| CHAPTER I. |
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| PAGE |
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| Ancestry—Beecher—Ward—Foote—The Anvil—The Oak—Courtship and Marriage of Lyman Beecher and Roxana Foote—Home at East Hampton, Long Island—Removal to Litchfield, Connecticut | 17–29 |
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| CHAPTER II. |
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| Litchfield—Situation—Natural Features—Early Settlers—Social and Moral Advantages—Patriotism—North Street described—The Beecher Home—Birth of Henry Ward—The Times at Home and Abroad—His Birth-Mark | 30–45 |
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| CHAPTER III. |
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| Early Glimpses—Recollections of the Mother—Going to School at Ma’am Kilbourne’s—His First Letter—District School—The Coming of the New Mother—His First Ride on Horseback—A Merry Household—Fishing Excursions—Minister’s Wood-Spell—Saturday Night—Going to Meeting—The Puritan Sabbath—The Cold of Litchfield Hill—Rats—Work—The Catechism—Formative Influences—Summing Up | 46–71 |
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| CHAPTER IV. |
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| Boyhood—Sent to School at Bethlehem—The Widow Ingersoll’s—Failure—A Champion—Sent to Catharine Beecher’s School in Hartford—Humorous Incidents—Religious Experience | 72–81 |
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| CHAPTER V. |
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| Boston—Home Atmosphere—Various Experiences—Ethics rubbed in by a Six-pound Shot—Discontent—Makes up his Mind to go to Sea—To Study Navigation—Picture of his Life in Boston | 82–92 |
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| CHAPTER VI. |
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| School-Life at Mount Pleasant—Mathematics—Elocution—Testimony of Classmates—Religious Experiences—Troubles—A Romantic Friendship—Another Kind—Letter of Reminiscence—A Royal School-Boy | 93–108 |
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| CHAPTER VII. |
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| Amherst College—Private Journal—Testimony of Classmates—Tutor’s Delight—Begins his Anti-Slavery Career—Spiritual Darkness—Engagement—Letters of his Mother—Experiences in Teaching School—First Sermons—Lecturing—His Reading—The Record | 109–135 |
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| CHAPTER VIII. |
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| Lane Seminary—Dr. Beecher Called—Home at Walnut Hills—Amusing Incidents—Family Meeting—Death of Mrs. Beecher—Extracts from Journal—First Mention of Preaching in the West—Experience in Ecclesiastical Matters—Despondency—Meeting of Synod—Influences of the Times—Revulsion—A Rift along the Horizon—“Full iolly Knight” | 136–156 |
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| CHAPTER IX. |
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| Call to Preach—License—Examination by Miami Presbytery—Refusal to Subscribe to Old School—Ordination by Oxford Presbytery—Visit East—Marriage—Housekeeping | 157–180 |
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| CHAPTER X. |
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| The New Field—Growth of Influence—Social Life—The Secret of Effective Preaching—Editorial Labors—Lectures to Young Men—Call to Brooklyn—Departure | 181–209 |
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| CHAPTER XI. |
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| Invitation to come East—Call to Plymouth Church—Friendly Misgivings—Plainly Outlining his Views—Early Success—Plymouth Burned—Preaching in the Tabernacle | 210–224 |
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| CHAPTER XII. |
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| Plymouth Church—The New Building—Sabbath Service—Prayer-Meeting—Weekly Lecture—Socials—Church Polity—The Pastor’s Policy | 225–232 |
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| CHAPTER XIII. |
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| Beginning of the Great Battle—Five Great Eras—Compromise Measures of 1850—“Shall We Compromise”—The Fugitive Slave Law denounced—Right of Free Speech defended—Commercial Liberty—Fighting Caste—Liberty of the Pulpit defended—Quickness of Retort—Sentiment of the Times—Reaction—Visit of Kossuth—Election of 1852—The Parker Controversy—Degraded into Liberty—John Mitchel—Garrison—Close of this Era | 233–270 |
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| CHAPTER XIV. |
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| The Battle renewed—Repeal of the Missouri Compromise proposed—The Struggle in Congress—Mr. Beecher’s Appeals—The Battle lost in Congress is transferred to the Territories—Forces engaged—Kansas War—Dred Scott Decision—Mr. Beecher’s Defence of Kansas—“Beecher’s Bibles”—Charles Sumner attacked in the Senate—The Fremont Campaign—The Dog Noble | 271–291 |
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| CHAPTER XV. |
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| Remarkable Experiences—The Edmonson Sisters—Pinky and her Freedom-Ring—Slave Auction in Plymouth Church—John Brown—The Wrong and Right Way—Election of Abraham Lincoln—Secession—Buchanan’s Fast | 292–308 |
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| CHAPTER XVI. |
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| War Begun—Firing upon Fort Sumter—“The American Eagle as you want it”—Death of Col. Ellsworth—Equips his Sons—Personal Feeling yields to Patriotism—His House a Store-house of Military Supplies—Sends a Regiment as his Substitute—Our National Flag—The Camp, its Dangers and Duties—Bull Run—Becomes Editor of the Independent—Salutatory—The Trent Affair—Fight, Tax—Soldiers or Ferrets—Characteristics as an Editor—One Nation, one Constitution, one Starry Banner—McClellan Safe, and Richmond too—Mildly carrying on War—The Root of the Matter—The only Ground—A Queer Pulpit—President’s Proclamation of Emancipation—Let come what will—Close of the Third Era | 309–338 |
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| CHAPTER XVII. |
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| First Voyage to England—Extracts from Diary—Warwick Castle—Stratford-on-Avon—The Skylark—Oxford—Bodleian Library—London—Old-time Sadness—Paris—Catch-Words from Diary—Effect of Picture-Gallery—The Louvre—His Return | 339–349 |
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| CHAPTER XVIII. |
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| Church and Steamboat—Jenny Lind—Hospitality—Colonel Pertzel—The Family—Twins—Medicine—Giving Counsel—For the Sailor—An Absurd Story contradicted—Salisbury—Trouting—Death of Alfred and Arthur—Letters to his Daughter at School—Lenox—Equivocal Honors declined—The Pulpit—“Plymouth Collection”—“Shining Shore“—A Church Liturgy—Courting with his Father’s old Love-letters—1857 a Year of Trial—Matteawan—Visit to Litchfield—1858 a Year of Harvest—Revival Meetings—Hospitality of Plymouth Church—Courtesy to Errorists—New Organ—Peekskill—Letters to his Daughter abroad—Marriage of his Daughter—Lecturing—Title of D. D. declined—Flowers in Church—Christian Liberty in the use of the Beautiful—His two Lines of Labor | 350–395 |
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| CHAPTER XIX. |
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| Visit to England in 1863—The Need of Rest—Condition of Affairs at Home—Arrival at Liverpool—Refusal to Speak—Visit to the Continent—Reception by the King of Belgium—Civil War discussed—News of Victories—Return to England | 396–407 |
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| CHAPTER XX. |
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| Facing the Mob in Manchester—Glasgow—Edinburgh—Desperate |
| Attempts to break Mr. Beecher down at Liverpool—Victory in London | 408–442 |
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| CHAPTER XXI. |
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| Close of the War—Distrust of the Administration—Kindlier Feelings after Mr. Beecher’s Return from England—Growing Confidence—Intimacy with Secretary Stanton—Fort Sumter—Lee’s Surrender—Lincoln’s Death | 443–456 |
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| CHAPTER XXII. |
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| Reconstruction—Mr. Beecher favors speedy Readmission—Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Convention at Cleveland—The “Cleveland Letters” cause great Excitement | 457–478 |
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| CHAPTER XXIII. |
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| The “Silver Wedding” of Plymouth Church—Children’s Day—Services in the Church—Reunion of old Members—Historical Reminiscences—Dr. Storrs’s Tribute | 479–487 |
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| CHAPTER XXIV. |
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| The Conspiracy—Relations with Mr. Bowen—Disputes and Arbitration—Theodore Tilton’s Early Promise and Intimacy with Mr. Beecher—Bowen’s Ill-Will and Tilton’s Malice—Tilton discharged from Independent and Brooklyn Union—Tripartite Agreement—Moulton and Tilton Conspire to Blackmail Mr. Beecher—Tilton consults Dr. Storrs | 488–522 |
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| CHAPTER XXV. |
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| After-Effects—Charges against Tilton—Advisory Council—Investigating Committee called by Mr. Beecher—Its Report—Dropping Mr. Moulton—Council called by Plymouth Church | 523–536 |
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| CHAPTER XXVI. |
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| After-Effects of the Conspiracy—Calling Council of 1876—Principle of Selection—Mr. Beecher cautions his Church—Bowen Reappears; Proposes a Secret Tribunal—Mr. Beecher’s Reply—Bowen Dropped by Plymouth Church—Deliverance of Council sustaining Plymouth—Mr. Beecher’s Persecutors Denounced—Special Tribunal | 537–563 |
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| CHAPTER XXVII. |
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| Rest and renewed Activity—Lecturing Tours—Resignation from the Congregational Association—Boston Criticisms | 564–570 |
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| CHAPTER XXVIII. |
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| Attacking Corrupt Judges—Interest in Political Questions—Advocating Arthur’s Renomination—Opposing Blaine—Supporting Cleveland—Campaign of 1884—After the Battle | 571–587 |
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| CHAPTER XXIX. |
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| A Preacher—His Place—His Training—His Estimate of the Work—Defects—Effectual Call—Upon Drawing an Audience—His Theory—Preparation—Results—A Theologian—His Orthodoxy—Evolution—Ordinances—Christian Unity—Sectarianism—Peacemaker | 588–613 |
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| CHAPTER XXX. |
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| Love of the Country—Communion with Nature—Farming at Salisbury—Lenox—Matteawan—The Peekskill Farm | 614–638 |
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| CHAPTER XXXI. |
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| Home Life—Love of Children—His Method of Training and Education—Formation of Library and Art Collection—Personal Traits | 639–664 |
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| CHAPTER XXXII. |
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| 1886—England Revisited—Speaking in the City Temple—Westminster Abbey—Lecturing through Great Britain—Addressing the Theological Students at City Temple—“Life of Christ”—Sickness—Rest | 665–683 |
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| Appendix | 687 |
