New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-09
HAPPINESS.
LECTURE BY HENRY WARD BEECHER.

The Rev Henry Ward Beechcr lectured on
Happiness last evening, at Plymouth Church. before
large audience for the benefit Of the Park CongreSa-
tonal Church. what organ H. said the lecturer in
vast cathedral tine hands Of ignorant player is the
soul of man when badly played to give forth more
noise than music. There is great deal OF happiness IN
individual lives. Childhood has great deal OF happ
ness OF lower grade but far more enjoyable than mat
which lies higher and il called more refined. Inc
eysum OF animals es at the beginning Of life. To an
imaginative child the world Is great picture gallery
n museurl of wonder. Childhood believes, while man
hood doubts and this predOmnance OF Imagination over
rea one elements of happiness do not be-
long to tho grumbers nor cynies OF any school, Lli9
ii. evils Il well worth living Aud yet
tho rea art of M upincss ia mperecy learned ~ best
Happiness is too often put 10 school to moriss ana
maximhuntcrs. II Is the result oftempI ancnl ana or
panization. No can tell nm bis day whether MS
daughter will he Mary. blessed among women or NioDe.
Men do not know theirown organization. We KNOW now
become wise good strong but this does not make nap
pines Excellent rules have been given for happiness
but they are best halftrutbs One suggests occul-
ton another leisure. ~ constituent element an
heoss waiting at the window to be bought minister
without congregation; lawyer without case these
need occupation IN order to be happy; Dut lhe over
worked merchant lawyer and the rale-Wurh states
say that perfect health. rightly adjusted occupation
aud moderation In desire constitute hdpplues' nut
every within himself his own natural laws,
own law The faculties of the mind hut or
more, and each il afi ,cted by physical laws
What, then. i your delniti0nl am asked have no
scheme. Ordinary, organic happiness Is 700 OWtoheu
will ever realize the happiness OF which religious nov
ices and romantic enthusiasts dream; Happiness con
normal product of the nervous organization. Men think
OF happiness something without rather than within,
ton rather fan within themselves 1t is the man that
carries happiness into the circumstance ana the ater
nerve it-ef and occasion brings nothing but the slim
illus. Soil and climate-that Is, organization ana CIR,
cunisances-nust cooperate in the production OF
happiness. Secondly, men cannot experience pleasure
indefinitely. Every man has two fathers, ORGANIZATION
and education what the second can do depends upon
the first PIeasurabe excitement IN moderate degreo
aud variation of kind, that i The law DISSIPATION Is l
he intellectual and religious ~ wen ~ py seal EAcli-
hility Is the materia out OF when happiness Is pro
duced and each mans capacity for II can be dppropr
atey registered There ia pTedlspositlon IN some men IN
Ia enjoy, and In Others to Snner some ine Ic, ~
.rrte acid and sugar Blessed be The Saccarihe
Thirdly sensbility increases eXclaplty uc.rca,ts
At the bottom happiness wastes au "r Mrn I Ir w. exc
ctability from their lower anu happiness from n1lt
higher and all depends ON where We place the
The nervous system distinguishes between man aud
the brute and between aud man, and yet there IL
nothing which perlously Ignore ~ the nervous
system The folly Of the age II waste OF her'eIoI,e'
The Of ncrveforce Ia very great Dul te
waste il stnl greater On all sides we see the result OF
nervous exhaustion Good men are living 700 iaSt
society gives no leisure, and every man IL whrisu
along nv the collective will until he Is burnt up ny the
general cOnnagratiOn. Oyerintensy II the sye Oh our
There are three kinds Of dissipationwItc, which Is
caused by brain exhaustion; red Wmch - PJ t ~ ~
blood; and black, which Is the grosser dissipation Oh
which These the Sleflts "I ulSslPd
ton; Cerebral artcra and vencrea There are faces OF
women In middle life which seem TO me Journals Oh
battles and defeats, and the upturned races OF an au
eucc sometimes remind me OF Dantes Inferno WITHOUT
theatrical exaggeTatOn. Whoever has exhausted MS
nerve resources Of happiness lies at Dyess door Wang
for crumbs and the hound that hicks his sores Is ram.
Life il ne Ion high key. Educated ana actlYe men
need toning down II is not necessary TO compete Win
ali the rynries and 10 make 80 large fortune happ
ness lies in manhood AS well as in wealth. . 49,
The dismal Instruments Of torture are 1ashlonaoe
auusements and most Of all fashionable parties Such
meetings put the worst side ont They are so expensive
that only rich menthank GOd-can afford them lhey
are rare wherever society needs more frequent gamer
ing- conducted simply and economlcaly, hhe ere
il more pleasure of the swinging pc-lcs i'll te
country than in 100 city parties These eAraSa ,n
gatherings only stand in the way OF smaller anu noio
numerous ones The impression Is universal that poverty
and misery and wealth and felicity aro synonymous.
Men are not made happy by what they have but Dy VIII
hey and xperience gradually teaching our people
INV to derive happiness in public and In private out vi
wealth and prosperity. -. r ,,,o rosorved
unt, The Ia,t II we estimate religion by the 0rse VI
IT, creed. and by the number of ito secs, we shal naNo
Ia ouesop its resources of happiness when we cohsu
The bitterness the persecution and the war thht I 1
caused The Church. an institution has produceu luii
a. much war AZ II has cured. But II we nclnde the sl
cious fruits OF the Spirit-ove, hope peace long ai
inc charity meekncss, temperance-DOW ron ia ihlla
nfs n hs been! AZ philanthropy az PERSONA HPo
,enc. n has produced endless enOOyment anu lVAns
at il in H. best estate, nothing has given so uch 70 %
bcre or promised him much hereafter as true Su ui
fan