The New York herald., 1874-10-05
The Returned Pastors Teach Repent
ance and Reformation.
BEECHER PREACHES In PLYMOUTH.
Immortality Of the Soul and the Wisdom of
Wishing Long Life.
A BRIDAL PARTY AT MASS
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.


pravity of Man Explained.
About 10000 persons tried to get inside Ply
mouth church yesterday morning, the ushers
said. Over 5000 OF these found sitting and stand
Ing accommodation within the walls. Just before
the service commenced the surgng and impatient
CROWD ID the vestlbule and In the street tried TO
lorce itself within hearing seeing distance.
This occasoned so great pressure upon those
standing at the outer doors that 1t
became absolutely necessary that the
crowd should be driven back into the
street. This was done by the police, and in few
minutes the vestibule was cleared and the large
doors OF the church were closed. This had the
enect of dispensing those who were unable to OBJ
tain admission, to other churches or to their
homes. The large doors were in few minutes
opened again, and the vestibule was filed up with
those who had patiently waited Tor this cnance.
Within the church was multitude OF iaces every
entrance door beng blocked by crowd that
seemed to be engaged in trying to solve the proD-
lem OF how to compress itself into the smallest
possible space. on the walls and the front Of the
galleries were garlands of flowers stretched from
side to sde floral STANDS. with plants and nowers
were also placed on small pedestals eacn side
of the gallery windows On the platform the
usual May day pyramid OF floral beauty, composed
instead OF the flowers OF spring, OF autumna
plants Of brown and golden beauty. These
the gratuitous offering OF Mr.. G. L. Allen. Behind
this autumnal decoration and TO the left OF the
preachers chair were seated Mr.. Sam WilKeson
and DR.. Bayard, brothers-in-law OF Mrs. Elizabeth
Cady Stanton. In the general audience were
nearly all
THE FAMILIAR FACES
that constitute the stock congregation OF plymouth
church. The Beecher family were, perhaps, the
most notable, and included DR.. Charles Beecher
DR.. Edward Beecher Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe, Mrs. Beecher and Mrs. Perkins. The choir
was largely strengthened BY some Of those who
had formerly sung in the choir. The opening
anthem Zundels "Te Deum." 1t was
Intended that another anthem, somewhat
appropriate to the welcoming of Mr. Beecher,
should be sung, and in which the choir had been
practised Tor three weeks past. Mr.. Beecher,
however, strayed INTO the practice meeting on
Saturday night and, finding out what was going
on. put his veto upon ii, and selected the .Te
Deum, tor the opening OF the morning service.
II proved, however, IN another respect to be Of
little consequence what was sung, lor the con
by the outside crowd caused comparatively ttle
attention to be paid TO this part OF the musical
service. All was quiet when Mr.. Beecher rose to
lead IN the opening prayer Alter this he read
portion OF the Sermon on the Mount. Then he an
n0unced the 199th hymn, conmencing:-
Come. thou Almighty King.
Help Thy 20 sing.n
This was followed by prayer, which was OF the
tender and earnest character usually offered by
Mr. Beecher. Before the singing OF the hymn that
followed CIR. Beccher announced that in accord
ance with the usual custom on the first sunday
alter vacauon no evening service would be held
In the house. 1t was stated by one OF his friends
Beecher is not quite tree from his annual attack
OF nay lever ana that II it would have been
slstent with his public engagements he would have
stayed few weeks longer at the White Noun
tains. The subject OF
was the depravlty OF man and the text selected
was clause OF the tenth .er verse oh Of the
Slnnn IN a g ~
VIII, MIR. Beccher said,, is universal law;
it is the crown, therefore, OF universal hope the
foundation is the Divine will or law, seeking Tor
the highest good OF all the creatures OF God, and
that according to the circumstances OF their crea-
put by Divine Providence. We have been taught
from childhood that we were slniui, and so we
Rrees, nrst or last, all men have corrupted them
selves Nevertheless, the general conception
which has been formed win respect TO the nature
and character Of man has been reasoned OF in
peculiar terms. The mode OI statement. too IS
again wide OF the truth When We say that
every needs to be educated, and tnat
that is n universal necessity, tnat is truth. But
II 1T is said the thoughts and actions, every
timing belonging to human experience, that IS
not true. But it Is SAID all men are corrupt by
reason OF their own original nature. Who made
tnat nature? 1t was the work OF God. | was not
born where was by my cnoce. 1t Is not by any
fault OF my own that was born with prenara-
OF my own. 1t given to me- II IS not the
1aut OF the hawk that 1t is the hawk or the virtue
o. the dove that II ls the dove. Il is no degrada-
It is so because God meant that it
should be So 1t is the condition ,ldn Of men
thy, infinite forpearance and Infinite difficulty.
1t is needed that man be born again, not once,
to upbear them. 1t is a great fact, universal both
as respects all time and extent This IS truth, but
been held. 1t Is not felt that important discrim-
nations ought to be made when we Apply the
Remember that the Will OF God is not understands
able at once, not simple and general, and widely
30 at the point OF aspiration, because Of
THE MEMORABLE RULE
OF Judgment that all men are TO be judged in their
fallen condition just as they are to be judged in
cumstances OF the hard LIE we found him in, to
be judged by the same rule that the archangel
1sy Tnat men throughout our own civilized land,
born some OF thieves some OF robbers, some OF in
temperate parents, some born where no culture
and apply it continuously to all men in common
and one mind, you might as well by one wide
sweep and nash OF lightning wipe out all the race.
No man can be measured by such a standard
that. II that were the divine purpose and con-
ceptlon ana it were to be constantly applied
IT WOULD SLAUGHTER THE RACE
shall we make virtue essg Shall we make
morals less shall we take away from the world
all the motives tnat exist 10 swell manhood No;
the standard must be kept. 1t would destroy the
race III another way. What need we then We
stand between them and the influences under
winch they have been born into this lie, by which
maj Iorm ~ of perfecton. Wien we pray Thy
will be done,n 1t is that will under the Limitations
Of time, OF 1orbearance or genteness and patience
on the part OF God. He has so fashioned His moral
government that 1t looks upon imperiection
and unrighteousness with that least portion
Ol allowance that Is necessary to bring 1t into q
final form. 1t Is not possible Tor man TO CONCEIVE
Oi the conception OF q divine nature. Only SO
much as we have ourselves can we understand,
and no more, Can any man understand what the
sun Is? He never can. No man can form any
conception OF any mental quality, only so far as
the argument the germ OF 1t Is IN ourselves.
Consider how very imperfect is the understanding
Of our own selves, and what arc the causes OF the
must be the knowledge OF Jnat mind which
governs the universe. 1t is impossible ior man to
understand the nature OF human government.
we know how unattainaDle Is the knowledge of
6ue science OF right government. II mar does not
understand this how much more unattalnaple Is
the knowledge ot the divine government that
jncudes lnhnttcsl Men speak OF the divine Will
As II " could be put into catechsm as II IL were
shingles on a roof and we could count the nails
here and there We understand a little