“One of the Best of Men, Although a Clergyman”: Mark Twain’s Friendships with Local Liberal Ministers

Join us for a fascinating talk with Dwayne Eutsey, author of There Is No Humor in Heaven: Mark Twain and Religious Liberalism

Eutsey reveals a side of Twain rarely considered: his friendships with liberal ministers and the surprising role of religion in his life and writing. The presentation will explore Twain’s connections with Thomas K. Beecher, Annis Eastman, Joseph Twichell, Horace Bushnell, and Moncure Conway, all of whom shaped Twain’s views on faith, doubt, and humor.

Despite Mark Twain’s reputation as a hostile critic of religion, the iconic humorist cultivated close friendships with several prominent ministers throughout his life.

Dwayne Eutsey’s intriguing new book “There is No Humor in Heaven”: Mark Twain and Religious Liberalism traces the influences of various liberal clergy throughout his life, from his time on the western frontier to his later years in Elmira and Hartford. Published by the University of Missouri Press, Eutsey’s book posits that Twain, as a frustrated Gospel preacher himself, always considered his work as a humorist as a form of preaching.

In this presentation at the Chemung County Historical Society, Eutsey will discuss the friendships Mark Twain had with a number of liberal ministers who served in (or were related to) Elmira: Thomas K. Beecher and Annis Eastman, ministers at Park Church; Joseph Twichell, who co-officiated with Beecher Twain’s wedding to Olivia Langdon; Horace Bushnell, “heretical” Congregationalist minister and mentor to Beecher and Twichell; and, in a round-about way, radical Emerson protégé Moncure Conway.

“Before Eutsey, no one has explicated so clearly the author’s relation to what were then regarded as revolutionary movements such as Unitarianism; the “liberal religion” of his closest friend, a New England minister; and even – and here Eutsey really breaks ground – the influence of Hinduism, by way of the religious radical Moncure Conway and the Hindu reformer Protap Mazoomdar, on his later, darker works, in which Eutsey finds unexpected faith and optimism. —Steve Courtney, author of Joseph Hopkins Twichell: The Life and Times of Mark Twain’s Closest Friend”

“Dwayne Eutsey’s study deeply complicates the prevailing notions regarding Mark Twain’s religious beliefs (or lack thereof). As with so many aspects of this author’s life and career, complacent suppositions turn out to be only half-true or fallacious. There Is No Humor in Heaven significantly expands our understanding of Twain’s views regarding mankind’s relationship with the divine. —Alan Gribben, Auburn University, author of Mark Twain’s Literary Resources: A Reconstruction of His Library and Reading”

After earning a B.A. in English from the University of Maryland and a certificate in Theological Studies from Georgetown University, Dwayne Eutsey completed his master’s thesis on Mark Twain’s unconventional religious views at Georgetown University. He has since established himself as an independent scholar in Twain Studies. The author of several scholarly articles on Twain and numerous freelance pieces on humor, religion, politics, and popular culture, Eutsey also is the co-author of The Abide Guide: Living Like Lebowski.