author
Henry Ward Beecher
1813–1887
A magnetic 19th-century preacher and bestselling writer, he became one of America’s most famous public voices by mixing religion, reform, and lively oratory. His work is closely tied to the fight against slavery and to the restless social debates of his era.
4 Audiobooks
Conflict of Northern and Southern Theories of Man and Society Great Speech, Delivered in New York City
by Henry Ward Beecher
Pleasant Talk About Fruits, Flowers and Farming
by Henry Ward Beecher
Twelve Causes of Dishonesty
by Henry Ward Beecher
Gamblers and Gambling
by Henry Ward Beecher
About the author
Born in Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1813, he grew up in the remarkable Beecher family and became a Congregational minister at a time when religion and public life were deeply intertwined. He later led Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, where his preaching drew huge attention and helped make him one of the best-known Protestant speakers in the United States.
Beyond the pulpit, he wrote extensively and spoke out on major issues of the day. Reliable sources describe him as a leading advocate of abolition, and also note his support for causes such as women's suffrage and a more open engagement with new ideas in science and biblical criticism.
His public career was not without controversy, and accounts of his life often mention the widely publicized adultery trial that shook his reputation in the 1870s. Even so, he remained an influential figure in American religious and cultural history until his death in Brooklyn in 1887.