The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-10
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.


PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
-s~~~~~~>>>>~>~~~~~c~~~
A Crowded Church In AutumnnI Dress--NTr.
Boecher Marriage and Heavon-Tho
Woman with the Ecvcn Husbands-A
Touching Sermon ON tho Future State
The morn OF yesterday broke into glorious sunlit
Sabbath. The sun, the sire OF the seasons ana the
monarch of the chimes. shone on tine autumn-unted
leaves of the foliage Of the treos with radiance
that warmed the chilly wind, bracing the nerves OF
the church-goers and giving o healthy glow to the
body that well prepared the soul tor the service OF
the temple. Plymouth church was favoraby affected
by the weather. 1t brought moro than the usual
crowd Of worshippers. Within the walls was every
visible the indications Of the brightness of tho
season. the tints most priced In autumn by the
lades filed the eye either IN robe OF silk or neutral
tint that rustled its way to privileged pew hat
or bonnet that was trimmed with feathers or rib
bons, the coors OF which were in harmony with the
passing away Of the summer ana the bright
days that are the precursor OF the snowy ana frosty
winter. The milliner and the tailor the adorners OF
the outer woman and man. had caught In the work
ing OF their wondr0us art the harmony OF the season.
and mind and matter were In accord and displayed
itself In beauteous unison Nature sent its tribute
TO the seasons In the shape Of larger floral Offering
the platform gave 1t the appearance OF
ts4a. A SMALL CONSERVATORY,
and were rich In their darker, deeper c0l0rug, and
more profuse In number than usual. The Olivet
noral stand was laden with tho growth or months
now at the perfection OF their bloom and form; and
the wire basket that held the less osentatOus and
more simple Mowers was 80 well filed that 1t re-
oured the help Of two men to carry Il to the plat
FORM The church was crammed. When tho choir
rose to sing the opening anthem che ushers at the
doors mplored the crowd to stand back not press
They endeavored TO beguile them into locom0ti0n
by announcing that they would 60 round the house
the Y o. s
looked around, got their heads on one side with
diculty and then decided to endure the crush they
were in rather than ny to others that they know
Mr.. Beecher was in one OF his best moods. Either
the bright Or the Inspiration Of the past
1t might be seen In the glitter Of his eye ne caught
sight OF the congregation when he entered the
up with his subject. Tue florist OF the church. with
9 pardonabls, pride ~ the lovely bouquet Of
rs an% W the naS ss the net stand
be better seen BY the thousands OF eyes its
hues and glory would inevitably attract Mr.. Beecher
table. This would enable HIM 20 pace TO and fro to
the EXTREMIST limits, and the precaution was ju.
dlcous for before ne was through with his SER
MARRIAGE AND HEAVEN,
and his elOquen0c drew like the music Of the ssPied
Piper of Hamelin." Like q skuful master on the
KEYS of the piano. he moved his audience TO laughter
and tears ct his own sweet VIII: held the hearers
sardlnes, he stole away their feet that they should
not depart. Throughout tine hours sermon the audi
ence seemed TO have crystalzed Its three thousand
self into an individual one and the preacher held 1t
BY the magic power Of his , paihos and his well
chanfer the (iOaDel
and the thirtieth verse-"F0r In the resurrec-
ton they neither marry nor are given In mar.
The context OF this verse Is the puzzling question OF
the Sadducees, to Christ, as to the heavenly claims
one woman. This fact made it uncertain as to
whether the subject for dissertation would be mar
rage Or heaven; the ladies' threw their heads with
listening to theme in which they have vital and
q personal interest "A woman who had had seven
character to the feminine mind; but
what she was going to do with them when she met
able problem to the female intellect The thrill Of
excitement was therefore, very Marked now the
goraian scripturai knot was going to be united by
doomed to disappointment. Mr.. Beecher said that
Christ did not enlghten these inquiring Sadducees
in the way they expected. What He really said to
them was that
THEY WERE A SET OF IGNORANT FOOLS.
What He said in wolSs was, Eye do err, not know
ing the Scriptures nor the power OF Cod" Christ
said that on the resurrection they were as the
angels; but He did not say what the angels were.
so that they were not much enlightened by the
answer. 1le fact was that the essentially earthly
nature OF man. Iell back like the calyx of the
noble and spiritual remained This closed the mar.
rage side OF the subject, leaving the feminine and
the masculine mind room for speculation as to
which OF the seven OF her husbands the woman OF |
The Gospel was likely TO favor the most in heaven.
Mr. Beecher then turned to
4 REVIEW OF THE QUESTION OF THE FUTURE STATE. |
He rather startled his congregation by stating that
2 continued existence was not directly taught IN |
of revelation OF 1t, but no direct teaching Even
N the New Testament there was not direct revea- |
ion as to whether heaven was place or any specific
OF the philosophical or physiological |
aspects Of the future lie. In graphic manner he
showed the wisdom OF the Master In thus leaving |
ne future vague. In skeichng the power OF the Inn
igination he gave some wondrous Illustrations not
he least striKing OF which was the alluson to |
ritian's picture OF the Assumption" He sketched
he painting TO the mind OF his congregation, and |
hen told them 1t was only colors and aQments; let
hem 60 up to the painting scratch leaf from the
{, never had; 1t was only dirt and oil: II was the
imagination OF Titan that had clothed that bit of
iirt and oil with the leaf that was as real to those
who saw the painting as any leaf that blew In the |
breeze. IL was shocking perhaps, to say
t. but 1t was true we all sketched our own heaven
Ind put the Bible images on one side 1t told Of
princes and crowns, but what did he as
REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT OR A DEMOCRATIC REPUB- |
If Divine Providence he and all who heard OF him
lad been brought up to disregard them. In our
Younger Gays we nau Hn luea OF ncaVen winch Qu
lot tit with our later days. There was no Mary In
heaven to the young girl, but by and by the Mary
who had gone before was goriaed SAINT, when, as
wife and mother. the little babe had gone home.
IN this way. with equally touching illustrations, did
Mr. Beecher open up the wellsprngs of tears in his
congregation. Men tried to conceal their weakness
md the women dashed their tear-drops from their
Eyes as, with handkerchief In hand they tried to
ook steadily into the face Of the eloquent and pa
hetic Gospel charmer.
The last hymn sung was the ''The Shining Shoren
md the effect upon the preacher was sufficiently
pronounce the dismission blessing and no more.
IT. JAMES, ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL.