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US Reform Movement: Lyman Beecher's Message on Intolerance

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US Reform Movement: Lyman Beecher's Message on Intolerance
Lyman Beecher among other things was concerned with eradicating the American problems of the breaking of the Sabbath, profane language, and drinking. Beecher stressed the will of humanity to turn away from sin. He argued that disestablishment would undermine the authority of moral elites such as himself. Men of talent and virtue would be driven from positions of leadership. Similarly, he insisted that disestablishment would lead to chaos in political and religious life that would lead to dangerous divisions of society based on jealousy, greed, and ambition. Beecher fought energetically to maintain unity, and religious denominational harmony, because this, he believed, was necessary to preserve society. "Sin is black, grace abounds, the will is free."-Lyman BeecherBeecher became a part of the New School of Presbyterianism, where he preached his message of resisting sin. In 1813, Beecher founded the Connecticut Society for the Reform of Morals. The group initiated a movement to wipe out the problems the Beecher felt was wrong with American society. Beecher in 1826 was chosen to head the new Hanover Street Church in Boston, which was started to combat the growth of Unitarianism. In 1832, Beecher seized the opportunity to bring religion to the American West by becoming president of the Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, as well as pastor of the city 's Second Presbyterian Church.

By preaching his message of purity and unity, a more hopeful message, twice on Sunday and at meetings during the week, he drew a large following. Six sermons in which he preached against intemperance in 1825 found wide circulation when published; they were even translated into several languages. At the Hanover Street Church in Boston, Beecher met with so much success that he was compared to Jonathan Edwards, leader of the Great Awakening in New England in the 1700s.

Beecher 's term at the Lane Theological Seminary came at a time when a number of burning issues, particularly


Cited: ackes, Matthew W. "Lyman Beecher and the Problem of Religious Pluralism in the Early American Republic." The American Religious Experience. 4 Nov. 2008 . "Lyman Beecher: Revivalist who moved with the times." Christian History. 8 Aug. 2008. Christianity Today International. 4 Nov. 2008 . "Lyman Beecher." American History. 2008. ABC-CLIO. 4 Nov. 2008 . "Lyman Beecher." An American Family: The Beecher Tradition. Newman Library Digital Collections. 4 Nov. 2008 . "Lyman Beecher." NNDB: Tracking the Entire World. 2008. Soylent Communications. 4 Nov. 2008 . Portrait of Lyman Beecher. 1850. Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Hartford, CT.
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