Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-07-12

discourses OF one of the most popular
preachers of the day, The name OF the
author is omitted in the book, but the
idiosyncrasies Of the brilliant and eecen-
tric minister Of Plymouth Church are
repeated so legibly on every page that
no one would be at a loss respecting the
authorship. To put the name Of Henry
Ward Beecher to such a book wonld be
superfuous. 0f D. bqg tgi nIe3 .olu
I As straws show the direction of the
wind, so do these waits of pulpit utter
ances serve to Indicate the great revolu-
ton which is taking place in modern
preaching How great the change
the, pulpit has already undergone during
the last half century, No longer . care
fully guarded "Holy Of Holes" perched
midway to Heaven, almost out Of sight
Of the congregation, it has,in multitude
Of cases, been stripped OF its insignia OF
awe and veDerstion, transformed into an
ordinary lecture desk, and set down,on
level with the iteads Of the people
Corresponding with this material change
is the modification which the ampIsteriai
Office has Undergone ia, function, useful
ness, and in popular estimation. 1t is
not our purpose either to deprecate or
wei ,ome this transformation, but simply
to state fact, and suggest the holy hor.
ror with which Payson, Bellamy, an
Edwards, and others of that venerable
and venerated company Of saints, would
regard the merry antics, the sensatio onal
appeals, and intellectual pyroiechnics OF
their successors in the palpit Of the pre-
Sc, day.
1t we're idle, howev.r, for THE Past 10
require OF the Present faithful copying
of its example. With the shifiipgs OF
theologic grounds, and changes in the
habits and tone Of society, come also the
need of new adaptations in pulpit teach
ings. II must be acknowledged, more
over, that, while the present. has retro
graded in some particulars, in others it
has made most important advances
Taking, for example, the emineht source
to which we attribute this book, and we
know not where We can find in the whole
range of theological literature a more
sincere and fearless loyalty to conscience
in exposing and denouhcing iniqnity,
both public and private; a larger and
more glowing love for the human race,
in even its lowest development; II more
genuine adherence of shams--an abAor,
renee, indeed so thorough and intense
that it not only sweeps by the board the
entire mass Of church. Journalism, but in
sists on bringing thesvery Deity himself
down to n direct, hand-to-hand
familiarity with. his hearers ITO many
he seems, in this respect shock
ingly irrreverent, and we must ac-
knowledge we ourselves think he
carries this,tendeney to excess. This is
not, however, the result of his impatience
of shame alone his intense materialism
lacks the relief of refined taste and pro-
found thought. Like all materialistic
natures, he tends to free and easy rela
tionshps. His Christ is :" a hale fellow
we'll met, whom he slaps on the shoulder
in the exuberance of his admiration
His God is just, but kind master, who
keeps strict watch over him, and boxes
his ears and spanks him if he goes
wrong. Matters of high taste he cannot
sympathize.w with nor appreciate, and, ac-
cordingly, Ne detests them most heartily.
Men of taste are to him mere "sylla-
bub" He loves the bold, sturdy Saxon,
but hates the refinement of Latin,
with all the soft ssterhood of its des-
cendants. He is tolerant of his own
rnde, inartistic spontingsi but the pro
duetions of French literary art affect
him like the loathsome plaques Of Egypt
His likes and dishkesI as wei as his
theology, his creed, and his conduct, are
determined by his associations; and feel
ings rather than intellect We can liken
him to nothing SO truthfalIy iss = great
boy, possessing, with boys glodsus ma
tnre, boy s. erudeness and inconsisten-
cies. Home Journal. ,c ~