gave US Clay and Webster. who by
their superior intellects and powerful elo-
quence were able to control the populace
and men of all ranks, and thereby
strengthen the fraternal ties that bind the
different states together. And at a proper
time Abraham Lincoln was brought into
the world, and was an instrument in the
hands of God Of producing political rev.
olution by which the government under
which we live now rests on a foundation
which has been made broader and more
stable.
Oh, it is a great and glorious truth that
we need the influence of great preachers
and good statesmen that we may have
peace, prosperity and happiness. We
should. therefore. pray for those in au-
thority in church and state that the smiles
and blessings Of heaven may continue to
rest upon our beloved country.
JONES' BUSH.
Weaver, Ga.