New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-01

SERMON BIZ THE REV. HENRY WARD BEECHEk
p IN PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
W Y' lsss;a 'ii s'';
the sto.ss, m up standard for the Ii 10
II seemed strange to hear sounding back, 80 far
back. this declaration Of the Christian doctrine of
Democracy, " lift up a standard for the people,"
This nation, above all others, was raised up to ex.
pound and exhibit the prosperity Of free, iDtelli-
r,ut, common people. The ancient attempts at free
government were based more on the liberty VI the
State than upon the elevation, by freedom ofiuGvdual
etiIsus There were almost insuperable retsons
WHY, at former period In other lands, this expert.
ment could not be tried. Our anti. Revolutionary
period might DO considered the trial trip OF Repub.
s;-snism. Had European statesmen, with malign
foresight, seen development Of the spirit Of liberty
here they would have sa6dled upon us institutions
which would have crippled, if they had not ended
cur experiment OF free government; but luckily they
looked upou this country ss good safety-valve to
Europs Where they saw the probable power develop
ang on this continent, 1t was too late for
them to interfere. Now, IN the DIVISION OF
70 them was opened new opportunity. Though
ehey bad stricken hands in substantial sympathy
with the internal enemies Of our country, 1t Was
part Of 0 schsme-too long delayed for success-tt
estop the development Of onr great people. Should
The experiment succeed God had grsciously giver
room enough for it's expansion on grand scale. i
was fortunate that the populations Of Europe cid
not ut first swarm over here indiscnminatelyi but
now that our Institutions estsblished, In
3ustres organized, they could come-thsy were
mainly the young and epterprlsing-aDd fall into
this people drops OF water fall into the ocean,
and 10 Q moment are salt. We molded them, not
tbey u.s. The influence Of this nation BY example
upon human rights was greater than all other sgen-
cies; ii was the silent voice Of property that
pleaded and had no respondent. Que Of our reasons
Of confession and repentance was that the people
had ceased to regard THE Government as the gift Of
God for the good OF mankind, and had come TO view
IL amos, wholly from selfshness and in its relations
70 their own immediate good. This was not patriot
Ism but was full of inevitable corruption. In fifty
years thin nation bad plunged into gainful enter
prises with power and success which had almost
materislized it. In some respects il bad
been beneficial; for indirectly it had by in
dustry, order, and prosperity promoted mo-
rality. Bot it had tended 10 Substitute the love
Of gain and wealth for right, for justice, for
msgnsnimity. An incpient putocracy was SPRING
ting up, tending TO augment the power Of class at
the expense OF the public good. Oae OF the most
alarming dangers to-day was the power and facility
of bribery The vote hung In the shambles. II cor
rupted national, state, and municipal legislation.
The doctrine Of the liberty for the common people
IN enthusiasm, iansticsm almost II early his
tory--had gradually decayed. The doctrine Of lib.
cry for the common people had brought threats
TO its cham pions thaa ever cid all the tyranny OF
Europe He claimed the right, In the name Of his
Lord and Master, 10 call the slave ms DrOtner lax
about the abuse Of Slavery lit was not in the power
Of fsudish ingenuity to abuse 1t. Slavery never
could DO worked up to the pressure it was gagged for
IN the law. Ii says you may pat 80 many pounds to
the inch but there was not an engineer 10 The South
who would dare to run the system up to what the
law sllows. -Four millions OF human beings were
BY American law oenuded Of manhood. Children
through the South, sweet as theirs, and as white
were brought up expressly for concubinage
There was bat one class toward whom be
could not feel pity, they were hoary and
Reverend Presidents Of Colleges, who spent
their years trying TO make their pupils believe that
Il was right to hold men il Slavery-when they
took Calvary for their Internal purpose, and the
droOs Of blood-then, said Mr.. Beecber, " have no
mercy, I am adarnant, curse them ia the name Of
my God." [Applause. What an awful terror
must rest on their conscience that they have taken
the blood OF atonemeut that they might sancify and
seal men over 70 the devil Herewith. SeDfation.
Goo had opened the prison doors, aud we had come
70 the times that would Try mons souls But If the
people true to the faith Of their fathers there
woaM como emancipation and liberty would be
fixed forever. The signs Of the times were grow
ing brighter. The sun Of liberty had not risen, but
Il was daylight In the heavens.
The services. which occupied about two hours,
concluded with singing and Dslediction. The Church
was crowded to iIs utmost.