The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-11-25


revised by their author. In two volumes
New York: Harper & Brothers, publishers
1868.
An Introductory note to these portly volumes
tells us that the author had the aid Of the Rev.
Lyman Abbott in selecting their contents, and
in supervising their publication as they were
issued by the Harpers, who, by the way, have
printed and bound them in style quite too
costly for circulation in the Southern States,
even if the people were disposed to buy dis
courses, some of which contain passages false
in themselves, and utterly repugnant to South
ern sentiment. The author informs us in the
preface that he has omitted from these vol
umes some discourses on the public questions
of the day, and intimates that they may here
after appear in a volume by themselves. 1t
would have been wise, even in the estimation
of multitude of his Northern readers, if
some of the sermons in this collection had
been left out, as for instance the offensive dis
course on Waiting, which was not preached
in Plymouth church at all, but to the negroes
in Zion church, Charleston, S. G.
But when the subject of the discourse is not
one which awakens Mr.. Beecher's fanaticism,
the discussion is often ingenious and interest
ing. He possesses an elastic and fertile mind,
teeming with original illustration. Such is
his sympathy with nature, that many of his
descriptions of the seasons and Of scenery
mountains trees, and fowers-are graphic
and beautiful. Some passages are good spe
cimens of poetic prose mot of the mawkish
order either-but of vigorous and elevated
tone.
Of course no one will expect to find in these
volumes any profound views Of truth, or much
correct exposition but with the exceptions
already made, he will find much that is racy
and readable in the handling of great variety
of religious themes. This is their chief merit.
Mr.. Beecher's theology, if he has any which
he has reduced to system, is frequently simply
defective, and more frequently erroneous.
His metaphysics also are often faulty. As
thinker he exhibits the tendency of the New
England mind to carry things to ertremes.
Not satisfied with the excellence of fright
words even when he is giving expression to
right thoughts, he is prone to over statement
and exaggeration In trying to be striking he is
extravagant; so that when he becomes intense
he is always in danger of becoming untrue.
His best discourses are married by another
blemish-the thread of egotism that runs
through them from end to end. True, it is
not always out of place for minister to speak
of himself in his own pulpit: Mr.. Beecher
does this very properly in discourse, review
ing his thirteen years connection with the
Plymouth church but the temptation is too
strong for him in almost every sermon. He
is kind enough to take the public into his con
fidence and to favor the world with many de-
tails of his personal history, his successes, his
adventures. tastes qualities, capabilities and
habits, and on the whole to make himself
rather more prominent than such men as
Jonathan Edwards, DR.. Dwight, and DR..
Archibald Alexander would have thought
proper in their pulpits But Notwithstanding
these unfortunate defects, these volumes con.
tain many spirited dissertations on religious
themes, many generous sentiments, many
avowals Of sympathy for the poor, the neg
lected, and the sorrowing; though how much
of this is the utterance Of the mere humanita.
rian school we do not pretend to say But we
do say that Mr.. Beecher has produced two
volumes of original matter, moulded by his
own idiosyncrasies into such shape, that the
autograph on the cover, and the portrait OPP
posite the title page were not needed to assure
the reader of the name Of the author.
These volumes are for sale by A. II. Chris
tan & Co., of this city.