The New York herald., 1871-02-06
BROOKLYN CEUGCHEs.
PLYn0uTH CHURCH.


Theological Professors-Theology Chinese
Puzzle.
Whenever there is nook left vacant In Ply
mouth church by an lndisposed or lazy saint some
curious sinner Is to drop into It, that, how
ever cold tho day, or however hot. or however
rainy or snowy, Mr.. Beecher's audiences are alway
the same-ony limited by the limitations of space.
Yesterday was no exception to the rule. though the
thermometer was low enough to make
sLIPFERED EASE BY THE PARLoR FIRE
peculiar temptation. They are always taking up
contributions al Plymouth church, and yesterday
the boxes' were passed In the interest OF city mis-
sions, Mr.. Beecher remarking that probably not
half OF the people in Brooklyn attend the churches
In the absence OF Dr. Storrs who always led lii this
work, he wished that his congregation might outdo
all former generosity and make ample provision for
the Gospel TO the poor and outcas, Their usual
cOntr button had been from three to FIVE thousand
dollars, and he wished it might be much more this
YER
Mr. Beecher announced as his text the fifth verse
or the first chapter OF i. Tlmothy-"Now the end
OF the commandment is charity out OF pure heart,
and of a good conscience, ana Of love uufeigned."
The apostle is here telling Timothy how to carry
himself and how to teach others. He had been
speaking In the previous OF the ten thousand
questions that sprung up among the Christians-of
dissent, OF publication OF ordinances OF days
questions that never could be settled, and he says
that
THE USE OF ALL INSTRUCTION,
public private, Is to produce charity out OF pure
heart. and Of good conscience, and OF faith un-
feigned. This Is the object OF all teacnng. All or
ganlzatlons, all religious institutions all systems OF
theology that 90 not produce love are false. ANY
church, orthodox or not, that does not produce
charity out OF pure heart Is not Christian organl
cation.
If PAUI, HIMSELF
lived and administered a church. and that church
did not fulfil the conditions OF the text IL would not
be Christian. Love is the one great supreme end;
but this love is not an affection proceeding
from moral indifference; 1t Is love out OF pure
heart; that benevolence that springs from nature
where the highest moral sentiments predominant,
q love that we have In proportion as We are divine.
conscience is q generic term Tor the whole moral
sense. Conscience gives love ribs and backbone.
Love, without conscience. Is namoy paMby;
IT is MUSH.
True love has truth and character; it
is the scope Of the term faith in the text 1t is
faith that takes hold Of snper-sensuous things.
OF the great realm that science does not touch.
Light may be thrown upon the administration or
jutsice and benevoence in the divine Kingdom by
this text. Men have taught that justice had field
angry they feel nothing ese When that passes
away and they are good natured they feel nothing
HANDLE WITH TWO BLADES
when one Is shut the other IS open. SO man has
real Justice could exist without mercy, or real
mercy without justice. Then come up two
schools one revolving around the conception Of God
as benevolent governor, the other made up OF men
who believe in justice. The Ideas or justice lifted
up before men have made God being to be feared,
consuming lire, II justice were not terfid hot
with love- Systems have been taught In which
HE'LL ONLY SMALLER THAN HEAVEN
receives mutudes OF souls through myriads of
ages ana God sits by and cannot stir because He
Is Just II is no wonder tnat there Is terrific re.
S1e % Sas IS not sus the ne ss
from justice There is discipline, tears groans suf-
ferng, not for sunering's sake but Tor improve
meDt-the end of the commandment Is love.
We make our human lntirnlities INTO divine attri-
butes 1t Is true that man must reason OF tne divine
from his own moral consciousness, but we should
seize the most luminous hours OF experience IN
SHAPE OUR IDEAS
Of God. In all high development there is unity and
harmony: As man grows ripe Ts,,on he car car
asce how 9ys no.o can ina. oye ss
the highest excellence In those they love- Take q
mother who has true great nature enriched O .,
will ND the best illustration Of moral government
OF mediatorIal and atoning love- Men go to kings
Men 20 to the state, l to the household for my ide
Of Gods rule. No character illustrates Jesus Chris
Srnss up in her house siS, eight chdren
she Is always worEng-always living q, 70
rom aTs her Ssr aa they as always
from her heart Yet there Is nobody so rigorous q
she: nobody who ha,es @ meannsss SO 80 much; ns
are full OF love. In her we approach the nearest
God q mode OF governing the world. God Is alway
stern or never; He Is always merciful or never. A
such representations OF God as leave the impressio
that he does permit suffering or permit sin lowe
the love or the community; they are not scripture
or philosophical am shocked when think, nc
how little know, but how much other people kno'
wHO BY SEARCHING HAVE FOUND OUT GOD.
Why theological professerS Men make wicker
work systems and explain all Gods plans an
works They hold up their theologes 10 you as
they were
A CHINESE PUZZLE
And II you don't know how you can 90 IL your
what an Armenian Is the man don't know, but
wants TO refer to It, The Methodsts arc sepa
ated from the Presbyterlans BY the nve points
Calvinlsm-lve forgotten what they oil are-tn
subtlest questions that can be spun out. The Bal
lists and the Pedobaptists dlncr as to whether ma
shall be
PUT ALL UNDER
or sprfnkled Some differ In Church organization
acme In doctrine, some IN rollty, some In ritual {
robes; as II God ever thought OF these tacks In u
machinery. The whole thing that the commant
ment thinks about Is charity. You NAV 90 HON