Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-11-24

Aaesse psces, % any in the city Our assortment OF
ma and every other requisite, are such ~ 70 leave
,o4h,nr 20 b desired 10 enable To furnish - well
sxsrutsd book work, circulars, Rpo'sers. ana GINS
sebs. a, can be printed We invite any hsvins com
uaaAs - give or ONCE . trial
Bsecher.
We see il announced in the New
York papers that it has been found
necessary to place movable iron seats
in the aisle Of Henry Ward Beecher's
church, for tho accommodation of the
OVERLOOKING throng, which crowds that
temple of Menus. In these hard
times the excitable public Of New
York and Brooklyn, ever alive to nov
city and fun, have in the financial
pressure, an unusually strong incentive
to seeking cheap amusements. They
consequently flock to Beecher's, where
for three penny bit, if they are dispo-
ssd to be liberal-msy be witnessed
well assorted and varied en- attainment
comprising low comedy, domestic
drama, stump speaking and occasional
preaching, whilst the architecture OF
the building and the arrangement of
seats are such as to encourage the illu-
sion that one is in church all the time.
by visiting Beecher's, two birds may
be killed with one stone; you have "a
good time" aud discharge your duty
"a a member Of christian community
besides. But TO speak seriously, We
fear these large crowds at the Plymouth
church Indicate anything but an in
crease Of pure and genuine christianity.
A counterpart Of these vast assemble
gcs is now presented in England, where
Sturgeon is attracting immense audi
cnces, which listen to and applaud his
flaming harangues, and then regale
themselves with cakes aud beer and
lively conversation in the very house
Of God itself! Such men as Eccchcr
end Spurgeou make large congrega-
tions, but few christians, they amuse,
entertain and sometimes instruct, but
fail in the great, the single object Of
the ministry. Of u08owds who hear
Beecher every Sunday, how many are
convicted of sin, and brought to God !
We fear but few, very few. The wit
Of the preacher excitcs admiration, his
humour convulses with laughter, his
strange conccit and interest startle, his
singular amp forcible clocution pleases
and attracts, but the nearer leaves the
church, it may be, pleased, delight
cd, but an untouched and unrcgcnerat.
ed man.
Moreover, Beecher is only man
for the rostrum. On the bed of death
when wit and oratory are indecorus
trities compared with the appalling an
ticipations Of a hereafter, who would
think of Beecher-herc with the Jest
in his mouth, and stump speech in
his head-as a guide in the last hour
to soothe the departing spirit with the
consultations Of religion I! The course
Of the man in the pulpit, and out of it,
units and disqualifies him for the most
solemn and important duties of the
sacred office. The influence of such a
one is baleful to his flock, and injuri-
GUS to the cause of christianity. Best
DIES, the adulation and notoriety which
such men obtain, connot fail to exert a
most pernicious effect on young cler-
gymen. They see that the road to a
overlooking congregation and large
salary lies not in being good pastor,
but snowy preacher. They at once
set about becoming sensitive preach
ers;' and they find the quickest route
to notoriety which is often mistaken
for celebrity is the by-path of eccen-
tricity and extravaganza. They adopt
the most absurd absurdities of the
Beecher school, and do almost as much
harm as their prototype, without &C.
complishing the least modicum of good
When these men have done thei1
work, people will begin to wonder a
the spread Of skeptecism, and the gen
eraI Indifference to religion. Churche,
will then perceive and deplore thei
error, in placing evangelical preaching
at discount, by paying a premium
upon fashy lecturing. As friends o
the christian religion we see thes,
things with sorrow, and cannot but re
greet every new indication of the sue
cess Of that man, and that system q
preaching whose influences we regar,
= deleterious, not to say, dangerous t.
christianity.
New VARIETY OF Gonna CORES
pondent of the Rural New Yorker
gives the following description of a ne,
variety Of Indian corn, exhibited at