Year: 1875

NEW YORK, July 13.-The people and
temporary residents Of Peekskill and
neighbOrhood, preceded by a band Of
music and company of militia, marched
to Rest Hill last evening and serenaded
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher. After an
address. by Judge Wells, giving express
sion to their confidence in bim as a man,
3 christian, and minister of the gospel,
MIR. BeecheT spoke for nearly an hour.
Among other things he said:


"When [ began my life l had no in
tention of being q great and eloquent
and wise man, but / did mean to be a
good and honest man; l did mean to
spend all the strength God gave me in
making my fellOw-men better, This
has been my ambition. This I have
done by the help of God. l make this
assertion more emphatic because not a
few newspapers seem to think have
done it by the help and permission of
newspapers, but have done it in spite
Of them. | don't ask that they should
care for my future. My future is in the
keeping of the Lord God to whom my
mother directed me, and l should like
TO know who is going to stop my mouth
with muZzle, or my hand that | cam
not write if it is given to me to say





TO write things which make men bet
Ter. / went through the Red sea, but
it was a long time ago. The fact is,
gentlemen, that about 1870 and 1871,
and for three or four years, l had
to go through pretty deep waters at
times, but ! kept tito myself. Rsvela-
ton Of it came to mankind within a
year, but got through it. am receiv-
ing scores and hundreds Of letters
coached in the most earnest and affec-
tiOnate coincidence for the fiery trials
through which ] am going. But, bless
you, the ashes of that fire were scattered
long ago. l am growing in strength
aud elasticity Of body; l am all right.
The letters have received from Baptist
ciergymen, from clergymen in the min
istry Of the Episcopal church, and espe-
cially the letters and messages from RO-
man Catholic priests, have been among
the most christian expressions rendered
me. l prize these letters. Churches
have prayed for me, households have
prayed for me, mothers Rneeling in the
midst Of their little children have
prayed for me, and will say that these
prayers have been more to me
than the plaUdits Of the people on the
streets. II has been this that made
me happy. l have no new course to
take. l am too old TO change my posi-
ton. shall go on trusting men;
have pursued that course all my life, and
only once in forty years have / made
mistake. shall love men; shall not
stoOp to think Of their faults before
love them. propose to go on with my :
work, confident in men, not preaching
merely the difference between right and
wrong; but this l shall preach: that
there is no justice, no severity, no pun
ishment that are good unless they are
administered in a spirit Of love. The
expenses of the trial have been enOr-
nous enough to . bankrupt a country
minister five times over, and would
have destroyed me but for the Plymouth
church; and even with their help shall
barely get through; for the expenses Of
the trial to me have been over seventy
five thousand dollars. On the other side
they have been very large; but they
have got no money to pay them with"


Mr.. Beecher ELECTED much laughter,
and was frequently warmly spplauded
throughout his somewhat lengthy ad-
dress.