The New York herald., 1871-01-16
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

to whom The reading OF the Scriptures would do no
harm, to say the least.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Good-Natured Christians-Thc Gospel of Hap
piness-HedaehoGs Not to Be Initiated.
The usual crowd filed this home of the faithful
yesterday, surgng around the platform, overnowing
into the entres and at last settling in such first class
pews or Indifferent folding chairs or reserved camp
stools as happened to be available. the usual
flowers and ferns graced the platform. There was
the usual Zundel Improvisation upon the organ,
and the regulation voluntary from the large choir
After the preliminary exercises Mr.. Beecher,
IN HoARsE VOICE, ssass..lta.
begged the indulgence OF the audience as he had 4.
cold He had mad 1T about two days, did not know
how he got 1t, expected to get over 1t in another
day, should not preach In the evening, and should do
the best he could In the morning, and hoped these
explanations were SUFFICIENT to satisfy all curiosity
or anectionate interest. The second and third
verses Of the fifteenth chapter Of Romans-"Let
every one Of us please his neighDor for his good
to edifcation; for even Christ pleased not him.
selr'-formed the basis Of one Of the practi-
cal nondoctrinal sermons that Mr.. Beecher
most delights in. He said mans soul is like a
garden belonging to an old mansion full OF excel
lent things run to waste-never improved cank-
cred fruit trees thickets ofroses and thorns tangled
vines, nettles, weeds and Mowers Now 1t is the
business OF o garden 70 be wholesome and sweet
and beautiful II has no right to have weeds or di
lapidation. 1t s made Tor pleasure and profit. Tho
soul Is full OF good dispositions, kindly impulses,
true affections wholesome fruits, out it is also full
OF frets and murmurings and N s
SINGING NETTLEs,
of pride and vanity and WEAKNESS. The sous
power TO produce pleasure or pam in another is very
great. II IL throws upon another the whole force
or Its excellence and beauty Is full OF cheer but IL
o San to ans
ourselves day by day as to Yield pleasure 1t Is not
optional y with US w whether o we shall make men
for their good-to please them SO that they will be
nobler and more manly for our influence. The soul
which to please. Its affections are full Of
sweetness; It's wit taste, imagination are patent
produce unlappiness. Making people happy IS not
an unlmportant thing. Our Loud did multltudes of
SMOOTH AspERITIEs
and 10 produce amaDle feelings in those around Him.
heroic living lie ed BIS ME with ane ne
shadings OF goodness. His example IS quoted here
Men ind :he lower side Of their natures easily
| brought into play. We contend with the worl,.
through our lower passions; we drudge by these.
selves our better natures Men feeble aud liable
TO dwell In low, chilly logs to 1ret and
eryA very sad. The most Of aiae househods do 70
not ring with cheerful voices like well tuned instru
ments, but are full Of querulousness, groplng and
drndgina Men whom we ike sparkle Upon os Us ana
we sparkle back, but In the main there is more sad
ness and gloom than brightness and roy, Now 1t Is
| not our duty simply to believe IN
| A HISTORICAL. GOSPEL.
| Society is fun all around US OF men whose lives
average very little sweetness. 1t Is for to seek to
| make them happy This we are ready enough TO do
| II we want to use them. But the command is to do
| tions OF our hearts shall bring music from our
nelghbor. II it is In the power Of men 70 rouse
this is q Christian duty. Some men move
through life ike q band OF music through the
orchards in october, filing the whole region with
bounty and sweetness. 1t Is no unworthy object In
llie g an the atmospaere q Others with the bright
| still a remnant Of st0icism among good men. Men
feel that happiness is well enough, but belongs to
the, surface; they aim to make men better, and
let happiness take care OF ITSELF But much OF the
/ ~ WRONG IN THE WORLD
springs from unhappineSS. In general hanpiness ia
| favorable to virtue and morality, and uniappiness
| Is favorable to SIN. man says:-"My duy is to
cknS peoples palms to mase sd them nGs spn e RD Ds
! you have no business to bear your honesty and
M JUSTICE AZ In In such way as 70 make others unhappy.
hedgehog than hedgehog; but is he q good
neighbory How many men tread careessly among
| the sensitive nerves OF other men with no excuse
but that they believe IN being sraght forward out
and out" You say that roughness IS better than
M44 MACHAvELLIAN vARNisH
But why have ethers Why not be just right9 why
! thrust out uncut nails to scratchp We are NOT nj
to the bad IN mems sS"' eharpciersnio % pcnaer.Io
feed malice, avarce and unmanly appettes
Dlc>scu are tue iidppluCSS Indkers-theV who
away friction and smooth the cares OF life and
shine on gloom with cheer. Blessed are those
! whom God has equipped with wit. and humor and
| CAV fnaginations they are God's torch bearers
through the gloom OF life. Until the world Weeps
less let there be more smiles; TIL the world lives
| better let there be more Imagination to cover the
reanty. Blessed are they to when people csme In
| disaster. Blessed are they around whom children
nock. You must overcome day by day the pain.
] bearing Qualities OF obstinacy, arrogance sneering
CRITICISM IL is not that you do great thing but
IL Ii The sum Of million unconscious dispositions
tnat makes you glyer OF happiness. In old times
1t was thought right to love our llends and nat4,
| our enemies; LII modern times we love our own dc.
| nomination and hate heretcs.
| CATHOLICS HATE PRoTESTANTS
ana Protestants hate Catholics. Now IL ia nv bus
/ ness, as Protestant Christian minister 10 sneak
lne ruth, Dut IL is my duty 10 try to speak 1t with
| out onence. remember when, II Cavinist caught
an Armenian IN his church, he Thought it hls time
! 10 give Aimenianism hit. When the victim had a
chance ne hit back Iwpdoelrnes When they met each
other were not unlike two ,ivgs. Taere was a rising
! or backs and growing OF months, and anythingS
but amiabiity IN the eyes. For 4 thousand years
! We nave uled 70 poin0ard men into love and alth.
| e.-e WHAT LtUR2
When VIII Christians feel that they should praise
what is good In each other anu let tn rest goY AS
in religion SO in civil affairs. In business ana poi-
tics Christian men should try TO please one another
and not irriatc and hurt. When we examine men
Tor church membership we ask them II uney Will
leave on sin; II they have aitll; II they will
maintain virtue, nut now seldom do question
them as to beneilcence OF uispositioni HOW seldom
do we look W see parents LOVING TO chil.