Charles Beecher (October 1, 1815 – April 21, 1900) was an American minister, composer of religious

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hy ...

s and a prolific author.

Early life

Beecher was born in

Litchfield, Connecticut Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,192 at the 2020 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town. There are also three unincorpora ...

, the fifth child of

Lyman Beecher Lyman Beecher (October 12, 1775 – January 10, 1863) was a Presbyterian minister, and the father of 13 children, many of whom became noted figures, including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Beecher, Edward Beecher, Isabella B ...

, an

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

Congregationalist preacher from

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

and Roxana Foote Beecher. He was the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the famous author of ''

Uncle Tom's Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans and slavery in the U ...

'', and the brother of renowned Congregationalist minister,

Henry Ward Beecher Henry Ward Beecher (June 24, 1813 – March 8, 1887) was an American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, known for his support of the abolition of slavery, his emphasis on God's love, and his 1875 adultery trial. His r ...

. He also had another prominent and activist sister,

Catharine Beecher Catharine Esther Beecher (September 6, 1800 – May 12, 1878) was an American educator known for her forthright opinions on female education as well as her vehement support of the many benefits of the incorporation of kindergarten into children's ...

. He attended Boston Latin School and Lawrence Academy in

Groton, Massachusetts Groton is a town in northwestern Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, within the Greater Boston metropolitan area. The population was 11,315 at the 2020 census. It is home to two prep schools: Lawrence Academy at Groton, founded in 1 ...

, graduated from Bowdoin College in 1834, and then attended Lane Theological Seminary in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. He taught music classes in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wi ...

, and received his preaching license from the Presbytery of

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

. He served as pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in

Fort Wayne, Indiana Fort Wayne is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Indiana, United States. Located in northeastern Indiana, the city is west of the Ohio border and south of the Michigan border. The city's population was 263,886 as of the 2020 Censu ...

, from 1844 until 1851. He was also a prominent member of the Peucinian Society.

Career

In 1851, he moved east and ministered to the First Free Presbyterian Church in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.abolitionism, was expelled from the Presbyterian Synod in 1853, and re-organized as a Congregationalist church. Beecher left in 1857 for a pastorate in

Georgetown, Massachusetts Georgetown is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,470 at the 2020 census. It was incorporated in 1838 from part of Rowley. History Georgetown was originally settled in 1639 as a part of the town of Rowl ...

. In 1863 he was relieved of his preaching duties in the Congregational Church for preaching against orthodox doctrine. Specifically, he was convicted of teaching contrary to Scriptural articles of faith in promoting the errors of the preexistence and apostasy of human souls, the offer of salvation to the unrepentant after their deaths, that Jesus was an angel combined with the divinity of the Second Person of the Trinity and a human body, that Jesus' sufferings were not vicariously atoning but only morally persuasive, and that God was not impassible but had changeable passions. Following the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, he moved to Florida to help his sister Harriet and her husband minister to newly freed slaves. He eventually was state Superintendent of Public Instruction in Florida from 1871–1873. He finished his ministry as acting pastor in Wysox, Pennsylvania, from 1885 to 1893.

Musical interests

He also published two music texts and was one of the music editors for his brother Henry’s 1855 ''Plymouth Collection''. He published several antislavery tracts, including ''A Sermon on the Nebraska Bill'' (1854) and ''The God of the Bible Against Slavery'' (1855). His travel journal was re-published in 1986 by the Stowe-Day Foundation under the title ''Harriet Beecher Stowe in Europe''.

Personal life

In 1840, Beecher married Sarah Leland Coffin (1815-1897), a daughter of Nathaniel Coffin and Mary King ( Porter) Coffin. Her maternal grandfather was William King, the first

governor of Maine The governor of Maine is the head of government of the U.S. state of Maine. Before Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts and the governor of Massachusetts was chief executive. The current governor of Maine is J ...

and a half-brother of U.S. Senator and Minister to the United Kingdom Rufus King. Together, they had six children, including: * Frederick Henry Beecher (1841–1868), died at the

Battle of Beecher Island The Battle of Beecher Island, also known as the Battle of Arikaree Fork, was an armed conflict between elements of the United States Army and several of the Plains Native American tribes in September 1868. Beecher Island, on the Arikaree Rive ...

during the Comanche War. The island was posthumously named after him. * Charles McCulloch Beecher (1843–1906), who married Anna Melinda Clary Johnson (1849–1911), the aunt of Robert Livingston Johnson. * Helen Louisa Beecher (1847–1901) * Mary Isabella Beecher (1849–1928), who married George Warren Noyes (1842–1927). * Esther "Essie" Lyman Beecher (1852–1867), who died young. * Edith Harriet Beecher (1854–1867), who died young. Beecher died in

on April 21, 1900.

Published works

Beecher’s major publications include: * ''The Incarnation, or, Pictures of the Virgin and her Son'' (1849) * ''The Duty of Disobedience to Wicked Laws'' (1851) * ''David and his Throne'' (1855) * ''Pen Pictures of the Bible'' (1855) * ''The Life of David King of Israel'' (1861) * ''Autobiography, Correspondence, etc. of Lyman Beecher'' (1863) * ''Redeemer and Redeemed'' (1864) * ''Spiritual Manifestations'' (1879) * ''The Eden Tableau, or, Object Bible-Teaching'' (1880) * ''Patmos; or, the Unveiling'' (1896)

Notes

References

The Duty of Disobedience to Wicked Laws. A Sermon on the Fugitive Slave Law
at the Cyber Hymnal * {{DEFAULTSORT:Beecher, Charles 1815 births 1900 deaths 19th-century American clergy 19th-century American male musicians 19th-century American male writers 19th-century American politicians 19th-century Congregationalist ministers American abolitionists American composers American Congregationalist ministers American male composers American people of Welsh descent American Presbyterian ministers American Protestant hymnwriters American religious writers Beecher family Bowdoin College alumni Calvinist and Reformed hymnwriters Congregationalist abolitionists Florida Commissioners of Education Lane Theological Seminary alumni People from Litchfield, Connecticut People from Georgetown, Massachusetts Presbyterian abolitionists Songwriters from Connecticut