The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-03-17
r. f.. .-.-.ea From the Paragraph.
HI. w. Bcecher at Plymouth
Church.

Oran,e street, in Brooklyn, upon which
Plymouth Church is located, is by no means
remarkable for its architectural beauty. 1t
is somewhat shabby, and even a little dirty
when compared with the other parts of Brook
lyn. The church is large brick building,
without any ornament of particular promin-
ence, inside or out 1t has no steeple, and
it,. style of architecture reminds one of a
barn. 1t will hold between three and four
thousand people, and has wing containing
til. vestry, room for the Sabbath school,
social circle, trustees meetings and Beech
ers study. The room occupied by the con-
grsgation is perhaps between eighty and one
hundred feet square, with wide, ana we'll
seated gallery running around it on all siles.
The lower part is fitted up with seats within
the aisles, unfolding just back of each pew
,.oor Tne spot from which the life thoughts
are uttered, is not pulpit but PLATFORM
] is elevated some four or five feet above the
ain floor, is some fifteen or twenty feet long
.ri,aps ten broad, richly carpeted, aud en-
red from door behind. Upon the front
the stage is a largs desk, with heavy carv-
ei supports ut each end; also in rear of the
.ge small stand, with three dan,ask cusA-
ned chairs.
- We waited sometime before Beecher en-
ed, by the door from his study, though he
ne precisely at the hour. lie was dressed
e ,irely in black, and wore sober, graceful
al As he sat in his chair, the expression
0. his countenance seemed that of man
,sesssd of any amount Of good nature, hui
IT. T AMI physical health. A lively aid hap
p expression in his eyes was min ,yled with
,tronser one of sym pathy and though =
ilsJorcs did not appear. The startling fire
. I'd passionate vehemence which afterwards
,me out in his sermon, were not seen. His
,ectric eagerness, his vast fund of clear and
riginal ideas, except perhaps to the physi.
.logist and phrenolegist had no marked out.
ward sign. The opening prayer was so low
hat l could hardly hear it, but full of ten.
derness and thought. A hymn vas sung
without reading, and then six infants were
baptised. AS the parents took their stand
before the platform, the choir sung the chaun,
commencing Suffer little children to come
unto me.' Bcccher, who had walked dowr
from the platform, stood leaning his head
solernnly against one hand and locking down
The sweet and most appropriate song SEEM
ed to stir and soften all hearts. At its con
clusion the baptism was performed in 3
manner peculiarly gentle and impressive
Then came the longer prayer. That praye,
bsgan at the children, and led the mind grad
naily from their wants TO those of parents
fthe whole congregation of men in SIM
ofthe world. It was closely adapted to tn,
oecasion-very original and touching in ma
ny of its expressions, and wonderfully full o
thought, without being at all deficient il
emotion. 1t was uttered in low calm voice
with the simplest, clearest and most earnes
intonations, yet with no lack of self-control
Another hymn was then sung without read
ing, from the Plymouth Collection, and al
the congsgation sung. There was choir o
thirty and large organ, but the voices in tn,
song were multitudinous. II was true ant
hearty Congregational singing. The peopl,
arose; Beecher himself sat in his chair.
| do not know that l was more strucl
with anything in Plymouth Church than .h.