The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-11

Cheap Jack In tho Church-Dr. Msrt-
, gold and DR.. Beochcr.
DR.. Beecher has sold his pews, and the saints
of Plymouth church have chosen their new
places. It was done just as DR.. Marigold sold
his wares under the hammer "Now, then,
friends" said Marigold, "I'll tell you what I'll
do with you. Here's nice pew out by the
door, little cool perhaps in the cold days
when the door opens every minute, and not
good for hearing when the door slams shut
every minute, but good enough pew If q
mans good Christian and wants to go to
heaven-good as any. What will you give for
it, Five hundred? four hundred? three hundred,
two hundred! one hundred? What! You don't
want il? You won't have it at any price, per-
haps. Well, let it go. Here's another, close
by the pulpit, where you can look the parson
full in the face, be seen by all the congregation
in your place and as you Ego to it; be esteemed
one of the pillars, in fact, and I'll throw in the
grace of God and half dozen little trihes
usually supposed to go with it. What do you
say? Five hundred? four hundred? three hun
bred? There are 80 many bids can't make out
the man." Does any one suppose that DR..
Marigold would be out Of place in the church.
selling the pews in, this way? Well, exactly
this rigmarole was gone over, and the things
sold were, indeed, all those good influences that
are supposed to flow from the Church, and to
be distributed thence among men, the grace Of
God with the rest.
Henry Ward Beecher is a sort Of modern
mn out;c Ho auUpoaoa hat no il the On1v
person who possesses true knowledge of the
Christian religion, and he exalts the divine
nature Of Christ, carrying that exaltation 80
far that he denies the Trinity and maintains
that Christ is God. pure and simple. We should
be pleased 10 learn from what part of the Chris
tian law this only enlightened Christian justiaes
the scene recently enacted In his church for the
sale Of seats, when the grace Of God was
knocked down under the auctoneers ham
mer and sold. on speculation; when tho
humble followers Of tho Nazarene paid
two, three ana four hundred dollars for the
privilege Of touching the hem of Bcecher'a
garment, while, within few miles distance.
women and children, frozen in the bitter cold.
died for the need Of fire. There needs no other
evidence than this sale In Plymouth church
this ostentatious sacrifice laid before the MolocA
OF personal vanity in place dedicated TO 10
worship Of God-to prove what we recently
advanced-that modern Christianity has done
with Christ and his doctrines. We know what Tho
parson was once-the earnest, supplemented
cxpounder Of the moral law, endeavoring 10
Impress upon all within bis sphere the true
significance of the Scriptures; man who, In
virtue Of his Office, had voluntarily renounocd
the vanities Of life and the pursuit of an ambi-
| tious career; frugal withal, and, though not 50
poor as Christ's own directions would keep
him, yet "passing rich on forty pounds year."
Such was the parson once, and now the right
to choose pews in Beecher's church nets
twenty five thousand dollars
These pews were not bought by men who de-
sire to be made better-they are already 80
excellent; nor by men who desire to comfort
| the wretchcd and feed the hungry. There arc
the police for that and the poorhouse. Nor yet
BY men who care particularly for the incul-
cation Of the spirit Of Christian charity. with.
| out which speech. even Beecher's. is sounding
brass and tinkling cymbal Besides, the whole
length and breadth Of instruction on Christian
charity Is to be had in Testament, which,
even in these hard times, can be got for ten
cents. Why should they pay four hundred
dollars for that Why should they assemble to
hear the places In what our books call "God's
holy temple" sold out in the jargon Of the
Cheap Jack OF the Christmas storyt These
sums were paid for the right TO the best places
in fashionable resort--for the right TO, sit
high on crimson cushions under the parsons
eye, the observed Of all observers, and 10 sp-
plaud with noisy hands the political diatribes
Of the canting oracle Of the hour.
Al least that Is tho view with which tho
many went to buy their seats In this
fashionable place Of amusement. But there
were Others there who. had thriftier
turn, and were animated only by tho
desire to turn an honest penny. They
bought the seats on speculation" We are
not informed whether these spectators arc tho
same persons who buy up the choice seats ct
the theatres In the day time, and thea haunt
the entrances at the door Of admission and
offer orchestra chairs. dress circle seats and
proscenium bogss n. moderate advance Of
one hundred per cent We fancy not Poor
men are apt TO have more respect for the church
than 10 treat N I'm that way Il Is the richer
spcculator who has no qualms Of conscience,
We do not object TO Mr.. Beecher's makir Y
preaching his bcsincss, to his having his church
enterprise In Brooklyn, and making It pcs as
much "a possible; but we do object to his pre-
tending that his business enterprise is Chris.
tianity. and 30 bringing disgrace rpon tho
Church. We object 10 this stealing the livery
Of Heaven for purposes that are njd Heavens;
and wc think that The line between churches
and lottery enterprises ought 20 be more dis