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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Excerpt from A Summer in England: With Henry Ward Beecher; Giving the Addresses, Lectures, and Sermons Delivered by Him in Great Britain During the Summer of 1886; Together With an Account of the Tour, Expressions of Public Opinion, Etc Especially during those three darkest years was he the subject of my sad admiration. Often have I seen him on our entering a strange town hooted at by the swarming crowd, and greeted with indecent salutations. On such occasions he would pass on, seemingly un moved, to his hotel, and remain there until the hour for his public appearance; then, confronted by great throngs, he would lift up his voice, always for humanity and godliness. He always saw and seized his opportu nity to Speak to the whole great i'eople; and when he had spoken, the assemblages would linger to draw near to and greet the man whom they had so lately despised. How changed I have often seen the public attitude to ward him when he left a town into which he had come but the day before! Thus he went from city to city, making friends and advocates of all who heard or met him; and thus for the thirteen years was it my delight to accompany him in his work of re-establishing himself in that love and confidence of the people from which un principled enemies and an often merciless press had at tempted to thrust him out forever. When it came my turn to be in deep trouble, he was my only comforter. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

A man in the city hotel, and not a little feared because of his brutality, had done something more brutal than usual, and, the facts coming to Mr. Beecher's knowledge, in his sermon on the following Sunday he expressed in no gentle terms his abhorrence of the act, and in very strong language rebuked the man.... As he passed the hotel there were several standing by, evidently waiting for some development. At that moment the man came down the steps with a pistol in his hand. "Did you say thus and so in your sermon yesterday?" "I did." "Did you intend those remarks for me, or were you meaning me?" "I most certainly did." "Then take it back right here, or by -- I'll shoot you on the spot." "Shoot away" was the reply... -from Chapter X Liberal preacher, abolitionist, social reformer, and proponent for women's suffrage, HENRY WARD BEECHER (1813-1887), brother of Uncle Tom novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe, was one of the most fiery personalities in American public life in the 19th century. This stunningly comprehensive and frank 1888 biography-begun by Beecher himself and completed just after his death by his son WILLIAM CONSTANTINE BEECHER (1849-1928) and son-in-law REV. SAMUEL SCOVILLE (1834-1902)-omits not one moment of controversy in Beecher's life. From his arming of antislavery forces in the run-up to the Civil War with rifles that came to be dubbed "Beecher's Bibles" to the shocking sex scandal that dogged him in the 1870s, this is the no-holds-barred life of a man passionate of spirit and strong of will. OF INTEREST TO: students of American history, social activists, readers of biography