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1856 Abolitionist Minister George B Cheever Letter Praising Henry Ward Beecher :
$1128.13
This is a really incredible letter of Abolitionist Minister George B Cheever regrettably turning down the opportunity to speak at a parish in Dayton, and instead suggesting the skills of his friend and colleague Henry Ward Beecher as a suggestion instead. It's unclear who he was writing to but there were many ministers in the area that were helping with the abolitionist movement including Milton Wright, the father of Orville and Wilbur. Or perhaps this was to the great Abolitionist minister Thomas E. Thomas who was just getting things started in Dayton with his own church.Cheever's description of Beecher is one of obvious great admiration. ' he draws audiences as the mountain of loadstone in “Sindbad the Sailor's” adventures drew nails' and 'If any other body’s ship on a lecture-course comes near him he outs and takes the wind out of their sails, but the very spikes fly off, and the timbers tumble asunder.'Cheever ends his note with some wordsmithing syllables of encouragement, "It is a hard row to hoe, but by God's blessing you will live through it."
"New York. Nov. 24, 1856.
My Dear Sir,
Some things, very important and desirableare quite impossible, and others so near to an impossibilitythat they have to be put in the same category. The proposedlectures from me, even if they were in any degree desirable, or evenso much so, would have to be set down as next door to animpossibility at present. I am too far gone in other matters,out of my power to come to Dayton; but so it is for thepresent, and I have no alternative but to say so. Butwhy do you not get Brother Beecher? I wish, with allmy heart, that your house of worship might be apt. Isee its importance plainly. Now perhaps Beecher couldtake hold. He is like the hero of an nursery tale, withhis seven-league boots, and thinks nothing of puttingdown lectures in his saddle-bags, and going a hundredmiles at five steps, getting off a lecture at every stop.And he draws audiences as the mountain of loadstonein “Sindbad the Sailor's” adventures drew nails. If anyother body’s ship on a lecture-course comes near himhe outs and takes the wind out of their sails, but the veryspikes fly off, and the timbers tumble asunder. He is theman for you, as to audiences. I wish, with all my heartI could aid you, but what I can do I have not.Have you ever had the occasion to call beforeany of our leading Congregational Christian mer-chants? Have you consulted with any of our brethrenin the ministry in regard to it? Perhaps by a unitedeffort something might be done. God be withyou and bless you. It is a hard row to hoe, but byGod's blessing you will live through it.Most truly yours,George B. Cheever"