The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-23
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

Mr.. Beecher on Belicf-Its Nature and
the Responsibility or Man I'm Regard
Thcreto-Thc Relation OF Right Living
to Right Thinking-Men Responsible
for Trying to Find the Truth.
Mr.. Beecher preached yesterday morning to O
congregation somewhat diminished In numbers by
the advance OF the Summer season sermon. in
its characteristics resembling the more popular
series preached some two years ago, evangelical
in tendency and Astounding with wealth OF Illus
tration. The subject was "The Nature OF Belief,
Its Importance and what it Embraces The text
was selected from the ninth chapter of the Gospel
Of st. John, the thirty-ifth to the thirty.
eighth verse inclusive-'Jesus heard that
they had cast him out, and when he
had found him ne said unto him,
Dost thou believe on the Son OF God He answered
and said, Who is he, Lord, that might believe
on Him And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast
both seen Him, and 1t is He that talketh with thee
And he said Lord believe, and he worshipped
Him." 1t is evident, said Mr.. Beecher, to any one
at all acquainted with the literature OF the Holy
Land and It's speculations and belief that truth
meant one thing at Jerusalem and at Athens
another If at Jerusalem man believed 1t was
taken in q religious sense ani as token OF per-
sonal feeling towards Cod It was the relation Of
mans own self to his master. 1t was. indeed,
seen in Its perfection in the absolute fealty
the soldier to his general OF the clansman to hisf
chief OF the child to ITS parent The belief In
Greece was different, although 1t had some OF the
features OF that Of Jerusalem. There was the ac-
Ceptance OF certain evidence, and the belief was in
the main on intellectual process. After the Master
assembled the preaching OF the carly days was the
preaching Of Chris: and His mission and the giving
to the believer certain condition OF life and char
acter The power OF the Christian religion was
eminently nantes tee by the setting forth OF ex-
ample by the early Christians, and emnenty more
than by the acceptance OF creeds. After certain
time -
CREED-MAKING
came into vogue. The nature Of God, the nature OF
the Father, OF the Son and the Holy Ghost and
their cooperative relations were discussed. The
Greek mind tended towards the psychological
element as IL was then understood. In the Roman
mind the analysis Of this belief took the form OF
this became the work OF the Romish Church. TRis
survived even SO late az Ellzabeth's day in Eng
land when the question OF the actual presence OF
the body OF Christ in the sacrament was discussed
II anybody wants to see this brilliantly put
let them read Proude's "History OF Engand,n the
best history OF the time ever written, despite
its many faults 80 that II came to TINS
right belief was equivalent TO right living In our
own day there has been powerful reaction 10 all
this, and reaction has set In against all crecds.
Almost everybody has advanced beyond dogma
and beyond systems OF theology. Almost every
man says that he has advanced beyond right think
ing, and says that right living Is the only thing
that is true. Now, the first question that one
meets is this--Is belief the normal condition OF
mind and is 1t subject 10 mans will IL man to
be accountable for his beliefs My reply is that
BELIEF IS PARTLY VOLUNTARY
and partly Involuntary. When belief depends upon
circumstances over which we have no control we
are not responsible. IL IL mans duty to attend to
the subject, and TO put the mind In such an a.