Henry Ward Beecher - An Abolitionist



Henry Ward Beecher - An Abolitionist

Introduction

Abolitionism is the famous movement for ending slavery in the regions of Western Europe and specifically in the America. The movement has several heroes, who have contributed to this greater and magnificent cause for the greater good of everyone. Among them are James Presley Ball, Thomas James, Samuel Cornish, Thomas Dalton, Frederick Douglass, Henry Ward Beecher, Gabriel Prosser, Frances Harper and Susan Paul to name a few. These abolitionists were the face changers of the flow of history and had been the cause for change and freedom on the larger scale.

Discussion

Among the famous names of world changing abolitionists, the name of Henry Ward Beecher is quite prominent. He was a preacher and reformer, as well. He was born on 24th of June, 1813 in Litchfield, Connecticut. He was eighth among the eleven children of Lyman Beecher. His father was a minister of the well-known congregational church at Litchfield. Also, her mother name was Roxana Foote, but she died when he was only three years old. Moreover, he was the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe. He had quite consideration for the education, and this was the reason why he got admission in Amherst College in the 1830 and finally got graduated after four years. He paid ample attention to his own books of reading rather than that of college. Apart from that, he was quite popular among various faculty members of the college. (Nndb.com, 2008; Plymouthchurch.org, 1896).

Despite his patience and impulsive nature, he dedicated all his efforts to polish his oratory skills and made every effort to become a fluent and articulate speaker. Henry Ward Beecher was nurtured in a Puritan environment. He had beautifully described it had changed his whole perception of theology in the early youth and served as a proponent to choose the type of ministry that he had liked. He says in profound thinking, “that when I stand in Zion and before God, the highest thing that I shall look back upon will be that blessed morning of May when it pleased God to reveal to my wondering soul the idea that it was His nature to love a man in his sins for the sake of helping him out of them." Afterward in 1837, he was graduated from a well-known Lane Theological Seminary located in Ohio. The president of Seminary was Beecher's father, and he began his work as a pastor of Presbyterian Church missionary situated at Lawrenceburg, Indiana. It is a village which is twenty miles away from Cincinnati. Beecher was preacher and a sexton, as well. After two years, he went to Indianapolis and began unconventional preaching that caused s great deal of a shock to the members of the flock. However, it had increased the attendants of church quite heavily which was not observed before. He had profound knowledge of men and their vices, and his book 'Seven Lectures to young Men' were dedicated to the ...