New-York daily tribune., 1861-01-05
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
sERhnN ny TME REY. II. W. BEECHRR.

Could the President have looked in on the MASSES
congregsted in Plymouth Church yesterday, he would
have had small occasion to Complain Of of aacrty
on the part Of considerable portion Of the people Of
the North in responding tie call for fasting and pray
ing. The desire to fnst and pray within those parcu
bar four walls manifested tself in the most extrayagan
manner.
At l0i O'Clock The church was completely crowded,
ard during the next hOur there a great display OF
intre idiiy. In the little behind the pulpit
reporter essayed to write, embarrassingly enve-
oped in cloud Of dry-goods. The lack Of ade-
quste ventilation soon began TO break out IN
general cough. In the preliminary prayer, MIR.
Beecher spoke Of the guilty ayaiice OF the nation,
and is will to dominate over the weak every
where. He prayed that all our magistrates might feel
in,ined toward the commands of God and that in this
way the judgments which were hanging over us might
be ayertd. We were all guilty together; we had par.
taken Of the fruits of the Bloody violence of breth
rem in other States. Might s be forgiven together.
Might we find Ieace, not through compromises and
concessions, but in doing right lie prayed for the
preseIvati Of the lives OF those In peril Major An
dersonl. Might they be preserved and God be witt
them in days Of trial But If they mus, fall let them
do it bravely, and in obedience TO duty. Might God
grant that the people Of this country might not rush
each other in Intestine and fury but IL blood
be shed would God be pleased TO stand appanentlyo
Il sde Of Justice and OF Liberty He begged that tn
downrodden slaves might be preserved from the fury
ard feroy ofirsurrecion and prayed that the heart
OF masters and servants might be drawn to each other
revolution, but through the power of the Gospel Th
hymn sung was:
NY ecqatIy : :, =; i", Sftheo,
OF thee sing"
Mr.. BrECBrR's text was the Calming Of the
Tempest" IN Mark tx, 81, 80. This nation, he said,
Was rolling belplessly in danger, and the President
called on us 10 awaken the Steering Christ Ii might
he that a steady firm hand would still the ship but
without regarding that, should thank the author-
ties for ne fr,t CLEAN of awakening reason. And
surely, while the President and his Cabinet We're
igously absaining from food and giving themselves
up to prayer, hould be ready 10 join them. There
was danger OF disruption Of the Government and
the reason was that the spirit OF liberty had 30 grown
that it must be put down. Insanity ruled in one part
Of the land. For almost 900 miles, there was one
Mild not Of complaint and boasng. These men meant
10 break up tie Government and prevent the inaugu
ration Of the new President. Meanwhile, those who
should have spoken in decisive authority, had been
afraid. In time when God, Providence, Humanity
demanded courage they had nothing to respond but
fear. While one part OF the Government wac thus
pnyzed another were using their oaths Of fidelity as
sbields TO protect them, while they undermined the
Government The Government was food for Goths
and Vandals plunderen were preying on its vilals.
IT, in such crisis, abandoned ourselves TO senti
mental supplcaion, God had indeed forsaken us; but
II rofe from our knees truer and more courageous
then should soon the clouds break away We
should take account Of personal sins; of sins
in the great growth OF social laxty We had part
persfp in the conduct Of wicked men, unless we had
IL
take into account the luxury, ostenaiion and corrup
ton of morals in social life, which grew out of
mer.al Proelerity-eIimes akin to thore lowing out
cf slayebOloing There was occasion for humiliation
in the spread of svaIice. The intense eagerness
10 amass wealth. the growing indifference as
to the MEANS the terrible imputations brought
against Courts bribery, all these show that public
integrity was eaten through and through with avarce
IT, III the Southern part Of our land they were In dan
ger Of g,iDg down BY avarice in form, were la
danger OF going down by avaice In another form.
The sweetness Of atey vailed all this, bnt there was
tonic in truthful fee sieech 1t was like winds to ma
laia Mr. Beecher spoke Of the wrongs Of che indiana
Our hirtoIy Of the wrongs OF the Indians was like the
inquifitoIial history of the inquisiton Every crime
which a strong people could commit against a weak
one, we had committed against the Indian. II was
sorry commentary upon Christian people that the
first Chrr tisn nation fatal 10 all weak mel shho.
This natl ~, with almost no moral restriction, had out
ragged Mexico. IL was excuse for us that the land
from which our stock emigrated did the same.
wicked mother excuso for wicked daughter.
But greatest Of all sins, source and fountain Of
many others, was Slavery. In the same year, 1920,
English ships landed tie rst carg, of Puritans and
OF aves. The servitude not like that among the
Hebrews, where the man was recognized, but IL was
ehattel, liz that among the Romans Our Consti-
tuition had nourished twins, it had carried Africa
OH its right bosom Anglo-Saxon on It's left This ma
ton was like strong men with one ride paralyzed.
Because the South loved money they had increased this
evil and because the North loved money we had
quieseed in IL. We had bought the right TO make
money by permitting the spread Of Slavery. l. was
for us too much ~ for them that the slave worked
We clothed ourselves at hs expense. We sweetened
social cup with the product of bis toll bnit
factories his bones. Every one Of bad something
to coDfess. The whole nation was guilty There WA
not lunberman IN Maine not pioneer in the West
who was not in commercial alliance with Slavery.
Our whole body polite was pervaded with it as with
poison. While he held Southern citizens fnlly 10 their
guilt enough for here today TO consider our
own part in il. Originally slaveholdng, had freed
onr slaves No libel was atrocious than that We
sold our slaves to the South The law was strict and
strictly enforced that no man could take his slave out
Of the State, and il he did, for vsit even he ws
obliged to give bonds 70 bring him back. AT the ume