The New York herald., 1870-12-19
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

Another Dramatic Performance Mt Plymouth
Church-A sermon the "Anatomy of
Repentance" with Illustrations of the
Pathetic Side Of Embezzement and Drunk
cnness.
The success attained ana the fame derived by the
introduction Of light comedy by Mr.. Beecher last
Sunday mad, doubt its effect in counselling IT'D
continuance yesterday morning Following the
practice or successful theatrical managers, who run
for succession Of nights a successful piece, MIR.
Beecher WILL doubt continue this histrionc style
OF instruction so long as crowded house and
more intensified attention testify to the power OF LIS
charm over the auditory whom he addresses.
Yesterday morning he preached upon the Anatomy
OF Repontance.n This subject did not seem
to afford him that opportunity for comic
pantomime and risible illustrations that
lighter themes OF inquiry had been SO
powerful in developing, but there was Sufficient
margin for humor and embodied caricature OF GER.
tain phases OF human life to provoke merriment
that ran along the scale Of smiles to audible hearty
laughter. The direct appeals to conscience, the
deneatons that dlssected the frailtles OF humanity
so nakedly that the wicked man turned from the
portrait OF himself
GUILTY THING SURPRISED,
and the pathos that threw around the undying love
or o comcly faced sister for her gay and careless
brother, divine radiance that gave ner celestial
"
sent the tear trickling down many cheek whose
appearance and manner had previously indicated
that they were present only Tor their weekly amlse-
ment.
The text selected was the tenth verse of the sew.
enth chapter Of Pants second epstle TO the Corin-
thians-For gody sorrow worKeth repentance to
! salvation not 10 be repented off, but The sorrow OF
| the world workcth death.h
| The nomenclature OF the Gospel had been greatly
misunderstood and The plaliness oil its meaning per-
| verted by the desire Of the teachers OF religion,
both ministers and laymen, TO drlll the people who
t,.-f tllrn inuy
| That kind OF instruction had not been without ITS
benefit; for when man had by LIVING faith been
! dowed with renewed nature his knowledge OF that
| which he lid believe was pretty complete. Repent
ance was thing in itself the most familiar aud one
being mystl6ed. Repentance was simply the
| process by which man finds when he IS
going wrong and by MS o. repentance ,n!1e goes
tions were then given by Mr.. Beecher illustrative
OF the act u repenance in the every day alalrs OF
| common lie. The repentance spoken OF in the Blbe
! and In the text was however dtierent. That re-
penance was put in a generic form; for IN that we
mode in which this repentance had been accustomed
! to describe and the Illustrations used as the conyer
sion Of Paul, by teachers o. The Christian truth had
added TO the niys;iilcation Of this generic repent
| ance. The emotional ana
/ THE DRAMATIC ELEMENTS
| IN these wondrous conversions were spoken Of by
these teachers as though they were inevitable TO
given given mt in the pulpit ana the experience room
| had given men bad and erroneous
idea Of repentance Then there was another
| popular error. IL was supposed that q
| man who repented under the scriptural idea OF
repentance die 80 under the direct influence or the
| Spirit of Goa, and therefore II was expected that
the manifestations Of thar repentance would be
] altogether diGerent hng to the ordinary mode OF
repentance. Now tie actions lnat lowed from the
influence Of the SpiriI OF God were the those
/ which were manifested under ORDINARY influences.
! and not supposed TO develop anything tnar
! was outside the normal oi our faculties.
1 Let them consider an Ordinary case OF repentance
/ In everyday life. 4 young man who comes to the
| city from the Influences OF Il well directed nome,
I when he iirst experiences
! THE FERMENTATION OF CITY LIFE
| and city compantonsh!p, begins TO be ashamed OF
| his lttle economies bIS innocence, his simplicity
/ and his temperance. He has MOI the means 10
| do rs Others 10. but ne feels that he must
have the means, means, an, ana the means must
that moment some gneful devl Wiiois ready enough
! to suggest that these means may ne obtained by
little BORROWINGS lie scorns TO tlleye Lake that
the month; but then ne has hs ooard bin TO pay
the end OF the mouth anG ether payments to make
and he puts or tlie repayment oil ms borrowings
/ unto the end % the next month. By aud by this
thing goes on II larger proportions until The horror
! OF The lear OF detection comes upon hnn and he
stops AMI alter the practice OF economy and tem-
/ nCrancc he places one morning u note upon HIS
/ employers desk telling him OF his delinquency ask
Ing him 10 accept The enclosed check, which covers
| princpa, ana interest, and telling linn that heace
forth he Is honest man. NOW thatS repentance
! amt il ana you understand 1t.
| Another Young Nlan was Sketched Dy Mr. Bcecler.
who, he said, wS not Of tiat KIND OF geniatiiy tnat
resembled
that stand erect Iumber glasses 10 display their
! sweetness, bnt OF that KIND OF geniaiiiy anu
abahilily that dIinsea itself everywhere, ike the
sugar ia tea wdlcE sWeetebed IL, Dnl you did not
| know where tile sugar Billiard playing, the
| drinking that followed tic conYiviaty Of genial
comnanious sp the contraction Qf haDits OF lSsipu-
| tion tic silent. almost unconscious intervention OF
loving praying sister, the resolve % give all. up.
the ates1utjon OF that resolve IN the house OF the