New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-27

II had narrowed tho circuit OF Christian charity and
limited the bounds OF Christian activity Here is q
church whose membership is more than half OF the
Whole membership Of al the Congregational churches
beside I'm the cities Of NewYork and Brooklyn more
than One-half Of the members that belong TO some
twenty Congregational churches. Our contributions
of all the churches pnt together for the of Cnrst
GLOWING EULoGY OF PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
We have larger number of mission stations and OF
mission scholars have larger work carried by
more men, will venture to say, than any other ten
churches in order This church has gone through
the great light OF temperancend the yet greater fight
of liberty, in dark times when other churches never
lisped word There the applause became so
violent and prolonged that Mr.. Beecher paused
This church has been blessed of God with peace the
midst of controversies that rocked this continent Ike an
earthquake; this church by the voice OF the minister
pardon me II am obliged 10 speak OF myself-it IL my
life that am speaking about with tears rolling down
and the means OF speaking when my country was
IN peril and when principles dear to every country
privilege Of sending sermons to the Old 70 the sick to
neglected parishes TO huts and to novels, beyond the
missionary station the globe; and when look at the
work Of Plymouth Church for the last twentysx years
not by me alone, for 1 never could have done the
work II had not been sustained by associates, by
the doacons, by the Examining Committee, and the
voluntary services OF the and women In the Church.
and been supplemented and upheld on every sideI
whether for liberty, either for peace In the Church. for
missionary labor at home abroad, Is II not such
example and such testimony that we ought not to
have been arraigned as damaging the churches around
about usI say 1t boldly in your name, and say IL
before God In my own name lGreat appiause1
And now as to the matter of discipline IN this church
| have been misunderstood in what said u former
meeting spoke briefly on the idea that my remarks
would not have other application than TO those who
heard them. 1 have said time and time again in
Your hearing that only those who are con-
to the Communion table no matter whether
they church members not And that has been the
ground which have the door OF the church
and asked, "Do you come because you are sinful and
helplessbecause believe Jesus Christ has begun to
help youl Do you leaning on him in th Christian
have come into this church. When they have
come in, you know Just well l knOw-and l
make the statement, not as boast, but you know l
have had my own peculiar disposition and my pc.
culiar notion OF administration. Do you suppose man
can be pastor of church during time in which It's
roll increased from 1000 TO nearly 5000 members,
which has spread its influence over the continent and
the world, and himself have nothing 10 do with
It and no Influence in iti There has been an
in order be under the pressure Of my hand far
as his interests were concerned had the right to
bring 70 bear upon him all love- sympathy and wisdom,
and that of my brethren and that when he ceased to
influence, our labor in respect TO him gone. Have
! held that there ought never to DO discipline
Yes man have held there should o be when
scanduous ie stays in church that he may mischief
extreme case discipline 0y authority should be exer-
Slsed over such man 1t Is the la" OF se.I-defence
man. But 1t is not right to be exercised except as
very last resort Ordinarily don't need to defend
eases out OF one hundred moral
influence is to be used and only in the hundredth
upon a member II you say then that have encOuI-
aged loose aud lax membership of the church, appeal
TO the history OF 20 years. and say II is not If you say
my administration has corrupted the church, appeal TO
as pure and noble body Of working Christians
the sun shone ON, and say it is not So ,.
1 will point you 10 of cases and show II is not
say that in so great church as this living to-
the of that instead OF
to govern the church by machinery ecces
asticai machinery. have trodden 1t under foot Mr.
the the indaenCe p'V Of love and sympathy Applau.e
Hnr,ft Alepnf huI
brethren feel aggreved and that in certain respects
they feel that TREY responsible for u.s. We don't feel
that they are, but they think they are tLaughterl
Now say, and say it with all sincerity,
if all these churches that feel so would with,
not In disgust but simply relieve themselves from any
supposed responsibility that they have for their
doetrine discipline, or way, should be very glad to
have them do II. would not want any church to feel
not know how to bear Ii would make no difference to
or you for God has made our church so large that
pfd trG% mot tne fe 3 roof OF SaRe hat
our own abundance. Our intercourse with them has
tnue to be whether they dsown US or not Tor you
can hold mems bodies ana msnaele tneI WIis's Put
will defy any man TO find gold silver or IRON chalns
thai were ever forged that can hod fat ana OVe ana
love and honor those brethren ana ioye those VINO
work in the spirit OF Christ ana though hey cut me Oh
hundred times and shall De In euowshlp with thein'
and i hey are nGf freely admit here are some
Things in me that II had beea consulted Ill my MAKING
would have had IL ddete1a a are nor toreter
normal and that nave neither followed the Ola chah
mel
felt tbatHstanding in an Independent church, had
right 10 follow the nature that Goa gave me- AFTER ne
nsrtcnlar nature and have been free thinker and
have repudated things that other people beheyed AID
have confirmed things that other people did not believer
and don't wonder that since my sermons are printed
close TO my heels every Sunday You c3not complain
o S6 G 2Uneh oNe Criticism but tat there has not
been more. state IN reSpoct TO newspapers in me
and what mere jealousy for their views ISL maintain
a h Ase peen SO much charity and 50 m0Sn ioT
mne-yanton in the isense in which Milton uses the
'ei"' uR. pEEcHER BEARS HIS OWN BURDENS.
would 20 God stood on platform so absolutely
independent that every Christian church should say,
THAT is his utterance, and we are not responsible"
don't want the Baptsts be responsible for my notions
Of Millennium or Communion; don't want the Presby-
terans TO be responsible for my ideas OF Church Gov
eminent nor my ideas OF the Westminster Con-
fession Of Faith; nor do L want the Congo gre
for my ideas the fall OF Adam and original sin nor
for my conception of the Atonement; and therefore.
saw again, that although may do no violence, nor
thrust myself out OF the place where God put me 1t
would be infinite relief could stand on
said ! don't think II Is far 10 Put IL on
brethren and let them love- bear al let OF theme sae
do it, 1 shall not live Thousand years longer my
work not feel FAR IRON dSSe TG heart 9G ever nce
was OOy-I have loved my kind Applause l,,l, have
loved man more than anyhngIthat rs except MN tnst
IN that vay When I am under the inspirations
Of these sympathies l care not what theology
and feel that | am beloved by them. will not be
turned aside from my work will go on preaching
have preached before, earlessly and freely, and II
God gives me church to take care OF VIII atemp.
toI govern that church by no MANAGEMENT
no machinery OF government except that applied In
the absolute xistence OF the Church itself will gov
ern it by making government unnecessary ! VIII gov
that they shall do the thing that Is
right give you fair notice OF my intention. APP
nIause1 Twill attempt put down ecclesiasticsm here
and every where as not IN accordance with the
highest nlan of Christian experience, nor with the