The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-16
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

Another Sermon by Mr.. Beecher I'm the
Direction OF Univorsalism-The Father
hood OF God-All Are His Children
The Family Relation the Relation of
God To His Crentures-A Plea for the
Personality or God and the Pure Hap
piness of Mankind.
Mr.. Beecher is evidently leading his people to
the acceptance of modified faith in what is known
in religious circles as Universalism," and there
fore delivered yesterday to a congregation OF the
usual magnitude what might be considered q COM
pani0n discourse to that preached on Sunday week,
In which "Universalist'' doctrine was set forth In
all the attractveness and glamour Of Mr.. Beecher's
familiar eoquence. The text selected was the
ninth verse OF the sixth chapter OF st. Matthew
'.Atter this manner therefore pray We, Cur Father
VIII ich art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name"
Mr.. Beecher commenced by asking the following
questions Who may say this prayer? Is 1t prayer
salY MAY 1t be employed by every one that desires
to be betterg Is II his titleY Does It, SO far as any
thing can set forth n an ADDRESS the noty nature
themselvesf Have we the right to determine the
government OF God and the providence OF God
from title such as thtsY In our time subject Is
more in mems thoughts than the midst and bounds
OF the true nature or that government under
our higher life. All government depends for it's
nature and price upon the character OF the Supreme
is universal PRAYER. The lowest, the honest, the
best, the worst, the most cultured. the developing
savage who has Just put one foot before the other
this sacred appeIation. But have we the right to
determine from the imperfect condition in which
moral relations are developed In this liteconsder
ing how much belongs to us by reason of our mate
rial culture-cOnsidering how much that is false
all ~ ave 0 e
right to determine the divine nature of any such
figure as the fatherhood OF mann That there is a
great deal that must be thrown out from the mate
rial life of man that Is inconsistent with symbol
izing of the divine nature all will admit. But the
substantial nature which Is
THE AFFECTIONAL NATURE
and the moral nature, are alphabetic elements,
from which we can can spell something OF the divine
not IKE Gods in kind They differ in this respect.
that truth in man is not the same as truth in God.
1t differs not In its executive power only, but in
its nature ITSELF When this is not accepted it goes
to show that man has been deceived. The essen
al quality OF truth is the same that man has with
God, and therefore man can argue from his own
personal inspiration and from the family govern
what true government includes, leaving
out all the feebeness and imperlection and
looking at the only true an. ana familiar govern;
to sketch the form Of family government and to
trace Its analogy to that OF the divine. He said,
true and distinct ties In nature; second, that the
family was made up OF parents and children who
IS little separate Kingdom Of its own; its sbect
the rule OF the children Its interests subordlnated
so as to bring the greatest amount Of happiness to
its position Thus II was organized as
A COMMONWEALTH,
seeking common end and q common good. In
such a commonwealth there must be obedience,
family government has In 1t physical coercion.
The distinct popularity OF the family govern
ment is its personal relations. Common
visible father and mother. Every true father
and mother governs for the sake Of the children,
and not for the sake OF the family. This is the pa
ternal government. This is the government that
Win o aw
personal character of divine and moral govern
nent. Just now the tide Of discovery sets strongly
ssae S5 1 aSsa IT s tie rdl sr a na
one Of law Our whole duty is said to be in finding
condition. Men are beginning to scout the idea
OF a personal government. 1t seems to nee
that law may be gYte in accordance with
may be under the personal cognition OF God just
fnsae ns snas sns seels
through law to show to us
Personal GOD,
and which maintain our relations to MS through
the organization OF nature, but that can over
now this law to reach His creatures; that
Is my belief personal God includes a phys
cal. magisterial and personal relation. Love is the
government that man is ruled by, out OF which
comes justice and kindness. personal govern
ment explains the difficulties which have been in
troduced by theology in the scriptural use
OF the terms of law and sovereignty. Men
have thought THAT as God Is a sovereign he must
do as sovereigns do. God seeks nothing but the
welfare OF men; that is the supreme desire. 1t Is
in this that is found the true explanation Of the
paternal character OF Gods government God is
spoken OF as consuming fire; but what is more
consuming than true love. Love, therefore, Is
the true conception OF the sovereignty of God He
Is our Father, therefore, by physical law, by a
maeisterial law, but above all by that law Of the
soul that would make all men happy, and which
has for its design and aim the final happiness and
besscdness OF all mankind.