Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-03-26
SUNDAY READING.
startling Assaults on Denonrfnatienai
Forms and Beliefs.
sEEcHER ON THE CHURCH.

Forms and Beliefs.
.~r.T 5Rren the, MY. World, March goth. t
In commencing his sermon yesterday
morning, Mr.. Beecher said that he pro-
posed to comment on the history contained
in the 2lst chapter of Acts, from the 10Th
to the 18th verses, descriptive of PauPs be-
ing commanded by the elders to go up and
sacrifice in the temple, that the Jews might
be persuaded of his orthodoxy.
This scene il one of the most extraor-
dinary IN the New Testament. 1t strikes
ms as very strange that Paul himself should
not have sufficiently indicated his adhesion
to the national faith as not to have been
suspected of heterodoxy. 1t does not fol-
low that all men who are suspected are like
Paul it does not follow that o man may
not be Justly suspected but it does show
that when o man undertakes to develop
a higher conception out of q lower one, he
renders himself liable to misconception as
having abandoned the faith la-.. s;
The scene reveals the fact that thirty
years after Christ's death the Christians of
Jerusalem were in full communion with
the Jewish temple.
Here, thirty years after His ascension,
was the mother church but q few steps
from, the place where He offered Himself
for sacrifice; there was the mother church
still offering up sacrifices in the old Jewish
temple; nay, so tenacious were they that
they took the chief apostle of it and made
him go through the whole ceremonial.
And yet how many times have we heard
It said that our Lord told the Apostles just
how the church should be established, and
Just what its worship should be? Why,
do you supposeif our Lord had said to His
apostles, "This is to be the pattern of the
church." that they would have forgotten
itf Would Paul not have said to them,
as the temple the pattern of the churchP'
- I, 80 eli
one single word showing that there was to
be one kind of church rather than an
otker, and the whole church is q purely
human invention; none the worse for that,
but the whole authority is gone from
which it is said to be derived.
Paul believed that all that was necessary
was that man should love God in his heart,
and when man rose to that state in which
he could see God he might baptise or not
baptise, partake of the Lords Supper or
not partake of it, make offerings to an idol
z or not, just as he chose, it would make no
difference to him; and my impression is,
thatif our Lord and Savior were on earth
now, there are very few churches into
which he could get. He would not be
considered sufficiently orthodox, and
doubt whether Paul or Peter would be adj
mitted
/ should not hesitate at all il went into
q Roman Catholic church, where they all
take holy water and make the sign Of the
cross, to take holy water and make the
sign Of the cross, too. daughter Yes,
but it will be said, Won't you lend en-
enlargement to their erroneous beliefs?
Not any more than Paul did. Is there not
something behind the superstition? Can
II not reach the man by treating these
supersnsions kindly instead of rudeiy?
Love with faith sets me free from the
bondage OF ordinances or ceremonies. ss,ys |
70 me, If you need them, use them be |
II you nave no need, do not use them - r |
90 not Keep Sunday because 7 think II
religious day as the law defines il. keen
Sunday because I love it, but am not bonnS
70 do So ciIa man say, 81 feel at liberty |
toseek mySunday in the forest,n I saw Vol, |
are at liberty to do so; if he say he wishes
to worship God in the fields, tell him to
do so. "
Foryears aud years, in this city of Brook
lyn, the children Of the Unitarian SUNDAY
schools have not been permitted to walk
with the other schools on the Anniversary
aAy: These little children are not per-
mitted TO walk the streets together, for fear
% contamination. There was oae sad eve
Sau Que glad eye that looked at that scene.
: CnIlst was sad, and the devil was glad. III
we nave the love of Christ above ali other
tnings, tnere Is no one human being on
eartn that You can not own as a brother.
or go down to him and work with him and
for him. could sit and worship in MANY
and many Unitarian church, or Swederi-
borgian church, or Roman CathoIic I ar
Baptist, or Methodist, or Episcopal II |
could go their way If 1t was necessary. and |
would not hesitate to be immersed even
as immense others, If / thought I could |
gain them on the other side of immersion. |
tisimmersion. 70 me, but they are weak |
aud need t. hat churches save the chat
and straw and let the wheat go where 1t |
may.