The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-20

BEECHER--PLYMO CHURCH
ANDITS SABBATH SCHOOL.

The writer spent last Sabbath in
Nex-YeHk,=or rather in Brooklyn;
and, following the example of most
strangers, went to Plymouth Church
to hear Beecher and the>grand organ,
and see the congregation, having
been fortunate in securing a reserved
seat" Being the vacation season,
large number of the Brooklyn and
New York Churches, especially the
more fashionable ones, are closed
for the Summer, but Mr.. Beecher is
still at his post. and we have heard
nothing of any intention on his part
to absent himself A large portion
of the families of his congre-
cation, however, are away at
the watering places, in the country'
or in Europe; and yet there is hardly
any sensible dimunition in the
crowded attendance upon his Sabbath
preaching. Last Sunday all the seats
in Plymouth Church, including the
aisle-chairs and settees, were occupi-
ed, making an audience of about three
thousand people; and this is the case
every Sabbath of the year. A gentle
man remarked that he had gone to
Beecher's Church ON the most in
tensely cold days in Winter, and the
most disagreeable and rainy days of
the year. but he always found it full
to overlooking. Such is the substan-
tial tribute which the people and
strangers of New York pay to ac-
knowledged genius. Beecher is one
of the first preachers of the age, and
he will always attract an audience. y
Everything has been said and writ
ten about Beecher and Plymouth
Church that can be, and nothing
new can be adduced here; we can
only make few notes of impressions
created by the visit of last Sunday.
One of the things which most strong
ly impresses the visitor is the attract
i've character of the music. The
tones of the grand organ, the second,
possibly the first, in size and excel
lence in. America, of itself is worth a
visit; and accompanied, as it is, by
the full chorus of three thousand
voices, it becomes the grandest vol
ume of human praise to the AL
mighty on the American Continent.
Would that, in this respect, all the
churches of the country were like
Plymouth of Brooklyn. The choir
which leads the singing was not very
strong or noticeable for excellency of
voices, but possibly the vacation sea-
son had materially reduced it. The |
tunes selected are always such as the
congregation can join in singing, those
of last Sunday being Antioch"
:" Wills" and " DoUer.
The usual services were varied by
the administration of the ordinance of
baptism, which Mr. Beecher made
quite brief. As the parents were pre-
senting their children before the
pulpit, Cor platform, for it can hard
ly be called pulpit,) the choir |
chanted, Suffer little child. en-" |
which, being concluded, without in
troductory remarks or pledges on
the part of the parents, the children
were simply baptised by Mr.. Beech
er, assisted by one of the officers Of the
church. The name of each child was
handed to him by the parent on a
slip of paper, just before the success
sive baptisms, which slip was retain
ed by him for record on the church
register. This being over, the parents
at once passed out with their chill
dren. In the general prayer which
followed, among other objects the
minister referred to the ceremony of
baptism just administered, in appro-
pirate petitions.
Mr.. Beecher's style of preaching
has been so often commented upon,
and his sermons are so widely read
that it is not necessary to refer to
either in detail. The text for the
morning discourse was 1st Cor, XII. |:
IS Be ye FOLLOWERS of me even as I also
an. of Christ" While it partook
somewhat of the nature of sermon,
it was rather in the nature of lecture
ON the character of the Apostle Paul,