author
Henry Ward Beecher
1813–1887
A magnetic 19th-century preacher and reformer, he became one of America’s best-known public voices through his sermons, lectures, and fierce opposition to slavery. His life joined religious influence, social activism, and personal controversy in a way that still feels vivid today.
4 Audiobooks
Conflict of Northern and Southern Theories of Man and Society Great Speech, Delivered in New York City
by Henry Ward Beecher
Twelve Causes of Dishonesty
by Henry Ward Beecher
Pleasant Talk About Fruits, Flowers and Farming
by Henry Ward Beecher
Gamblers and Gambling
by Henry Ward Beecher
About the author
Born in Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1813, Henry Ward Beecher grew up in the remarkable Beecher family, which also included his sister Harriet Beecher Stowe. He became a Congregational minister and rose to national fame as pastor of Plymouth Church in Brooklyn, where his lively speaking style and broad, emotionally direct Christianity drew huge audiences.
Beecher was especially known for his outspoken antislavery work before and during the Civil War. He also supported causes such as women's rights and helped shape a more liberal Protestant outlook, emphasizing God's love over harsher religious doctrine. Beyond the pulpit, he wrote widely and became one of the most recognizable public figures of his era.
His reputation was shaken by a highly publicized adultery scandal and trial in the 1870s, which kept his name in newspapers across the country. Even so, his influence on American religious life and reform movements remained substantial until his death in 1887.