The Freedom Ring

"Love, The Fulfilling of the Law" Preached by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, 1869, Brooklyn, NY. “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” —Matt., xxii., 34-40. In this brief word Christ has drawn away the veil from the heart of God, and let us see its very central secret. It is love. And since the days of Christ, the divine Helmsman has been steering the ship of human affairs right toward this light-house of the universe—Love; All that was recorded in the past or foreseen in the future pivoted...

Rev. Henry Ward Beecher Speaking on The Strength of the Family Institution, adapted from "The Original Plymouth Pulpit" Brooklyn, NY ca. 1868 “Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind ; and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." -LUKE XIV., 12-14. The Loving Household Beecher Family Portrait - The Beecher Family, ca. 1859, photographed by Mathew Brady.  The household is founded upon love; and with all its imperfections it is still the best institution which society has ever had, or which it has now. Though its foundations are the natural affections; though it is very possible for father and mother to manifest love full of self-denial;...

  The Sinfulness of Racism and Slavery 6 examples of the harm caused to America, by Henry Ward Beecher American Slave Auction “Let us take a look and see if there is any testimony, under God’s great moral government, on the subject of the sinfulness of racism and slavery.” The following words of this article were originally spoken by the abolitionist pastor of Brooklyn, Henry Ward Beecher. They were delivered in one of his weekly sermons at Plymouth Church, this one called “National Injustice and Penalty.” I have lightly adapted the text in order to modernize the victorian style language. This was no ordinary Sunday in our nation’s history. There was a high level of intensity in the air. Possibly thicker than that of 1960 and 2020. This one God given Sunday took place during May of 1861. The American Civil War had broken out one month earlier on April 12th, 1861. Let's take a look at how Mr. Beecher lays out six examples of how racism and slavery in America violates ...