Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-02

Bishop Gamblers recent article in The
Atlanta Journal entitled "A Great Group
Gone" is an interesting study of four Of
Americas noted preachers, and his brief
summaries of their pulpit characteristics
and influence was worthy OF his gifted
pen.
The present writer, who acknowledges
himself to be an admirer of Henry Ward
Beecher's wonderful talents and remarka-
Bile pulpit achievements. feels that some OF
the bishops criticisms OF the great preach
er are somewhat unfair and ofttimes mis-
leading; and he therefore feels untitled to
indite this article in defense OF Beecher' 8
memory. Henry Ward Beecher has never
been rightly understood in the south as a
preacher, and his strenuous attitude to-
wards slavery has naturally prejudiced
us in accepting his teachings; consequent
ly, the recognition of his wonderful tai
ents has been of slow growth, and our
estimates of his power and influence quite
vague and Incorrect
Under this disadvantage towards secur-
ing a judicial estimate of his character
and influence, it is with regret we read
that Bishop Gambler claims that Beecher
was not a man of scholarship, nor one or
very accurate information; that in his lat
ter days he seemed to believe very little,
and to have no fixed faith in anything
long at a time; that his creed was In
state of fiux, and underwent the most fire.
quent and rapid changes; that his pulpit
utterances were often contradictory with
each o.her within the limits of a fort
highland similar statements.
Now, while some of these allegations are
In a measure true, and while gracious ac-
acknowledgement is given by the bishop to
many of Beecher's excellencies, still we
consider them in the main as misleading;
- NNaTa In
tended to be eulogistie, we would feel like
quoting Pope's line-"he is damned with
faint praise"
Then, too, 1t was unfortunate for Beech
er's intellectual reputation throughout the
south that he should in his later year,
have permitted himself to be enrolled up
on some of Major Ponds southern lecture
itineraries, when his intellectual fires
were not burning as brightly as in earlier
years, and his mental decadence was pain
fully evident TO those who were fortunate
to hear. him in other days when, to quote
the bishop sarticle, mo intellect appeared
among the, public men of America superior
to the mind of Beecher"
To further illustrate the disadvantage
which Beecher's reputation in the south
has to undergo, and also to chronicle an
unwilling tribute from southern minis
ter to his genius and influence, we re-
member the fact that not a great many
years ago, a noted preacher in one OF
Atlanta's most influential pulpits, In one
of his sermons took an occasion quite un-
called for to decry Beecher's teachings
and influence, and yet did not hesitate, in
frequent discourses subsequently deliver
ed in that pulpit, to appropriate huge ex-
tracts from Beecher's published sermons.
without even giving his name in acknowl-
edgement or even doing him the credit
of Quotation marks" Surely such f1a-
grant plagiarism and unfair criticism,
although unfortunate at the time. ought
to be accepted as a tribute to Beecher's
influence by any unprejudiced mind,
whatever may be his traditional instincts.
Bishop Gambler further states that