Henry Ward Beecher was an American clergyman and one of the most famous preachers of his time. He was born on June 24, 1813, in Litchfield, Connecticut. His father, Lyman Beecher, was a distinguished Presbyterian minister, and four of Henry's brothers also became clergymen. His sister Harriet later won fame ( as Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe) for her novel Uncle Tom's cabin.
In 1834 Beecher graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts. He was not a very good student, mainly because he disliked studying. But he was popular for his friendliness and good nature, traits that remained with him all his life. After graduating from Amherst, he studied at Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, of which his father was then president. His first appointment, in 1837, was to a small church in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. That same year he married Eunice White Bullard, who bore him 10 children. From 1839 to 1847 he was pastor of a church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Then he accepted an invitation to become minister of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, New York.
For almost 40 years, until his death on March 8, 1887, Beecher was minister of Plymouth Church. As his fame grew, so did his congregation. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people came each week to hear him speak on the social and political issues of the day, as well as on religion. He spoke out strongly against slavery championed the right of women to vote. He defended Darwin's theory of evolution, something few other clergymen would then do. His religious views were liberal, and it was said that he preached a religion of the heart. Beecher's appearance was striking. He was strongly built, with a lionlike head and hair that reached to his coat collar. He was a brilliant orator with a fine voice and poetic command of language.
In 1834 Beecher graduated from Amherst College in Massachusetts. He was not a very good student, mainly because he disliked studying. But he was popular for his friendliness and good nature, traits that remained with him all his life. After graduating from Amherst, he studied at Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, of which his father was then president. His first appointment, in 1837, was to a small church in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. That same year he married Eunice White Bullard, who bore him 10 children. From 1839 to 1847 he was pastor of a church in Indianapolis, Indiana. Then he accepted an invitation to become minister of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, New York.
For almost 40 years, until his death on March 8, 1887, Beecher was minister of Plymouth Church. As his fame grew, so did his congregation. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people came each week to hear him speak on the social and political issues of the day, as well as on religion. He spoke out strongly against slavery championed the right of women to vote. He defended Darwin's theory of evolution, something few other clergymen would then do. His religious views were liberal, and it was said that he preached a religion of the heart. Beecher's appearance was striking. He was strongly built, with a lionlike head and hair that reached to his coat collar. He was a brilliant orator with a fine voice and poetic command of language.
