The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-28
PLYMOUTH LRIDAY EVENING TALK

An Intensely Interesting EveMfng-Mr.
Beccher Defending His Rights.
The usual large gathering marked the services
last evening. The meeting was an interesting one.
Mr.. Beecher was very eloquent on his theme.
After the usual exercises he said IL made 1t rule
to make no mention OF what is said about
matters; but 1 will read q paragraph
it is nom some paper, l don't know
what one. 1t is OF the Conference Of Methodist
ministers, which meets weekly II is discussion
OF the causes OF Methodist declension. 1t says
The discussion OF the causes Of Methodist decen-
sion in New York and Brooklyn lost nothing by
standing over couple OF weeks. The preachers
were out In gOOdy numbers and the debate was
French, Rev. Mr.. vai DR.. holdich and Rev. John
Parker participated in the discussion.
PERNICIoUS INFLUENCE OF BEECHER.
Dr. Curry considered that the cause OF the
q n cities Inv e
tiers who are most popular in the two cities arc
tho who preach Christianity without Christ,
without the leading doctrines OF the Bible. Too
many OF the Methodist ministers strive TO initiate
and follow Mr.. Beecner, whose influence he con.
sidered excessively pernicious upon the moral and
pit ana through his paper Mr.. Beecher Is doing the
cause OF religion great harm. me DOCTOR con-
sidered the influence OF the Independent very dam
aging, but that OF the Christian Union far more
SO. DR.. Haven admitted the fact OF the declen-
in the pulpit nor to the preaching OF emasculated
theology by ministers There is power in the doc
e 81 the as the
the mode OF the past ages is not found so
efectual now as formerly The Doctor thought
new forms, are needed; but he was not prepared
to suggest what would be most beneficial and con-
vincing.
There, you have It, said Mr.. Beecher. Laugh
ter.) New, l want to say IN the first place,
it is not fair to Judge man by newspaper reports.
Though we are indebted much to reporters, we are
misrepresented sometimes in reports taken
honestly. 1 don't doubt that II we had heard
DR.. Curry's remarks they would not
have sounded 80 harsh ] am per-
suaded that this remark is not at all what he
really said still. 1t must have been something It
means that have been mischlevous man. Mr..
Curry, who is my personal triend-if not, why
would he take such liberties with my name p
thinks am not perfect man. ana ne DOESN'T Ike
the DRIFT OF the preaching issuing from Plymouth
pulpit would like to please him; hut cannot
please him and myself, nor him and my GOD. But
.EMAsCULArED THEOLOGY,
Is used, which means Christianity without Christ
d the mot e r Christ mot pTeang
preach Christ DR.. Curry does it is true; but II it
means that Christ Is not preached in my
l own Christ as the starting point from which
everything SPRINGS. ! have preached, not only
but have preached the manifestation OF our
Saviour-a very God-and with so many variations,
am surprised , when n,a,s man says preach
Curry badly informed, to Dr.. Curry, well informed
never set up for
or founde. OF system. began to preach to
save men. Sermons have used as instruments.
aeo fby ~ eedd eas aVs
ored to use the truth that it shall produce low
ing epistles OF Cod had no system that was
afraid would get out OF II Is thousand times
more important to rouse men, to fire them up
than to keep to routine OF system. NY
system Is the Bible system | nave taken truths
out OF the Bible and used them. Now, the sugges.
ton that the theology is weak may be true In q
general sense-Inay be weak aud erratic. differ.
royalty to that liberty and mean to. II DR.. Curry
had said differed nom hil and ne did not luke It
it would have been another thing. Well, as to the
mischief that is done, say am
IN SYMPATHY WITH MANKIND
feel the pulses the wants the yearnings Of the
it is different. If there has been a decline in
Methodlsm it has not been from initiating me, but
to the time. No minister has q right to set
himself up and say, Here ! am to run this
paSne c get s@ y
and hear something about Adam, or the Fall. All
well enough, but 1t is not what is In mems minds
There must be living men to teach live men live
truths. That rs the trouble-want OF adaptation. 1t
is how to preach men out Of animalism into truth
me Oh, on many subjects, as, for instance,
Baaam's ass Ho. speaking Nov DO you think
guide men; we use its influence to produce better
men and women. That's my theory; and although
don't object to what the r,said, II he did
say 1t, beg here to say IL was not In good taste or
good judgment, and what is more, 1t is not true.
The Rev. John Parker entered q strong protest
against the two brethren, Drs. Curry and Holdich,
who occupy easy positions and are not in the
ministry at all, coming here to lecture them on
laziness in the pulpit and to SANDER them by as
serting that they preach emasculated theology.
For himself. he would say that he never preached
sermon without having Christ In II. He knew that
he had religion, and that the people needed it, and
he had the boldness to tell them where they might
get 1t.