The New York herald., 1871-03-20
PLYMOUTH CssuRCn.
form Versus Liic-Nir. Beecher Cracks II Few
Nuts-St. Paul "a GentlrmnH.

church yesterday 10 rather unusual sermon, Mr.
Beecher beng inspired 10 more than ordinary zeal
against everything that letters the free conscience.
Having fearessly given his testimony IN the old
times against the slavery OF the body, ne Is now
most emphaticaly denouncing the slavery OF the
soul, and IN yesterday mornings sermon brought to
bear his powers OF reasoning Illustration and wit
dinances.n IL beng babes day ana pleasant Su
day, six infants were christencd after which q most
touching prayer was offered for the little ones be
fore whom lse SO many weary steps, who must en-
dure suffering that no love can avert; who will SIN
and repent and SIN again, and who can only be
Kept through the loving nelp of God. A collection
was taken for the sewing society OF the church.
The sewing school for poor women and children was
recommended 10 the notice of the congregation.
ana then Mr.. Bcecher took up ns Bible as If glad To
get rid OF prelImnares and get ~ his subject The
account found in Acts xxi. OF Paus submitting to
publication III the temple, at the request OF the
.'brehren' and for The sake OF influence with the
Jews. was made the basis Of the sermon, mr..
Bcecher saying by way OF comment as ne read the
passage, that ~. Paul was evidently
POLISHED GENTLEMAN,
IL is related that lie sal,ited the people belOre
commencing his experiences with The Gentiics.
dinary m the New Testament. In the first place II
strange that faul should fail under suspicion.
IL shows that when man In any nation ulcs 10
develop higher sentiment he is liable 10 he coLsid
ercd neierodoN. Men Ike To hear the
OLD THINGS IN NLN tlOIHls>
They Ike 10 hear the Apostles preach what they
themselves always believed. but lust IN proportion
blossom TO custer, he Is liable to be charged
with abandoning The alta. Mhen they at
for sacrifice they said. .'TEerc IL telling where
this Paul VIII end.n Ihe question should be this, Do
The new doctrines tend TO Loosen moral obgations
higher nam Secondly TINS scene reveals the fact
that SOME thirty years alter the death Of Christ the
Christian, OF Jerusalem were In
zulu tOMMlNfO& WITH THE JEWS
In the Temple We have The most explicit proof OF
tns. Where, then, Is The proof OF the claim that
Mother Church Offering up sacrlnces In tne
90 9 through R With With Je%sh % ceremoneS @ ' We nave
been told in thousands OF books that Christ gave
an exact pattern OF q Church; II lie did, wonld
they have iorgouen 1t 50 quick? The fact ts that
you can't md III the teachings Of Christ anything
ABOUT the external forms Of q church The Chris
by which, with tremendous i1iuence men were to
be carried up 10 u divine life. From the time of
I, Christ To our day
THEOLOGY nAs BEES GROWING
| passing through Inc same changes aS aay other
! Juaiees and tgnorances were realities. suppose
doctor should go into 4 house where a man has
! wen on the left hand, aud taking him ~ the right
hand should strike the Wen, saying to the man, -
respect you. but this deiormity OF yours detest"
great many rcformers strike mems faults, saying,
! Am bound To respect ihesey' No: but you are
I bound 10 respect the palpitating heart beneath.
| Paul says 40 those under the law was as under
! As tar rs il is necessary promote charity man
| should conform, and when be does not conform he
shouid still act in tue spirit OF higher love.
\ TaE SPIRIT Fi.sr
then The form. the spirit nc right, the form may
J well be left To take oil itself. Nowhere IL per
sona liberty more insisted npon ttan by the Apostle
Paul He declares that man truly IN Christ Jesus
| IL a lrec man. For more than twenty years he had
been preaching this grand individual litery. Yet.
after preaching that aith In Christ fulrlnenL
VI the Whole law, he again offered SACRIFICES and nc
| did II
| believing that circumcision is nothing and Gnsir
fG sAfItN "a .rs Pm "A
man rises TO stateAshere ne can see God anJ COM
| mune with lLm 1t makes no difference whether ne
baptizcs or not, whether he partakes OF the lords
/ supper or not. These things are helps The man
III Christ IL the MASTER aIpi AL these things are To
need. know how insincere this seems. Ny own
| impression IS that II Christ were on earth to-day
tnat most OF the churches would reuse ilim admis-
| sion. II john or Peter were to kaock at the gates
! WOULD MOI BIZ CONSIDERED RaGunAI
Why? Because they would gorousy assert the
right of the inner lie. ] may use or not sase. I'm
| not bound TO use. The surgeon Is not Obliged to
take the same KNIFE to-day that lie did yesterday.
The Knife is the servant. All the 0utside forms Of
religion all frame work. the whole economy or d0c-
| triDes you are 10 use, not 10 rule over man.
!. snouidn't hesitate III a Catholic church ia
TAKE HoLy WATER
and make the Sign Of the cross. I've lust ~ much
right 10 the they have Which viii give mc
| the most power over a man--that tenderness which
! makes me respect his forms OF religion or the
roughness which tranpies under foo, that which -
molly to hims Love is universal. Love ana faitn sci
mc free from forms. -
because II Is sweet to me. am not bound as ana
by the laws OF the land. may worship God In the
field or IN the forest II choose IL to you ;he tn
| 1uences OF Nature are means of grace, you needn't
give account to priest or pastor. The soul Is its
TIC cold forlus of the Presbyterian Church, or
through the proper ceremonies Of the Episcopal,
| go, 60, 30 Ana for all these hcresics uney are
shocking heresicsl ! plead the authority OF the
Church az Jerusalem. the authority OF an act Two
thousand years old, and the age OF thing,
FROM WINE TO cREEDs.
is generally q test OF ITS excellence. When good
orthodox youths are asked TO cooperate with good
but sadly Taught Unitarian youths, they say they
cannon work with those who .'deny the Lord" Paul
coniormed externally to the things that TO him were
nothing. Why? "Iie made himself all things To
ali men il BY any means he might win some.n
IT Is A MARROW ORTHODOXY
that can't work with anything but itself. they who
are Gods can include everything high or low. and
they do DO moi by 50 DONG endorse The bad Wnen 4:
! dragging dead bodies from the water did any man
| say III can't work witt you because you are u re-
YET IN BEooKLYN
| IN my time, the Sunday schools OF the Unitarian
the sunday schools Of the orthodox churches There
was one sad eye and ono glad eye over that scene.
THE DEVIL WAS GLAD
| could sit ami worship In Unitarian church, or \
Iniyersaiist church, Or with my Baptist brethren.
wouldn't hesitate to he Immersed u, ON the other
SHE, could get something worth the trouble; but
| the Churches save The chan and let the wheat 60
| where IL may. can understand how for imitcd
! time amt Tor specific purpose handful
onght TO come out from a wicked amt
corrupt Church a0d show noncenformity; but
:, 10 commune with Others The ground or differ
cnce OF belief Is as absurd to refuse ge, water
olt OF the same river; for IKE reason YOU might
| SIT at the Lords table with pirate one side ana
! murderer on thc other and not endorse piracy on
murder. The distinction Is not 10 be in mans hat
or coat, but In the spirit. You 10 be nOly
generous. more disnerested, more loving, not more
| stlait-laced and orthodox. There Is miserable
OH cinnamon rose. whose blossoms are all sbrly-
| cied up
LIKE BAcHELoB's KISS
! yet because 10 stands In good place IL looks
J down upon that royal that blooms ont OF sand
| and gravel. 80 poor miserable thorny Christians.
! standing In Z Hugh Church pot, took down upon
| great lisly Methodist blossoms that stand IN a
! vulgar tub Lastly, Il great many men think they
| are IN allegiance with TRUTH and they be
! always
EMrIyIEG AND GUSHING.
! They think that they need nclthcr 10 Withhold nor