The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-19
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

NIr. Beecher's New Theory rs to the Re-
ligiOus Use Of Old C1othes-He Begs for
Flowers and Ribbons for The Mission
Girls-A Sermon About the Bible-The
Letter and the Spirit.
In the announcements that preceded the sermon
yesterday morning, Mr.. Beecher suggested theory
about clothes that was novel, in the relation OF
clothes to religion. He announced that the children
Of the Plymouth mission were greatly in need Of
clothing suitable for them to make decent ap-
pearance at the approaching anniversaries He
then asked the ladies to send some Of the flowers
and ribbons they had been using, and which they
could easily dispense with, for the OF the poor
girls of the mission After a further appeal for
clothing OF q more substantial character, he
said :-"Good clothing Is frequently, John the
Baptist it prepares the way for religious instruc-
ton. 1t gives selfrespect and that Is the first step
towards conscience. There Is many proud boy
or girl who will not go to school or to church be.
cause they cannot go with about the same quality
OF dress girls or boys in the same position OF
life as themselves, in dress that has some
approach to that which their betters wear. Now
don't mean to say that suit OF clothes ever con-
verified man; but do say that there are thou
sands OF men and women who would have been
converted II they had had clothing good enough,
they thought, to wear to church. Besides this, it
ID the mode Christ adopted in His work teaching
and regeneratlng mankind. He first fed the multi
tude; He restored the sick; He made sorrowed
hearts joyous, before He impaired instruction. At
this season OF the year, them when
SUMMER TINE HAS COME
upon us, and we are putting on other clothing let
US think Of these children who need what we are
putting away; and let us not do it as though We
were throwing some clothing at boy or girl, but
let rs do 1t knowing that we are doing work well
pleasing IN the sight OF Our LOrd.o After the
singing Of hymn MIR. Beecher preached sermon
on the letter and spirit Of the Bible selecting his
text from ii. Corinthians ill.,, 6-"Who also hath
made us able ministers OF the New Testament;
not OF the letter. but OF the spirit for the letter
killeth, but the spirit gveth lie." Paul, said Mr..
Beecher, was thought to be very dangerous man
by the regular pous. orthodox Jews, by that class
oil men VINO talk great deal about the old land
marks Paul was, while respecting the ancient
faith, DESTROYS OF correcting the abuses that had
surrounded IT, He appealed more strongly to
the inner consciousness OF man rather than to the
naked truth. In his relationship to the Jews and
In his entire moral bearing Paul was full and
grand man, one OF the hall-dozen men who stand
throughout the ages, and when they take their de-
parture from earth still stand by them and they
serve as memorials OF true greatness. This was
made strikngy manifest In the second cnapter OF
the Epistle of Paul to the Romans. There are men
and there always Will be men who are AFRAID OIL
departing from Jot or title OF the FORMAL physi-
cal and ecclesiastical statements OF the doctrines
OF the Bible-men who would burn and burn Others
rather than give up the mere external truth, but
VINO would indulge in perfect freedom with all en-.
viousness and all uncharitablcness. In our day the
Bible has been assailed; indeed 1T mas been always
assailed but never so universally ana on such adj
vantage ground as to-day. Now regard indiiler-
ence with lar more fear tnan scepticism
SCEPTICISM HAS LIFE
and nerve in 1t, but Indifference has very fatal
influence do not believe that the Bible viii
ever be taken from us as a light and guide to our
way. 1t was never so important to the interests
oil man as to-day; Its mission Is indeed scarcely
begun. The light shines still In dark places and I
don't think the oil is burned out yet. After refer.
ring to what the Bible taught In relation to civil
and physical things he proceeded to set forth the
fact that the Bible In it's revelations OF GOD, OF
manhood. and OF life, had set forth principles that
had not been surpassed or equalled by any other
message to men, All attacks, therefore, that were
made upon the mere letter OF the Word. were at
tacks that were like man going into
an orchard, at night, and scraping bark
from an apple tree which the owner OF
the orchard might prize. When the latter
looked In the morning and saw what was done he
looked 10 see II the living bark had been touched,
and found IL was not. He did not care how often
the man came In the night TO do that so long as he
confined himself to scraping or the old bark ana
clearing out the insects. There were no words Ia
any language that fully portray these spiritual
truths. IL IS with the heart that man benevetn
You see a sign post and 1t says .Goshen SIX miles.
The hand points the way, but II does not tel o. te
PLEASANT LEAFY LANES, BUBBLiNG BROOKS, SHADY
TREES
and all the natural beauties OF that SIX mics
Take the word .'sorrow,r how little IT, as WORD,
conveys; but ia response TO our own ncart lu OF
sorrow how vast It's meaning. Inc Biole cannon
be a perfect, and absolute teacher since the inhnite
cannot be compared In tue unite. =; Tue MUD VI