New-York tribune., 1872-08-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
BEECHER ON PREACHING.

WAS going 10 explain how he made his thunder
bolts he would be sure of curious audience :"
this volume Mr. Beecher reveals the secret ol 'o
thunders of the pulpit in Plymouth Church WIN
Iove-llSe serenity, he informs the ordinary mol'"s
ON the surface of the earth of the manner IN "u0n
souls are eutranced, and the elements oil nature
raised 70 fervent heat. The interest OF the book
consists not so much in what Mr. Beecner tens us
ahopt preaching as in what he tells us about hlm-
self II furnishes rare study of private character
as well as n psychoogical essay Mr.. Beecher has
otsolntolv no reserves. His most inward feelings
disdain every vail. The sweetness and light OF
his nature are evinced by the unconscious naNete
with which ne brings out every latent emotion ana
Thought lie not only has no DISCUSSES for himself,
bu, be- is unable TO entertain the idea
that there are any moods of mind OF
shades of experience that court conceal
mont. as much as the tender germs of vegeta-
ton seek the darkness of the protecting soil lie
r.vcrscs the wise old proverb, and believes that
speech Is golden" and silence silver if indeed
n is A. GOOD ms that and not rather of wood or lead
The frankucss Of Mr. Beechers disclosures has the
charm of intimate conversation. He is under no
restraint except that of proprety, but never of
dignity lie is always fresh, elastic, exuberant
often CAV sometimes the drollest of the drOn Page
after page of his vOly me.is amusing as comic
romance. Mr. Bccchcr never ceases to be himself.
lie never speaks for the sake Of effect or from art-
fcal preparation. Ii is true he is not always free
from commonplace. but it is spontaneous common
place. never with malice prepenSe. Every word is
like water from pure mountain spring, with no
tmcture OF the coorod mixtues which excite thirst
rather than allay it, The aptness of his illustrations
j. as remarkable as the fertility Of his mind. They
are often quaint often homcly, sometimes little
far-fetcLcd. hut they always tell, always hit the
nail on the head.
MI Beecher's account of his first successful ex-
pertinent in preaching is Characteristic. Il remeIn-
her the first sermon ever preached. had preached
good many sermons before. too. But remember
the first real one. had preached good while as
had used nv gun. l used to 20 out hunting by my
self and had great success in firing OIL my gun;
and the game 6njoyedi it much as did, for lnever
hit them or hmt them. fired of my gun as see
hundreds Of men firing of their sermons. loaded
IT. aud banc!-there was a smoke, report, but
nothing cell: and so il was again and again. re-
collect one day in the fields father pointed out
H,tlc red squirrel, and said to me, Henry, would
Nou Ike to shoot him p trembled all over. but l
said. Yes He got down on his knee, put the gun
across a rail- and said, Henry, keep perfectly COOL
perfectly cool; take aim And did, and fired
aud over went the squirrel, and he did Mt run away
either That was tue first thing ever hit; and
fell an inch taller boy that had killed squirrel
and know how to aim gun
Here i his description of his first revival:
recollcct when returned from the first revival in
vuch ever worked. had been at indianapolis be
tween one years and there had been no revival
(iud had never been IN one sluce was a Doy went
T"ntS: and worked there three weeks IN a revival
uut my heart was on hrc; ana u ralned stream OF
prayer an the way home from Telre iiaute to Indianapolis
II Was Ike Aurora BOreas, have no DOUBT ray upon
ray for tngt whole distance II angels coud nave seen H.
] WI "ur NV ,Ilc ,. On SUNDAY / gave notice thtt
.rt.I r.r. .HII g. .HH
lcrflr,-room in NV church that would hold about two
hundred people. preached Monday night and we had
a storm: Tuesday nght 10 raned again. and when
called upon any who were awakened 10 remain. no one
wi,rs Il a. be So do! on Wednesday night preached
again with more power ana calee LOT IE ln4mieLS al s W.
si.t ol the kitchen ana looked kitchen an over When
a. went toward her, OF disappointment. SAID
90 mytclf that after 30 much work % was 100 oad. IL
bat which went past The next minute hai an % over
whemirs rcvu.-ion ID ny soul ana 'u 10 ha ~ ,i, &
creature viii WORK for the heart OF vagabOnt, If |
f, N aud tnanied God that night for that girls stay
Ho paid nae the next night for two OF my sweetest
stopped tie next ui-ht, and after that the work
went on
M. Bccchcrs want Of personal reserve naturally
prevents him from being very select in the choice Of
ms company He is a wide Hker in the realm of
humanity No fastidious scruples disable him from
taking pleasure in the society of the hard-fsted
workng-man, as well in that of the cultivated
scholar or the refined intellectual woman. He il
right in this for nature demands no less variety in
the character of our associates than in the quality
Of our food. Il take great delight" he tells IF
ever can get a chance, III riding on the top of an
omnibus with the driver and talking with him.
What do gain by that? Why my sympathy goes
ont for these men, and recognize in them an ele-
mont of brotherhood-that great human element
which lies underneath all culture which is more uni
Versal and more important than all special attri-
butes which is the great generic bond of humanity
between man and man. If ever ] saw one of those
men in my church, / could preach TO him, and hit
him under the fifth rib with an illustration, much
better than if had not been acquainted with him.
Ihave driven the truth under many a plain jacket
But. what is more never found plain in this
world who could not tell me many things that did
not know before. There is not a gatekeeper at the
Fulton Ferry, or an engineer deck-hand on the
boats, that am not acquainted with, and they help
me in more ways than they know OF. If you are
going to be minister, keep very close TO plain folks
ion't get above the common people"
Mr. Beechers early breaking in for the ministry in
an obscure parish in the West, is related with de-
hciOus egOtisIn.
II was INV lot at first TO be placed village With
baudin OF Inhabitants in one OF the Western States.
conceive il be Of the kndnesses OF Providence
member In the church. and wished him out ali the time
practiced public speaking from the time Of my sopho-
more wear in college. / addicted 10 going out and
making Temperance speeches, and holding conference
meetings 30 that acquired co1Tlderape connaen9e,
seminary stil kept up that habit prachelng whenever
@ nae tne isix oio. months of which however were
diverted 10 editorial WORK. loss or time TO my studies
when was attcrward made up-I went 10 a small town
IN indiana lie ast one the state toward Cincinnati
inhabitanis II had in it Methodist, Baptist, and