The New York herald., 1874-11-16
BROOKLYN CHURCHES,
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

Mr.. Beecher breaches ON the Fall OF
Man-The Orthodox Notion Of Evil
Disavowcd.
The pleasant but novel spectacle OF house that
was filed, but not crowded TO overnowtng, greeted
the early attendants at Plymouth church yesterday
morning. Before the sermon began the entrances
TO the doors and aisies were crowded as OF Old
however, and there was the same eager. bustling
crushing groups at the entrances that disturb
the feeling Of serenity IN worship to those whose
pews are near the doors. Mr.. Beecher preached
one of his characteristic sermons, on the "Fall OF
Man, In which was expressed views that have
o tendency to discomfort the orthodox. The text
selected was the eighth verse OF the second chap
ter OF hesians:-"For by grace are
ye saved through faith: ana that not OF
yourselves; 1t Is the gift OF God" Mr..
Beecner commenced by stating that the
institution OF divine revelation or teaching has
limitations, and these 60 far to determine the
method OF instruction in every age. There can be
no other teaching except such as is In accordance
with the faculty, conception and moral con-
dition OF those TO whom the teaching is sent. The
experiences, the voiitions that attach to men in
their ideas, their institutions and their customs,
that run with their philosophy. viii have much to
40 with the manner and the form of the mstruc.
ton. We see this not only to be SO philosopni-
caly, but historically; that thls Ia the moae in
which
MODERN TRUTH
has been developed. 1t has reformed itself as to
power in each OF the ages In which it mas come to
man, and that in the ancient time which obtained
during the period Of the prophets the instruction
derived from them Is very different in its adaptation
and methods to that which was given by Jesus
Christ. When the apostle OF the Gentiles went
forth taking the great substantial truths OF Christ
and teaching them when ne preached to the Jews,
he adapted himself to the use OF figures in the
illustrations OF manners and customs that the
Je m AthQnQ
he formed his MODE OF address to the intellectual
conception Of she Greeks. Hence has sprung the
have been desired to be taught in the Christian
church. The law OF development. therefore, Is
Il is this which m makes o preaching necessary.
Then as TO this question OF evil believe tnat al
manxnd ma are sinful ana yet can not accept
kind is totally deprayed. l can understand that
N the language 81 poetry ana emotion may sag
philosophic statement cannot say that men are
polluted Suppose were TO come into this house
worms you're wormsr' you could mot believe
It. In the presbytery and when mans charac-
ter Is under examination II is generally the course
to be very orthodox IN regard 70 this Bus cannot
because they craved the food that tneir senses
has stretched q polluting and depraving influence
upon all the nations, and that all mankind IL TO be
IS ssa you set aside the origin Of
mans sinfuness, what nave you to putin its steadf
have nothing to put In Its stead except tue
testimony which history gives. / think shat
will show that man was created at the very mini
mum point OF humanity, and that historically the
unfolding Of man las been very gradual. LOOK at
the actual condition OF the race to-day. Before
the sun goes down to-day there Will be born in
Africa one thousand children. These thousand
children are started In life without conscience,
with little faculty. They bring with them the cul
minated tendencies OF their parents. These chill
dren have not had the advantages Of orthodox
preachers. DID these children fail In their orig
inal righteousness Z When they we're created they
were simply
A BUNDLE OF CAPACITIES
ana that IL the condition OF ninetY-nine children
out OF every hundred. Men are born not only
without original righteousness, but they are born
without anything. They are at zero when they
are born. They can cry; they can suck: they can
Sleep and that is about the extent OF their accom-
pllshments. Mr.. Beecher, In referring, to the
conditions In which men are born, described the
luxuriapt growth OF the oak In the temperate
cline OF Virginia and the oak born In Northern
CLINE. The shriveled oak, no matter what caused
It, was there, and had that condition. Mr. Beecher
closed by describing what salvation was, and gave
an illustration Of how imperfectly the Esquimaux
would form conception OF warmer and more
civilized state OF existence In more temperate
latitudes. Salvation. then, was found In the
ability OF the soul TO feed on Coo and TO 60 back
to communion with the feeder. He closed by the
inquiry as to what his congregation had done to
earn this salvation. II they went back TO the text
IL said that God was rich in mercy, and that at
is by grace we are saved"