The New York herald., 1874-07-30
A CHICAGO DIVINE SPEAKS

A CHICAGO DIVINE SPEAKS.
Sermon by tho Rev. Florence Me-
Carthy-The Church Has No Right to
Meddle In tho Matter.
From the Inter-Ocean.l
Marines Hall, on Ada street, between Madison
and Washington streets, was crowded yesterday
afternoon, the occasion being the delivery OF q
sermon by the pastor OF Amity Baptist church. the
Rev. Florence Mccarthy, on the subject .'Beecher
and Others" The text selected was from the first
episte Of Paul TO Timothy, fifth chapter and nine
teenth verse against an elder receive not an
accusation, but before two or three witnesses"
MIR. Mccarthy aid:-The text, which implies
the peculiar dangers to which ministerial reputa-
tion is exposed and inculcates extreme caution
in assailing 1t, has been chosen. not for formal
treatment, but simply as au thority for the spirit
OF much that viii be said In q discourse devoted to
the recent sad and shameful developments OF the
great Brooklyn scandal.
Mr., mccarthy gave q historical sketch Of Mr.
Beecher, with carefully composed estimate Of his
life and character and then prOceeded:-A great
many years ago-before the war-when he (Mr.
Mccarthy lived at the South, and had never seen
Mr. Beecher, ne had>a thought about him which,
In the light OF recent events, seems very strange
and very sad: This thought was thai Mr. Beecher
man in existence. At that time the speaker knew
nothing OF Beecher's personal appearance, which
was no doubt very attractive, and which was and
isyet plainly indicative OF strong feeling. He (the
speaker) only knew that Beecher was the most
e centre and sun of Circle Of %sa
and and fashion fashion , such & as no prince , could
Saw rG%nd aua nas @ @ Ha un
fascinated, luxurious women were those OF q Chris
tan pastor. This was SUFFICIENT to produce the I'M
preston on the speakers mind that Satan would
slit him wheat From the very first, however,
he credited Beecher with being man of heroic
purity, and when he had seen him and heard him
and made himself Iamiliar with his character and
history, he was more and more impressed with II,
and more and more ncined san to regard him as
ago, the first charges were brought against
Beecher, he was then sure of the result. And
when that letter from him, in which he wished he
were dead was read. he was sure he was another
David The speaker entered protest against a
church meddlng with case that it did not learn
a member; and II, in the meantime, the erring
er o s wSs no1 ev se a 0 s
strike out u man or woman'5 name from the church
roll. Plymouth church, In view OF Beecner's con-
to try their pastor or. investigate the charges
against MIN. Then, again, he would take Beecher's
''speak out.n The pastor had no right to no SO,
ana he would take his part III that regard. A man
church and the newspapers, too. on mere
rumor. man, especially a minister, who chal-
lenged an insnuation dld 50 at his peril, lor the
men who dealt In insinuatOns were In the ma
jOrity OF cases those who would not hesitate to
prove their case by lies and slander. Therefore,
ne who took them at their word also took them at
his peril. A few months ago the pastor of one Of
the large Baptist churches OF this city received
several anonymous letters from q lady member Of
his church. He was much exercised over the
matter. he pondered long and deeply as to whist
Ne 2a his weekly m tine ne nsy
ing, and at the conclusion stated some
things and asked II any Of the ladies had written
(SensatiOn.) Now this was only q sample. 1t may
be that this, something like It, was the cause or
the recent Brooklyn scandal. AS to that however,
he as well as his hearers, did not know. Beecher
might have acted as the Baptist preacher did, and
what would have been the result! tSensatlonJ A
chicago public knows too well this not the
way. There Is no such a thing Us a lair trial In
case ike that. lie found fault with the Beecher
business and his side Of the case, because of the
selection OF a committee from The accused's own
people. 1t was not Mr.. McCarthys place nor pur-
pose to say whether or not Beecher was guilty.
His plan was to. take from the sad case what les.
sons could be learned. Mr.. Beecher's fate hangs
thread 1t was in Beecher's power to prove
whether or not those letters produced against
him were false. There was at the present time u
very general assault made by the newspapers OF
the country on the Christian ministry. This was
almost epidemic in its nature. Every paper one
picks up contains stories about some preacher or
about whom have been scattered abroad through.
out the land. Was this done to put away or
wipe out priestcrafts Was 1t done with an idea
that the ministry was immoral? lie would remark
that those who made these accusations were
themselves guilty OF the charges they brought
n notaoie in the Brookyn scandal they ypSS should
not endeavor to wipe out that OF which
ee two Who
OF this city, who bore upon them the marks OF
their husbands vice, and those husbands had been
among the ones who had led IN an attack upon the
character OF clergyman whom they all knew.
The iact seemed to be- said Mr.. Mccarthy, that the
more successful minister was the more ready
and willing were some persons to bring charges
against him, and throw aspersions upon his Iair
name and fame. 1t was likewise, perhaps, In the
Brooklyn scandal. The men and women who were
presenting these accusations against Beecher
VIGOROUSLY criminal in the very things with which
they cna ged him. 1t would be strange II, in this
investigation which was going on all over the land,
some hypocrtes were not found IN the cNurcn
ranks. These Will be brought out, and the wicked
Will be cast to the winds. Then this Will have
brought to light the fact that tue tendencies OF
the present day Of some who are demanding
social reform are evil and only evil. Who arc these
social philosophers They are those who do not
believe In the purity OF the love of one man for
spreading all over the country and are initiating
against Christianity. To prove their system Is
case case and its results he 6ad Il heard card some peops
remark, "Poor man, no matter how Beecner comes
out, he's ruinedl" He would cry out end wished
his voice could reach both oceans, that the black
est OF blackmang that was done was done by the
church These things were liable to make men
humble, and lie would remark that no one but
Hibernian or q iool (sensatlon) would dare stand
church trial. They had heard OF ministers VINO
them too, and estimated them.
In conclusion he would remark that the Bible
did not sanction any such thing. Eloquence and
nigh ministerial ofilce are no indication of a holy
heart or LIE. The fall OF Beecner, If he TAILS, or
UlIy Hkc HiHl WOulu uOJ CduSc tue uOWu VI ally
religion, The same thing would produce the
downfall OF Free Masonry The Church would be
honeycOmbed with corruption II this were the
case. Ii so in the dark ages. What was the
result AreOrmation. This would surely follow.
The saviour would not desert His people. IL it had
been anything but Christianity which mad passed
through the fire 1t could not have lived and nour-
ished. But next winter 1t would stand out
grander and greater than before.
Mr.. Mccarthy concluded his sermon by reciting
very effectively the hymn,
Jesus shall reign whereer the sun.