The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-05-14

A Lsvias Gospel AsA = Live CAurcA.
We know Of no more acceptable matter
that We oan lay before our readers this morn
ing than the following, which We extract
ftom recent sermon Of Rev. l5v Ward
D1echer, on occasion Of the saeepdO6 Of one
ared and ninety addi11a1 nmuniosn.e
IT, Plymouth Church Il 10. 49,
31SGher, like the lal1sutsd i5i =, prsashS y
nvs gospel, unfsstraiAed By fear Of distilIs-
fries, soiton plantations, or any Organisations
1ef the church or Of society, that p416sr to
evil for the sake Of promoting their own
power and influence il the world, under What
ever specious pleas Of gospel tolesation,
peace or conservatism.
But hear Mr.. Beechsr, wh6 y - paeaor
of congregation nunbsring ssns 49,
thousand souls, Of whom near twelve huus
dred are communicates:
I Iwish 1t to be remembered that this church
has had lite whole life and development du-
ring very critical period Of American his
tory. The Gospel OF Christ, in every age,
has new work to perform, new growth to
develop, new applications to the ever -chang.
ing phases Of society to be made. need
not tell you through what memorable and
eyentful series OF changes God has brought
this nation.
In preaching the gospel to you, have ta.
ken It for granted that nv duty was to
preach living Gospel, to living men, about
living questions. have not confined my at
tention to one subject. have enforced
Christ as the fountain head Of oil spiritual
life, and the perfect exemplar. lhave taught
you that deep, inward spiritual life, begun
by Gods Spirit, and dai1R. nourished
Gods personal presence, Ae foundation
OF all true Christian Mork. have Taught
you that love to God and to man 10 the chsse
acteristic element Of all true Christian re-
formatory laAor. And you wiz ne
witness that I have anxiously, 4
yes, hundred times more
else, taught, labored, and besol i
prepare yourselves - Al external voYk by
faith in Jesus Christ, BY humility, by zeal
tempered with discretion, by fervent sympa-
thy with each other md with the whole broth
erhood Of mankind. And have incessantly
stimulated you TO work in an atmosphere Of
love.
AUUn VKGVUEU0, uhFe 5Dukut ~ Au0UplIc
you with higher ideals of life in every one Of
its elements; with higher notion Of personal
character; with mobiles sense Of true man
hood; with purer and deeper way Of person.
al living; with q richer and Aleher idea Of
the family state; with mpfA n0ble ways in
! secular life. have searched the family, the
store, the shop, the Office, the street, the
d ship, the farm, with the lighted candle Of the
. Gospel and sought to develop in your mind
the idek III symmetrical Christian charac.
ter, both contemplative and executive, both
/ spiritual and phlauthropic, both domestic
and public. have not forgotten things per-
sonal in things domestic, nor things secular
in domestic truths, nor your public duties by
I any over scrupulous ecciesiastc and church
relationship. And in the fuliillment Of this
work you know very well that have neither
neglected public qusstions nor yet intrudcd
, them SO often . 10 give them disproportion-
. ate ipposEasoe. Save called you to belisve
the ds1p - fnndamsntal truth Of Christ's
atonsnsni, - tAs human side Of it, namely,
that men - unspsaksbly precious and val.
liable beyond IN sstimatton before God
have said thAs ~ meanest creature on the
globe 10 Of transcendsnt dignity, and has
rights sacred - the throne OF God. For,
Whist shalt measure the worth Of creature
J for whose salvation Christ would die? One
drop of Christ's bloodais worth a globe,
though it were but ono AOrbicular diamoad.
Souls are the jewels Of God, not metals or
stones.
have taken hearty and earnest part in the
struggles Of our day for the great Christian
81 Doctrines Of Human Liberty, and have led
Ino unwilling church into the conflict. la
Il this matter (pardon me If speak of myself)
i have determined to have no interests, no
reputation, and no position or influence, aside
from these great truths. have committed
my soul to Gods keeping, and have neither
asked nor cared what men might think, or
car, a. do. Too thankful to live in such
81 nao to work in such field, have only
Mat my sight might grow dull, my
row feeble, and my hand become weak
work 80 dear to the heart OF Christi
/ IA4N Visit has embraced the AnUan soul ia
n IN, 90 hath he taught NJ to call all men
q neeteren. And have preached, lectured,
writton, and gone forth unhesitatingly and
bsfnFs ~ whole people, to bear witness to
tho gfeat Gospel OF Christ in the one pre-em-
eminsAt md transeendent application Of it
to the great pulsating, living interest Of this
age and nation.
Now, Why have said all this? For two
reasons.
First, Because God has raised up this
church as seal and testimony. 1t stands be.
J fore the nation as . church consecrated to
Christ, not only in general way, but as
church that bears an unfaltesiAx witness TO
Christian Reform. III stand bsfofe the world
, for Temperance; for Liberty and against Sla.
very; for Humanity and against 81 oppres-
sion in trade, in commerce, or in OWL rela-
tons. And what has been Gods testimony?
Has this been q church split and divided
by intestine quarrels? For eleven years your
! church meetings have been open to the freest
{ speech. Aud call vou to witness that there
has never been difficulty so large - mans
hand, nay, SO large as finger, 10 this society
or church. We have gone through I'll discus.
sions Of the most perilous and exciting Qses.
, tione, and all men have had anrsG 1a1Sod IL
erty, and yet love has NOT 6esa Qaoooh10.
And we stand this day Nving bseihsfhood.
You love me. love Ion, Iost hsastily.,
. And you love each othG, 6nA dwell II moee
than peace ,lea, II fSsaa Joy and eladnsss
together. Am il 10 Ss1aiae that has bscoms
noticeable, and noticed, 1 there Il II this
. congEssationA spiri. Oh general and undis.
sem.1S This i aea's hlsesisg and
Gods wis41d6 70 Tho righasoss11n Of Seuf
Z cause a
Dill Mo~.,.a~ ~hSla 49,, = Z. u vi,