The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-05
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
Discourse of the Rev. III. M. Gnliaber upon
"Christ as a Teacher.>

Discourse of the Rev. III. M. GnliaheF upon
"Christ n Teacher"
At the morning service yesterday the oirst
Baptist church, in Nassau street. near Fulton, was
crowded by fashionable and at the same time
intelligent and highly apprecative audience, sucn as
always assemblies there. After tue fashion Of his
near neighbor-Mr Beecher--Mr. Galaher inva-
rlaby has 3 small rustic stand upon the
platform beside him, covered with pro-
fusion OF the richest, the rare and the most
BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS
anywhere to be had and these, together with his
happy manner, his cheerful countenance, and at
times his Durning yet simple eloquence, account in
no small measure Tor the high degree of popularity
this church has attained-a popularity second to
none in Brooklyn, save perhaps that OF Plymouth
church.
Mr.. Gallahers congregation recently voted him
an additional thousand dollars per annum, making
his yearly salary now $1,000, every cent Of which he
richly earns together with i've or Six ousand dol
lars more which he don't get but ought 10. when
this extra thousand was added TO his salary the
church was considerably Ill debt, and when, last
sabbath q collection by subscription was taken up
to pay or this encumbrance he was one OF the very
FIRST TO SUBSCRIBE,
which he did to the extent OF $750 thus giving back
to church again tnree-quarters Vi the sum lie had
but just received from them. Considering that the
amount subscribed upon this occasion exceeded by
considerable the sum called Ior the amount OF the
PASTORS subscription should he made good to him
again.
The sermon yesterday was preached from the
text, 'Neyer man spake like this man, found in
John vii, 26, and, ike all OF
MIR. GALLAHER's SERMONS,
was most excellent 0ne The text he said, was
the answer of the officers TO the pharlsees wnen
they said, sWhy have ye not brought hmtn 1t was
NOT merely the words Jesus uttered that mad such an
enect upon these officers, out 1t the manner In
which He uttered them. III His expression
OF cOuntenance, His gestlculation, His voice and
His whole manner that worked so wonderfully upon
these men as to cause them 10 return to those who
had sent them and make the apparently foolish
reply they did. Some persons wonder that people
can read things in the B1be--especlally the words
OF Jcsustat at the time OF their utterance created
the most intense excitement among
THOSE WHO HEARD THEM,
and yet they themselves see nothing in them TO
cause the least em0tlon or excitement. Ii was not
NJ all strange to HIM, for he well understood that
IL the manner Of uterance, the voice, &c, not
the words themselves, that had so powerful an
ply because no man to-day speaks SO simple ana so
plain az He did. good speech never reads well
merely because 1t lacks the vIvacity, the power OF
EXPRESSION and the tone OF voice that impaired
TO IL when 1t was delivered.
Some persons had said 10 him, "Why, Mr.. Gala
her, you
WHY do you not tell yOnr congregation OF the
wrath or God and the torrents OF the damned III
stead Of always preaching TO them OF the goodness,
the loving kindness ana the mercy or God:" Ay,
here the secret OF the great success OF Jesus as
teacher. He always had something to say 10 the
poor outcast Of the love, not the WRATH OF Cod He
never tried TO show man his sins and his badness
but the possibility OF his being good. lie did not
strive TO show His learning merely, as many
preachers OF the present day dc; but he endeavored
TO simplify ana to Illustrate everything ne SAID IN
the easiest manner possible so that all might under.
Beecher understand thls fully, aud it In the secret
OF their success, too.