The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-26
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

uFs 6oechor On tho Letter and the Spirit
OF tho WOrd-A Sermon ON the Sermon
ON tho Mount-The Folly or Non-Rc-
sistsncelPrincipse and Univorsal Char
ity-A Tribe or Indians Won't Make
Ono Average Yankee.
Mr.. Beecher preached yesterday morning to
congregation, not diminished In numbers by the
heat OF the day, companion sermon to that OF the
previous Sunday morning on the letter and spirit
OF the Scriptures. He selected for his text the
last clause OF the sixth verse OF the seventh chan
ter OF Romana.-'That we should serve in newness
Of spirit, and not In the Oldness OF the
letter." The larger part OF mankind, said Mr.
Beecher, are morally and intellectually lazy. They
prefer to reap the benefit OF thought without
thinking, to have the pathway laid down for their
thought, so that they shall have no more trouble
as to knowing right or wrong than the locomotive
has to know the road which 1t travels. 1t travels
upon IL for twenty years and Is not more intelligent
at the end than 1t was at the beginning. Men
would have their thought very much in the same
way. Everybody wants to 90 right without any
trouble to himself The woman said to the
Saviour, "Give me water, so that shall not have
to come to this well to draw" 1t is the
spirit OF this woman that animates mankind
Man desires 30 to regulate himself that he shall
NEVER GO WRONG,
anu tIIc Ocbt way w w WOuiu VIC ACNCI w W
at all. But the only thing which does go wrong Is
that which has life The majority OF men, there
FORE want priest. We may talk as we like about
being priest-ridden; but all men want priest to
ride. They want church that shall supply their
religion for them. Now 1t Is distinct peculiarly
of our SaviOur's teaching that 1t cannot be taken
terally neither can it be easily explained. These
sayings OF Jesus excite men; they don't end con-
trOverses they produce them. They therefore de-
mand from everyone the exercise Of Judgment and
the right use of 1t. The whole Bible, therefore,
aims to produce self-registered manhood. The Old
Testament Jailed to do it, and II to the present there
has been failure to do It 1T Is because men
have interpreted the New Testament in the Levitt
cal method, rather than In the spirit OF the New
Testament In the light then, Of these general
his hearers to words OF Scripture that had not
mystical or an internal or spiritual meaning. but
which were considered generally as outward and
easily understood and show how they must be
reflected upon ana spiritually discerned before
their true meaning was attained. lie would, there
which is as much believed in by theists as by
Christians There was no part OF the Scripture
that required more responsibility OF thought and
he would take up some day. If he lived, the
POLITICAL ECONOMY!
sermons thereon He then proceeded to consider
the teachings Of Christ to physical force and the
right OF men to employ other than moral agencies.
"Unt0 him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer
also the other" II that were to be taken literally,
there was no right OF physical iorce then, II the In
QlVluud ndu no TlSHL Tile IdInlly no Tlgut Tile
city had no right and the nation no right 10 carry
out this principle TO its literal ending would send
this age to barbarism. Men are brought into dis
cipline by military government and by hard
government in early times; a subsequent civiliZa-
ton prepares them for these higher truths Take the
Modocs and the Indians. Would it do anything to help
Christianity to let them rush in and take what
they like and make no attempt to reduce them.
The whole Christian world has certainly taken this
view, for fighting has been the vehicle by which
civilization has been progressed. What Is possible
In the apple when 1T is ripe is not possible when it
is green. Then you inquire, "When may use ply
CANNOT TELLy
It Is your business to find that out. That Is your
education. Consider, too. the directions of Christ
as to almsgiving-"Give to every man that asketh
Of thee" The literal carrying out Of that would
break up nation and make business impossible.
1t would produce a carnival Of laziness. This we
have proved to us In the Indians, who lnxuriating
in sunny climate, have everything that is need
Indians together, and the lot of them would not
make an average Yankee. The Romish Church, by
It's doing " or man. ana nun
mendicants Old England, by a false system OF
capital and the distribution OF land and labor has
produced q pauperism that Is the result OF making
provision for the INDECENT and those who cannot
make living for themselves The rule then, Tor
the Interpretation OF these words Of Christ as to
giving, Should be this $50 far as think it well
will give.n $50 far as think 1t beneficial will
distribute" "Take no thought for the morrow"
was then referred to. To adopt this would be to
rob the world OF all the Joys the pleasures and the
delights that the world gives. The whole world
bears
A sIGNET MARX OF GOLD.
Gold was very fine servant, but q very bad
master. The political economy OF the Sermon on
the Mount Is absolutely impracticabe If taken
literally; but, If you take its spiritual meaning, it
becomes eminently practical. The Church in two
great systems had given an illustration OF this
theory. In one system, under the Romish, men
were to-. be provided for, thought for,
ganizes highly The other systemSethe noi Pre-
ual. 1t is this throwing everything on to the in
dividual that has made America what 1t is has
made old England what II is, has made Switzer-
land what 1t is, has made Geneva what 1t Is. What
was true in the church was true in the individual.
its enthrament, and out OF 1t came architects,
painters, discoveries, astronomers and great men.
Let us then accept and treasure this written reve
lation of Cod and study 1T with the inspiring In
nuences Of His holy spirit.
HEDDING CHURCH AT POUCH
KEEpSIE