New-York tribune., 1874-05-04
THE FRIGHT SIDE OF RELIGION.


The plain walls and stitf-featured interior OF
Plymouth Church assumed positive, though renecteu
beauty yesterday, with the multitude OF flowers ana
green FORMS which betokened the presence OF kinder
weather. and filed the atmosphere Of the church WIN
freshness and fragrance. The whole OF the space de-
voted to the choir fronted with elegant stand
boudues-the gift Of Mr. Duryea-and the platform pre-
sented lavish display of the same beauties among
which was a tastetuy designed cross of white inter
spersed with blossoms Of vivid color and bearing on its
pedestal the word Victory" The services themselves
were more usually interesting and suggestive over
100 persons being admitted into the churc22 by letter
and 80 by profession Of faith, With Of these the
rite OF baptism performed. The sermon OF Mr.
Beecher powerful argument on the theme OF JOY
onsness in religion the preacher demonstrating the
NECESSITY and benefit regarding religion In the light OF
and fear The text chosen was: Rejoicing in hope
patient In trlbuatiOn, continuing instant IN prayer
Tns. he began may be called a maxim Of life, char
Ter OF happiness. JOY is not quality Of action, or
mood which may belong to any or al OF the tcutesOl OF
the human soul There Is duplication pom IN tb Sne
IL IN healthy state or IS treated acc0rdng 10 ls oWh
nature responds pleasantly and Joyfuly; II u De III III
health treated contrary To its nature 10 has the IN
& verse 9con o4 tSs S6d% boz PnO eSn @
dsisuates pain Of the mind In respect to the faculties
they be violated or wrohsy einpSYei then Iney nave
the inverse power Of producing suffering Now pain OF
il not tine for which they created but caution
arv alternative, remedial; and pain bears TO the body
cine bears to the organs OF the body: Pain and su
ferng arei either caudonury-lndcating! that
back from wrong wlys-Or educatona-insp
ring the highest development Of life. JOY Is nor
NAL for II Is that which best becomes every faculty lg
is the response which we have right 10 seek and
expect from every faculty OF the human soul AS I'M.
the neediulncss OF IL Is sign OF our nferority mper-
fecon. defects in all forms OF discipline, sefdenals,
Pleasure Is the testimony Of any faculty that it is
ing in health NOW is Christianity to be a pleasure
q "A Is
Testqment YOU will nd both things continuously recog.
nlzed viz, the spirit OF suffering and the spirit Of
exdltiOn OK suffering, and you VIII also una IL over
flowing with the idea joy and rejoicing and the ques
on OF which OF the IS characteristic becomes there
fore merely question Of rank Of gradation Religion,
b. played slowly, in dun way or rapidly with spark
hns effect. Tue popular idea OF religion Is on tue
whole dolorous 1t IS very much commercial trans
action We pay a certain amount Of sorrow here for the
sake Of having very large dividend or JOY hereafter
And people exalted to become Christians feel that they
called from liberty TO as it used
to seem TO me wheH was was 6n ias % 5atn ami
told must not 80 outside OF tho door yard-s0 TO
great many people 1t seems on gong nto Tue cIure E
20 outside OF the gate for fear Of the bad boys don't
regard religion There IS no man so ut to live the
largest life he whose soul has taken divine liberties
from It's God. - ,
very many moods. There have been periods and there
are still sections where religion is still presented n its
virtue the more sefdenia the better Is. This
ascetic school has damaged Christianity exceedingly
ib ~ me danaers Of the fnture sncb
Of the awful responsibilities that were laid upon
them that they have come TO THINK IL means the utmost
soemnty and hours for sobrety but 20 characterize
religion by sOlemnity is as If man should characterize
nature by the night instead OF the day or as man
the emphatic things" Which ls the more-the tree
Then there is view OF Christianity which makes con.
science the vital point and men are sefstudous and
fearful lest they shall violate conscience,
and they live on the sense 81 Responsibility, Now con.
science IS necessary quality, but there are great
many qualities that not unnecessary which
stany projected into the ground Conscience what the
bones are to the human body hey arc very good when
covered up but they are ghastly when disclosed and
nothing but bones appear. There are many Christians
Just like Skeletons VINO 20 around with ghasy faces
showing nothing put bones Ihelr Thought Is ever OF
responsibility, and awful fears encompass them NOW,
these specimens OF oseoogy that ought to DO ex-
cluded.
religion can Imagine how one-half OF those that are
distrbuted-f man was only sick and In morbid con-
dltion, much discouraged and shut up IN corner
would lead toward religious life, but man is in good
health and In the full performance Of fos duties,
be thrown upon his religious tendencies than by some
OF these tracts The best thing about Is that
plety and devotion that sent FORTH how almost
trely they run upon the minor key how shadowy they
and comforts the sOull
Now religion gives the largest manhood possible
manner of eFeumserptions The aim Of true Christian
versatility, his liberty, scope OF thought, aud MS
power OF Imagination Not that 1t promises this here
after butt is It's object to produce 1t mere.
need not tell you that great many religious people
are disagreeaOle. lLaughterI A great many persons
whom you believe 10 be trlle-mnded and rghthearted
you have the confident belief VIII die and 20 To
Heaven; their religion IS cast Ia such mold that they
agreeable. Children do Mt Ike them, and that
Is good test. tlaughter.l Natural, simple people
do Mt IKE them ana that Is pretty good test. They
see stld aud pOkerish," aud present religion In
intensely dsagreeabe aspect. The theory OF Christian
Joy mat are TO TO nnd ID your business. In your
daily duties generally. joy must be found IN nature,
society, enterprise, aud In labor Nneteentwenteths
OF "A mlus time must be spent In work. How shall he
undertake to be Offering prayers during the day unless
ones. Therefore let hun snow his
religion IN tho JOY or being fair aud honest,
In doing good and recognizing IN these his
love for tue Lord. IL Is not the trouble
Of this world that causes much pain, but the low
tone IN which Wa receive IT, the relaxed condition of the
nature that receives It. which, consequently, cannot
bear 1T whilc instead, should make ourselves COM
petont 90 throw aside these feelings 10 great extent
We should make lives joyous with appreciation
VI all tnat u " DO appreciated that trouees meet