New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-19
SKETCHES OF LECTURES.
The Conservative and the Prosressiv,

by REV. HKNRY wAgD BEEcHkR.
The closing lecture Of tho New-England
Course was delivered last evening In the Plymouth
Church, Brooklyn, by Rev. HENsY WARD BEEoHna.--
The attendance was more numerous than any pre-
yous lecture of the course The subject Of the lecture
was The Conservative and the Progressive" which
the lecturer divided into three groups, follows
first; The constitutional elements In the individual.
" hch tend to bias him toward Conservation Pro
grcss.
Second! The influences of active Llc-its collisions
interests, &c, which throw tho one side OF on
the other OF Conservatism and Progress.
Thhd The tendency Of the great elementary depart
ments OF Human Society toward Conservatism or Pro-
gress, and their influence upon men,
In commencing, Mr.. Beecher remarked that IL wss
the object OF this lecture discuss the ei1mens and
principles of Conservatism and Progress but to de-
scribe OF the characters developed by the action a
these elements. There are, said he "a great many
shades Of Conservatism; the lowest of them arc
much more like Radicalsm than like the supreme
Conservation Of the attitudes there are radical and
unreasonng Conservatives moderate and reasoning
Conservatives and the Conservatives by interest and
other than principle. There the destructive Pro-
gressives the constructive Progressves and the Pro-
qresyes of interest," who like their natural antithescs
ere So not from a conviction, but for object pure
ConEervatiye from principle 10 who desires TO hold
things they saving only slight repairs and Trivial
imperieetions. The circle of improvement with him,
is limited the wisdom Of successive ages has already
flied it up There are no ideas-shoy are only
new to There new truths those that seen,
only retired truths coming from their seclusioa
into public again. Religion is an orbed and perfect
thing and successive ages Of thinkers have given tsys-
temaic forms that will never DO improved. Philoso-
L. 49,
growths from old roots Art has reached lie hight and
he who would all that human hands can do, muse
turn backward Society full moon; and all that
wisdom should endeayor, should be TO keepit from
waning That there Is 10 be great advance In merely
mechanical arts he admits; and that some advantages
may be puckcd from the future, IN the physical condt
ton Of men
The Progressive, proper, regards the world as but
vest seed and all human interests but sesdreiorms.
or germs Growth In the natural society Is not to him
pyramid standing up from Its vast base, Thousands OF
years un growing and unchanged, but rather bsnsH-
tree whose vast trunk old as ages, Is yet growing
whose soughs are letting down new uunksfor wider
growth and whose glory u 10 hold the frost by over
laying old growths with new, and preserving Itself ~
nsrpe,usl chsngel These are the men who look for
he principle 10 everything They beieye tina. fnaia-
,ions II alive are constantly although gradually.
| CHANGING 10 meet new shapes OF human want they
believe tia. customs must change that philosophers
are NOT ehrystsls which God bounded by iulmovabIs
lines and polished beyond the touch Of art but thss
,key are the rude endeavors Of speak truths,
whsh in full form, are unspeskable they believe that
tits better 20 80 back 10 the original source Of God than
forever repeat the few notes which men have jove
down, and proudly called their system
A Conservative h then, who believes Perlns-
snee be the law Of things The Progressive believes
that deselopn,as the Divine idea Of Creation. Thosa
differences either the result Of educston eony
tutionsl pecahaYtes Men endowed largely with se' 4
esteem, feeby qualified by Bensvolcnee, and born .
wealth privileges. predspoaed 10 Conserysr su
They sre 50 well Of tina, they hardly wish eh Ingc
Az 20 these net well of-res,less and ri.ing- the
ere discontented persons not 6t &c nae. nrlsn an
eontented, what need Of mores II they are. dscon
tented they are dangerous In either cas-, societ
should be stationary II Is from such that ,rstocrae
springs Men naturally born to privileges, and drcsl
ing an innovations which shall distribute to the man
the rish.s which are enjoyed by the fc1< They hay
buIt them castles upon rocks and they regard reform
er. az qusnymen blas,Dg out the IoandxtiOns 70 se
r.oue, forsooth 20 build poor cots <os.
Those who are constitutioD.ly Consssvsf'sss am
prudent, are biased to eonscsvstsm- OF no sve'e'
they are sure-shey are not Of the (f1r@ Ihe con-
muni,y has always done eery vel; Why. for me sax
Of doing better more risk With true Dutch paies'
and discretion they hold fast 10 'sjs basness less
they open % Prossss., ssaases ada gssex eass'