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

A Legacy of Preaching, Volume Two--Enlightenment to the Present Day explores the history and development of preaching through a biographical and theological examination of its most important preachers. Instead of teaching the history of preaching from the perspective of movements and eras, each contributor tells the story of a particular preacher in history, allowing these preachers from the past to come alive and instruct us through their lives, theologies, and methods of preaching. Each chapter introduces readers to a key figure in the history of preaching, followed by an analysis of the theological views that shaped their preaching, their methodology of sermon preparation and delivery, and an appraisal of the significant contributions they have made to the history of preaching. This diverse collection of familiar and lesser-known individuals provides a detailed and fascinating look at what it has meant to communicate the gospel over the past two thousand years. By looking at how the gospel has been communicated over time and across different cultures, pastors, scholars, and homiletics students can enrich their own understanding and practice of preaching for application today. Volume Two covers the period from the Enlightenment to the present day and profiles thirty-one preachers including: Charles Simeon by Darrell Young Robert Murray M’Cheyne by Jordan Mark Stone Alexander Maclaren by R. Scott Pace Catherine Booth by Roger J. Green Charles Haddon Spurgeon by Thomas J. Nettles Rodney “Gipsy” Smith by Bill Curtis George Liele by Terriel Byrd Charles Finney by Robert W. Caldwell III John Jasper by Alfonza W. Fulwood and Robert Smith Jr. Henry Ward Beecher by Michael Duduit John Albert Broadus by Hershael W. York Phillips Brooks by Charles W. Fuller D. L. Moody by Gregg L. Quiggle B. H. Carroll by Robert Matz and Jerry Sutton Billy Sunday by Kristopher K. Barnett Karl Barth by William H. Willimon Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Keith W. Clements D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones by Carl Trueman John Stott by Greg R. Scharf Harry Emerson Fosdick by Dwayne Milioni R. G. Lee by Charles A. Fowler Aimee Semple McPherson by Aaron Friesen W. A. Criswell by David L. Allen Gardner C. Taylor by Alfonza W. Fulwood and Robert Smith Jr. Billy Graham by John N. Akers Martin Luther King Jr. by Alfonza W. Fulwood, Dennis R. McDonald, and Anil Sook Deo Adrian Rogers by Daniel L. Akin and Bill Curtis E. V. Hill by Dante D. Wright I Jerry Falwell by Edward E. Hindson J. I. Packer by Leland Ryken and Benjamin Hernández Volume One, available separately, covers the period from the apostles to the Puritans and profiles thirty preachers including Paul, Origen of Alexandria, Augustine of Hippo, Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley, George Whitefield, and more.

This work is a straightforward, no holds barred biographical account of the life of Reverend Henry Ward Beecher. Beecher was the archbishop of American liberal Protestantism. He came out on the right side of every question, always a little too late. He was referred to as the greatest preacher since St. Paul. He was mentioned for the presidency. He was a powerful writer of trash. This is an intriguing picture of the man and times.