The New York herald., 1870-01-17
PLYMOUTH CHURCH

PLYMOUTH CHURCH
Declines tho Increased Salary-Tho New
Years. Cails-ScrmOn ON the Peace Of God
lIr. Bcecher's Roses and His "Slxes and
Sevens''-A story from His Early Life.
More than even the usual congregation OF Ply
mouth church was present yesterday morning.
Every place where o foot could be put within the
church was occupied, and the day being Hne, some
OF the doors were thrown open taat those In the
Obnies might hear.
At the close OF the announcing Of the various no.
tees, preceding the singing OF the hymn before the
sermon, Mr. Beecher mad evldenay something to say
that 1t was very hard for nm to say. All that could
be heard was q broken sentence. In which the words
"a late meeting" generosity" "y0ur lberahty"
were Jerked out into an audible uterance In
moment or two the stammerlng orator commanded
his feelings, which were evidently O very long
way from being under control, by saying,
'l was very deeply moved oy the action
taken by the church at Its late meeting;
! know nothing more OF 1t than what have seen In
the newspapers. tAnother pause and another ner-
vous cutching at the pretty little Ovet standl In
tended TO say something about II here, but cannot
say 1t. snail remit the motion to the Board OF
Trustees, with q statement OF my own Views ana in
geatlons about IT. Tae course snail take and the
decision nave arrived 40 respecting II has been in
rthe interests OF the cause OF religion every
where, and Of this church. Though decline. this
G1ft, 90 so with the prcioundest conviction that
nave benefited by 1t as much as though 1t were
twice the amount named"
Mr. Beecher then passed on TO subject IN which
he had evedently much more freedom OF speech
namely, New Years Calls. After reerring to his
experience in this direction during the past week.
he said that he hoped on Wednesday next TO finish
Clinton and Henry streets; he knew he should not
for he found IN his caings families cropping up
who hsd claim on him tor O call whom ne never
knew OF before. He then asked his congregation to
be kind enough 10 send their cards with their ad.
dresses to him. either through the Post Onlce or TO
leave them at his house. SO that lie might reduce hS
visitation to system.
Mr. Deecner preached from the seventh verse of
tne lourtn caapter oi faus Eoistle " tne pnifip-
oerstandlng, shall keep your hearts and minds
thro ugn Christ Jesus" 1his was only one OF the
scriDed Christian experience IN the most attractive
language and that attributed to 1t elements that
were not found practically manifested In the Ordi-
nary Curistan's life. The peace here spoken 0f
mot simple ne0ation OF powerful excitements-all
phegmatlc na,urcs had that. This peace was not
gentle pause after tue storm of life over, nor
was II the ashes after the 1ame was blown out No;
this peace was raising o. the higher Faculties OF the
soul, 30 that the soui's Do)er powers came into o
more perfect harmony, anu more attuned 10 the har
monies OF life hat was hid with God. That was
Cnris tan men. but how many OF US can say II
have The peace OF God, mat passetb all understand
ingY' Alter passing illustrated statement that JOY
W aS not THIS peace Mr. Beecner proceeded to trace
the CROWN OF this peace IN the soul and how
raii 70 cultivate It. man be- became iu.l,bown blown
togo through all the gradations Of Christian ME, Ike
children were compelled 10 20 through all The grada-
tuns OF physical iiie. The possession OF the peace
OF God that passed all understanding was the high
est and the most sacred stage oI Christian expert
ence, once reached, the soul was in the land OF
OF God. Now all ought to aim for this condition or
the soul. What were the signs OF Its growthf One
was that IL found Its pleasures were derived less aud
less from the ordinary and material sources OF ile
The enjoyment OF lie the most beautifully Illus
trated ny the innocent enjoyment or simplicity OF
tue life or childhood; only there this to be
eadered that as the soul grew 1t found It's peace not
crease Of It's moral elements and IN the growth OF
belief and In the evidences OF Things not seen, that
which was conceived only by the mind aud the
spiilt. This peace was less dependent also for ITS
existence upon physical or eaithly relationship
when man had SO brought his Will into suDJect,on
that the wlid uxurlant growth OF the lower nature
was brought into suoccsion 10 the higher, and
he could say, mot my WILL but thine, . Cod be
done" IL developed also more intimnte and q
personal relationship with God Parauoxical as 1t
may seem, this gave wider sense OF the personality
OF uod ana unlversality to Ills presence tnat tie
soul dId not know before; so That to the QoOd man
HIS presence Is In all the phenomena oil the world
the boy grew 10 see his father In all the surround
lngs OF home the empty chair the Dit of hand
w1lting ana ia the garden. Mr. Beecher here
related an incident or his early life, when lying
awake in the stiffness Of the night listening to the
weeping Willows hum and the moonlight beaIn.ng
Its eoitened light In the chamber, until ne SO
awed that he was AFRAID almost OF his own breathing
ano IN the climax OF his fear he heard his fathers
gruf, sleepy 'humn-and then all tear left him; he
feG safe. tSmiies all round) In tracing the various
Developments and growth Of the soul ne said there
came an experience in which there was 90 blessed a
Development wnen We were dependent on Sundays;
wherever we went there were temples for the soul,
and wherever We went God abideth with US. Tnts
was brought about by growth, and therefore he did
not agree with those who said that doctrines
Tor something and 80 were ecclesiastical arrange
ments and crceds; all helped to the growth or the
soul, la the sauc way as when man learned
to read he puts his finger on letter aud spells it
QUIT but then he must n0S stop at spelling 1t out with
bus dnger; he mus learn TO read 1t out loud and
clear. Fruit was sour wnen 1t was green but wnen
II had the light and sun upon now sweet was.
AZ they found gritty, censorl0us Christian. tney
m'gnt DC quite sure he had taken wrong shoor
Such men were like his (Nr. Beechcr's) rose. no
GouAhsa very beautiful bloom, French Iose; it was
kihd pl rampant rose, or minnctt0 stock, or dog
rVse aNq last summer he had great hopes or It; anu
ne naAepougnsQi tnem in bs grounds to plant
twcufy more htoGfa lie enjoyed his triumph great.
ly and yhougnt lie would write an article Go flori.
cutaraperl0dical and tell the people what luck ne
bsd mad. But this rose OF great promise mad only
engle blossom; to be sure 1t lad been grated but
there was growth OF only so many sprouts SO 1t
was with conversion; unless there was growth great
Injury was done nave known great many Geo.
De converted who didn'egro Afterwards except in
tnegrowth Of Sins, IKE My rose. tDat cniy grew
miiluietlos and thorns.
Now man VINO had been forty years a Christian
and gst up and SAID what vie sinner lie was was
VIE An FOR saying 1t II IL was moi true for 1t an
Insult u en- God, who mad been MS teacher. Alter q
number powerful illustrations In this direction ho
reerred To tue UNCONSCIOUS personalities or tho pos
session ofGhis peace. There was no freedom OF
manners iise tlat oil children, WHO dld not know
that they wesc amab.e; Ike people VINO did thiogs
Without KNOWING taey did tnen; Us bank clerks sort
notes without klowiag they were doing scarcely, or
acu up column OF figures with the same uncon-
sciousness Now, he tdr Deecher1 when ne wanted
20 add SIX and seven, always had TO Gnalyze the
seven, anu say ''six and Six are twelve and one Is
thirteen." lLausbtI) Inere were TWO many men
WAC were only "a 50 D.aasr OF the Christian lie
not yet left the epha5es.
Tne latter part o. the sermon was an urging OF
practca reasons Tor tns growth OF the sou and was
coB6d ~ line ILLUSTRATION ~ an emlgreDL who,
wbel ne put his foot on the shore, forgot the periis
Au0 The ukcomforts OF the voyage. When on shore