New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-03
GREAT ACCESSION TO PLYMOUTH
CHURCH.

CHURCH.
RECEPTION OF ONE HUNDRED AND
EIGHTY-EIGHT NEW CONVERTS.
On Sunday morning there was very large congre-
CATION at the Rev. Henry Ward Beechers Church, the
occasion being special from the fact that great num-
Der of persons were to be received into the Church
The pulpit was tastefuly decorated with flowers, and
in the rear were wreathed the words For we were as
sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the
shepherd and Bishop of your souls There were
in all 1SS persons received into the Church-lb3 by
profession and % by letter. Fourteen were baptized
by immersion Thursday night, and u were baptized
on Sunda morning. They occupied the five front circles
of seats and when the articles OF faith were read to
them by Mr.. Beecher, they arose and bowed their
heads Some % of these converts were connected
with tie Sabbath School attached to the Church
The venerable Lyman Beecher, ID. d., father of
the pastor, sat in the pulpit. The Rev. Henry Ward
Bee cher preached short sermon from Ephesans Nv.
l3-lG, of which We give an abstract
"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into
him in althings who is the head even Christ. This
passage and the cOnte It were peculiarly appropriate 10
the services Of the day, and to those who were just
entering upon course of Christian dsclpleshp. On
that morning the gates of the temple had been thrown
open to receive many as would constitute new
and large church. Such a day had never before
Church was but eleven years old. II had been blessed
with five of peculiar religious growth, nor had
they occurred at the expense OF intermediate seasons
Much had been said lately respecting reviyals. And
many had derded them the and occ ,sC nal fresh
cts Of fee ling in channels that ordinarily had none That
this was sometimes the fact indsputable But it
need not be- revival Of religion is not an abnormal
state, but is based upon natural laws. Like all other
true states it will be sound and beneficial, or upper.
feet and mischevous according to the knowledge and
skill with which men employ the great and stated
agencies Of truth. Five reviyals had been experi-
tnced in eleven years in this church. NOT wne1 the
specia social religious element had subsided nad the
church been left cold hard, inseDsive and fruitess
II had been constituted eleven years ago with % mem
bers II numbers now very nearly fourteen hnndred
Il 30. Of these nearly one,half, ooo or :Vo, nave
been received from the world on good evidence OF
conversion and in by far the great majority OF cases
they bear good evidence yet This was not boa'ins;
He had no time for that. He had higher end
In view He wished it to be borne in mind that
this church had had its whole life and history
durire a very critical period of American history.
The Gospel Of Christ, in every age, has new work
to perform, new growth 10 devepP' new appn'
cations to the ever. changing phases OF society.
In preaching the Gospel to them he had taken IT ior
granted that his duty was to preach LriRg GosPelto
TriDg men, about hring questions. lie had not con,
fined his attention to one subject. ne Iau ehoIceu
Christ as the fountain head of all spiritual fe and the
perfect e1emplar. He had taught them that deep,
INV ard spiritual life, begun by Gods spirit and daily
nouri he'd by Gods personal presence, was tue ounda
ton Of all true Christian work. Love 10 God ana 70
man was the characteristic element Of all true Caris'
tian labor. His people would bear him witness that
lie had ar xiousy and ten times yea, hundred tunes
more than anything else, taught them, laoored, be.
sought them TO prepare themselves for all external
work by true faith in Jesus Christ, and by humility,
by zeal tempered with discretion by eryent sympathy
with each otter and with the whole brotde thood OF
man. He had sought to inspire them with hgner deals
of life in every of its elements with hgher no
ton Of personal character, with nober sense oil true
.l-Zl and
loving, with richer and higher idea OF the ianily
state with more sublime ways in secular lfe lie nau
searched the family the store, the shop the ONCE,
the street. the ship, the farm, with the Shteu caaoe
of the Gosy ell and thus sought to develop to their
minds the idea of symmetrical Christian character.
In the fulfllment Of this work, they knew very
well that he had neither neglected puolIc questions
nor yet obtIuded them 90 often as 10 give tne
poItiopate Importance While teaching the deep and
fundamental truths of Christ atonemen ne had ufged
at the meanest and lowest creature on the gooe
of transcenden dignity and had rghfs sscred as Tue
throne Of God What could measure the "Yr'1 u 10
creature for whose salvation Christ would die y he
had led no unwilling Church into these CONNECTS De
cared not what the world would say. lie was tnahA
ful to live in such day this and 70 WORK 10 sucn
helS He had preached lecturea' wnsn, 1 tSs G"s
forth thus unhesitstipgy, to bear witness 70 tne Ios
pei of Christ in the preemiDent ana usnscehuGn'
application Of il to the great pulsations ana lvng
tersst of this age and nation. Why had De said this
Fol two reasons: First, because God had rsiseo W
that Church as a seal and testimony, an unalterins
witness for Christian reform. 1t stands before tne
word for temperance, for liberty, and against o,''ey
for humanity against all forms OF oppression; Anu
what had been Gods testimony, Had tnls pee r.,
Church split and divided by intestine quanes tol
eleven years the church meetings had been open ~ Tue
frees, speech. There had never been a. dihaeaty 80
large as mans finger among them. Ins' aay -
stood loving brotherhood. love you, sIr as .nS
Mr.. Beecher most heartily, and you love me, ano
we dwell in more than peace. There amo1g .u.'
congregation, it is very noticeable ssprt OF unas
sembled love. What is it but Gods attestaison 70
the ightfulness of our cause y
Dir. Beecher then proceeded to reply to those VINO
had as he said denounced him for not preaching the
Gospel. The increase of their numbers was surely
proof that they were not church without Gospel
He was willing TO 90 before the impartial tribunal OF
coming times, and to believe that by his hdehty 70
liberty. to good morals to humanity, as Indispensable
ard integrant elements If true spiritual religion theu
church had piospered.
He then spoke to the ewly-received members. The
point chiefly insisted on hst the center OF al their
aims ought TO be the Of their own character
tha, they might win the idea OF perfect MANHOOD