Sixty years with Plymouth Church   By: Stephen Morrell Griswold (1835-1916)

[Illustration: STEPHEN M. GRISWOLD]

SIXTY YEARS

WITH

PLYMOUTH CHURCH

BY

STEPHEN M. GRISWOLD

New York Chicago Toronto Fleming H. Revell Company London and Edinburgh

Copyright, 1907, by FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY

New York: 158 Fifth Avenue Chicago: 80 Wabash Avenue Toronto: 25 Richmond St., W. London: 21 Paternoster Square Edinburgh: 100 Princes Street

DEDICATED To my New England Mother, who long since entered into rest.

CONTENTS

PAGE

I. Coming to New York 15

II. Early Plymouth 22

III. A Plymouth Usher 30

IV. Plymouth Services 45

V. Plymouth Members 59

VI. Buying a Slave Girl 70

VII. Mr. Beecher in England 81

VIII. The Beecher Trial 90

IX. The Church Tested 101

X. Church Thought and Life 115

XI. The Church Staff 129

XII. The Fort Sumter Expedition 142

XIII. Quaker City Excursion 153

XIV. Personalia 167

XV. Future Plymouth 182

ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING PAGE

Stephen M. Griswold Title

Henry Ward Beecher 15

Lyman Abbott 105

Newell Dwight Hillis 133

Beecher Statue, City Hall, Brooklyn 153

Interior of Plymouth Church 173

Chair Used by Henry Ward Beecher in 187 Plymouth Church

PREFACE

For some years past I have been repeatedly urged to record my recollections of Plymouth Church and Henry Ward Beecher. One after another the original members of the church have passed away until now I am almost alone, so far as the early church connection is concerned, and I have been told that there is really no one left who could give the personal value to such a record. At first, as I thought of the task, it appeared too great. Business duties pressed and left little time for such a work. Then out of the flood of recollections, which should I select? Recently a period of convalescence, following a somewhat serious illness, during which work was forbidden, gave me leisure which I occupied in recording such incidents as I thought might be of interest and value. These were arranged not in the form of history but as a series of sketches setting forth different phases of the church history and the church life, as well as illustrating Mr. Beecher himself as a preacher and pastor, but still more as a man. These are chiefly personal in their character. Fifty three years of service as an usher in Plymouth Church brought me into closest touch with those services which have made Plymouth so well known not only in America, but throughout the world. Very precious are those memories to me, and as I have dwelt upon them, I have felt it not less a privilege than a duty to share them with others and thus bear testimony to a church life of great beauty and power.

[Illustration: HENRY WARD BEECHER]

COMING TO NEW YORK