Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-05-05

lifc-sustaining preaching that must be
the ministry Of the pulpit. Carbon in
the living tree is delightful and fruit
bearing. Carbon in the diamond is
bright and precious. but cold and in
digestibleS There is, too. something
large and cor prehensive in the SYM
pathies oSlr. Beecher. His heart has
outgrowp the restraints and trammels
of party. =
Mr.. Beecher takes the sunny side of
life, andslxes to dwell on all that
feeds the happiness of the human heart.
He will not pick up withered leaves if
there be any green ones. He seems to
revel in bright religious light
"Whcn ones friends die, we should
go to the grave, not singing mourpful
psalms, but scattering flowers. Death
was wrecked long ago. Christ has
taken the crown from the tyrant.-I
When Christians walk i'm black, and
sprinkle the ground with tears, then is
the time when they would illuminate.
AS the disciples found the angels in
Christ's grave, SO in the grave where
any of his loved disciples lie are angels
of consolation, if we would only see
them"
Beecher has been accused, as most
faithful men have been accused, of
preaching politics. His views of the
duties and responsibilities of the pull
pit seem much more expanded than
those of many of his contemporaries.
lie is man of a thoroughly practi-
cal mind. lie seems to despise all tri-
fling with great themes, all prcttiness
of speech, all playing at preaching"
With HIM it is an earnest and fruitful
work, and no solemnity of utterance is
in his mind an apology for dry and
dull sermons.
Such outspoken preaching will, Of
course, give ofiensc. The mills of
Manchester would be Mortified. The
Stock Exchange would expcl the
preacher. But the preacher is right,
Notwithstanding.
Some of his pithy remarks are fit to
be household words:
"a helping word to one in trouble
is like a switch on railway track
but one inch between wreck and ruin
and smooth oh-rolling prosperity.
SLAVERY is state of suppressed
war.
"a grindstonc that has no grit in it,
how long would it take to make an AK
sharp? Affairs that have no pinch i'll
them, how long would they take to
make a man?
ga man who is in the right knows
that he is in the majority for God is
on his side"
Bcechcr is the preacher for the peo-
Pile. His sermons are not fierce, vul-
gar, and vituperative defamation,
without scintillation of genius, how
ever sincerely meant, such as are heard
in the Surrey Music hall. They are
pregnant with celestial fire, rich in
suggestive and original thought
Here and there we find nuggets of gold
and gems of the first water. Yet he
never loses sight of the end of SER
mon, which is to profit, or of the hear
ers Of it who are ignorant, sinful, and
unhappy. He says quaint things, but
never takes Jokes Fl ON Joe Miller and
christens them. Our clergy may copy
and study his excellencies, and avoid
his interspersed and sometimes provo
cativc remarks. He is not a model,
but he is better-he is capital, on
which others may draw, and send what
they draw into currency in thoughts
and words that will do the world a
vast deal of good.
He is full of vigor; never dyspeptic
in his divinity-as, IN all likelihood,
he never is in humber region. He
has carried into manhood the freshness
and the exurberant force of earlier
days, and overhows, therefore, with
sympathy and communion with all
living and growing things. He says
occasionally an indiscreet thing. but
rarely, if ever, tame thing.
Another preacher, not popular, per-
haps, as Ward Beecher, but vigorous
thinker and an able speaker is Theo-
dorc Ledyard Cuyler. He is pictur-
esque and varied in his style, homely
in his preferences, and altogether a
useful and able exponent of his own
school ofteaching; he ranks with what
are called in America, 1.-THE Reforming
Preachers is, the class who ally
their influence to every good move
ment that touches and rises the down
trodden and depressed sections of soci-
ETY.. There is in this practical good
sense which commends religion to
, those who are otherwise indisposed to
L. - 4