Beckwith graduated from Trinity College, Hartford in 1852 and two years later, he was ordained as a deacon and later priest in the Episcopal Church.

Beckwith served as Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia for 23 years during the difficult period of reconstruction.

From 1887-1888, Bishop Beckwith spent five months abroad preaching in Anglican Churches in Italy, France, England, Egypt and Palestine.

His final annual report came at the sixty eighth convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia held in Milledgeville in May 1890.

In his address at that convention he told the delegates; I have not for years looked forward to the future with as much hope as now....all over the Diocese, among clergy and laity, there seems to be an increase in aggressive work on churchly lines.