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Lyman Beecher October 12th, 1775 - January 10th, 1863 Anti-Catholicism

Lyman Beecher was one of the best and most well known influential clergymen of his time. He was a leader and had a big impact on the Second Great Awakening as he promoted Evangelism, Calvinism, and the idea of conversion. He was against Catholics and belived they brought danger to the American society, and was also against the styles of another leader of the awakening, Charles Grandison Finney. Beecher began to study politics and religion at Yale University and graduated in 1797, following his graduation with his preeching license. In 1806, Lyman, at his first Presbyterian church, launched a crusade against the practice of dueling, which was inspired by the death of Alexander Hamilton in a duel with Aaron Burr. Beecher devoted himself to Evangelism and Calvinism, and helped establish missionary organizations, he influenced men to close down their businesses and workplaces on sundays, and he was a leading voice in the temperance movement (movement against the use of alcohol). In 1826 he moved to a congregational church in Boston where he lead the voice against liberals and unitarians. In 1832, he moved west to take his presidency role at the Lane Theological Seminary. With this westward movement he believed the west was the promiseland, but only with the Evangelism Protestantism gaining as much influence as it had in the East. As the president, his objective was to train other ministers to win the west over to support Evangelism Protestantism. Bleecher opposed immigration and published a Navalist Tract, "A Plea for the West", which explained his thoughts on nativism and how he wanted ethnicities status on politics to be lowered. While at Lane, issues disputes over slavery threatened to split up the church, the state of Ohio, and even the nation. Beecher was against the abolotion of slavery, and the events of the slavery issue sparked discussions over the subject which lead to the Civil War. After these slavery controversies were over, he continued to run his Presbterian church, but eventually abandoned it, ending his life project. Lyman Bleecher retired in 1843 and became a more liberal thinker after. His thoughts changed to him believing less about human sinfulness and sovereignty, and more about the potential for human progress. Beecher died in 1863 of a stroke.

Bibliography

"Beecher, Lyman (1775-1863)." __American Eras__.1997.Retrieved October 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2536601086.html

"Lyman Beecher." //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Sept. 2012. Web. 02 Oct. 2012. .