The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-16
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
THE CHaalTY OF THE NATlGH.
Plymouth Churcs--sei mou by Rev. Henry
Wnid Bccchcrs

Plymouth Church-seIm by Rev. Henry
Wnid Bccclcr.
Mr.. Beecher preached yesterday morning to
crowded congregation upon the lesson to be de.
duced nom the Chicago fire, calling attention to
the wonderful sympathy and charity OF the nations
for the sufferers anu the beroism and enterprise OF
the people Of Chicago and drew the consorng con-
clusion that the slrht OF mucn nopl
i,y uncoinshness wouiu uaEsca-a
value all the loss. His text was Psalms,
xxxvi., 6-"Thy judgments are a great decp.n
No wonder that the Hebrew found in the ocean
symbol OF Divine Providence. The storm bursts
out, ana the crue! power overwhelms the magma
rion, as II the had In 1t only tate and tor
ment But IL Is the same ocean In its calmer
moods; 1t never breaks away from law. Gods
providences are great Deep We believe In special
provIdences, not as something separated from law,
but as working with law, and 1t is strictly phllo-
sopnlcal 10 say:-"All things WORK TO-
gether for good for those that love God"
The mistake is that we try to tell what the Divine
intention Is. In general sense evil bealls for
violating law; but 1t Is not wise to analyze ones
life and decide that this that event s sent for
TINS or that special end. Sometimes the connection
between ones actions and following events is PLAIN
to be seen. Sometimes good acts are rewarded
and bad acts punished, so that we can see the
results but when we attempt to apply this TO whole
communities we lose tho clue anu we cannot follow
out the details. We start out on wrong track,
therefore, when VIC attempt TO trace great evils 70
cause. But 1t Is fair wise In all great happenings
to ask what lessons OF wisdom may we deauco
NOT WHY THEY WERE SENT,
now That we have tbemS In short, IL
moves In 80 wide sphere that 10 a lower
mind it must be unntelligibe; There is much SYN
most intelligent Of ANIMALS, take il Is tie dog. lie
comes .he nearest to talking and laughing, and YET
child even can understand but little OF what the
father means. The. fa,ncr's thought travels
on and on and nr ,ne child can only
trrsssstn This is the Old Hebrew feeling
they could not understand, bai they believed that
indeed, VINO should undertake to explain the mean.
Ing Of the great fires in the West. Ihls
DESTRUCTION OF CITY
is q kind OF anachronism In history lt ts anosher
Herculaneum or Pompcii. But we shall not dare to
enter upon the interior Of TINS and ask providence,
Why hast thou done thisS Why should the good
and the bad suffer togcthcrS. Why should the
industrious suffer Iosetners Why should me Old
and inirm, the good and RenJe, the Sick the young
nn sns s'n or e be burned i IN TIC rayaVna
That jalls, with their wretched inmates should be
Is na not So strange oat why ye s s
ans he who asks win cc be- driven e on, ms
make bitter. Turn away from these dark questions
fore, and find, II we can, wherein we may rest.
THIS GREAT DISASTER
Is q revelation OF the structure and function OF
cities They are the heads OF the great body; they
express the life OF the nation. Chicago Is boted
out but every village In the ianu feel the cash OF
that flame. It's secret threads, its nerves, extend
IN muliitudiDous directions. There IL scarcely
q city on the globe but had some OF
the roots OF Chicago In II. No man
every great city belongs to the whole world. Cities
are VITAL congcries. They follow civilization and
are produced by II. Because St Louis IL 40 far
from New York snc Is no less part OF New York
In the body all the nerves belong to each other and
every city belongs 10 every Other and TO all the land
city Is, for the time sbeing, the point where
God enthr0ncs Himself In wisdom and power
Cities are we seats Of power; they are
places where the voice OF the people Is cmphStically
the voice OF God, and by their fruits Can BE Judged
whether u IL demonaic god or Jehovah No man is
good citizen or good patriot who does not care
what becomes Of the city II hts prppertv IL not In.
ured. II Ia treason TO the nag, and it NJ treason ia
that God who made the nag Secondly The specta.
OF heroic sympathy presented To the world is OF
more value than all That was lost IN
THE BURNING OF CHICAGO
much that was bad burned also. cannot conceive
or anything nideous as the rapinc that took place
In that fearful hour. That men should turn into
nends &C such time seems incredible, Far be n
from me to say that all men would do This hut In
all men there Is something or this cruelty:
lying cooled at the base OF the brain
is the serpent. kept down by law and religion
over against this darkness Is the rainbow ol bcnev
olence and love. How many have been the tender
thoughts, now many the heroic Achievements, how
many the sacrifices that we cannot know, bll that