The New York herald., 1874-12-14

death. In the second place, Christ is to be our
Judge, and this He cannot be at present LOT his hs
Final jude. He died for our redemption he IS
now our mediator, but His 1udgeship IS yet 70
come. lie cannot Do judge and mediator At the
The services were concluded with communion.
PLYMOUTH OHURCH
Sermon by Mr.. Beecher ON tho slow
Development OF Christian Character
The Rationale or Spiritual Growth
Hints for its Cultivation.
The dull, -Jeaden. gray clouds that rolled above
us yesterday morning had something to do doubt
less, with diminished attendance at Plymouth
church. The house was crowded In every part,
but there was no overflow In the outer lobbies.
Mr. Beecher preached q sermon on the slow de-
velopment OF the Christian character. He selected
for his text the seventh. eighth and ninth verses
OF the fifth chapter OF the Episrle to the
Galatians-"Ye did run well; who did hinder you
that ye should not obey the TRUTH This persua-
sion cometh no. of him that calleth you. little
leaven leaventh the whole lump" The develop
ment OF Christian character, said Mr.. Beecher, be-
gan WELL 1t received a check, though there was 10
necessity that 1t should do 80. 1t did not come
from any limitations IN the nature OF things, or
the interpOstion OF divine influences 1t came
from reasons that were extremely human and
needless. II you consider the low development
OF Christian character 1t does not surprise us. on
looking pack, that men should be inconstant
When the light broke lrst it had much OF darkness
In 1t; light that at best must have been only
twilight. A light that was colored by party views,
by custom, by government. BY policy, by q thou
sand circumstances that were round about To us
Jesus Is not an obscure Jew. dlsowned OF His
countrymen, cruciaed by the Romans. in barbarty
and agony. So far as we can see we discern q
Saviour that recrlfies the barbarities OF human
nature. A gradual change that rcctites the
growth OF the soul OF man; new poetry, new
sovereignty-a change that cometh SO gradually
that 1t dcnoteth o degree Of development In our
time-is q change Of the world indeed from side to
side.
CHRISTIANS OF TO-DAY.
When We consider that those whom We address
have passed their life in religious families, that
from their earliest years they have lived IN the
very atmosphere OF Christian life; when they At
selves among Christians, we might say OF such
that their growth Will be rampant, and that when
the gardener lets IN the sun al win be green and
blOssoming their side. Yet while we do not say
that Christianity has not developed, and we say
that the mind and institutions or single spiritual
genius have thrown their bght and their glory
SHINING on the age; and wnle VIC recognize this
mucn ana also mat tins influence is greatly in.
creasng, yet we say tnat II, instead OF looking At
books, at hymns and at theories. you VIII look at
people, the question is an important and pertinent
one, Why is The deve opment of fun Christian
character SO sIows Will take with allowance the
statement that being member OF church Is no
G o. n xs n macn az
are just selfish, proud and avaricous as any
body else. There are many tninss 70 be stated be.
INTO INTO your SH'ns own conscience and take G the
and Thy neighbor as thysell," then observe also
position and Of the great constituent features OF
the SOUL ana see now tncy are aiIected BY It, !
Christian life IS not all that we should have. We
are not living on high plane; we are only looking
yoke tnat Should be SO easy, and burden that
should be SO light? There spring up those who
say 70 u.s. M We haye aye H only a ain we snail come
forgiveness from sin, but dellverance from SIM"
But the question with me is-Is IT the promise OF
a miraculous work, and all the mallgn-liKe or ma
| ture goes away, as on the dny OF Pentecost or is
1t final Development, an educations Is it to
and by instrumentalities, in winch the instrumen-
talisles and the knowledge are spplied'
! The first reason why the work Ol ripening in the
CHRISTIAN character IS slow Is that the work is one
OF training and not OF sudden Transformation. A
man who takes religion easily is generally an
! emotive man; but emotion and imagination do
ana an
not necessarily typical. An imaginative man IS .
changeaple man, and he goes up and down &C
/ effect or the relation OF the experience OF such
men at meeting, and then asked II that was good
be but one answer gwen, and that was that the
springs are around the beginning, are but the
goes on BY slow stages just any other education
does, with this difference, that this Is on higher
plane There never was man since. since the World
education. There are no more striking ilustra-
tions OF that than are found in the New Testa-
ment-there Is q constant repetition OF building
and edi1ying. Whether i be tree or 9 building
education Is OF itself intrusicaly more difficult
than any that man can conceive or attempt. we
have narrowed the Interpretation OF the Masters $
| directlon-"Strive to enter In at the strait
gate" In any line OF development the difficulty
increases as you go up. There Is nothing SO hard
the soul. different natures necessarily develop In
different ways.
Men are called to this inward growth concur
rently with the development Of theit internal af-
fairs. SO that 10 overcome 1T they must overcome
institution inan the Church or the SABBATH. Il Is
in this way that the Inspirations OF truth Of good
men mad to to learn the art Of war only on the battle
field 1t would be considered very difficult thing
to do Yet men are pushed into te ior the tn deye
their only school. II, then, you say, reIlgion s so
difficult | may as we'll not attain it. have never
not afrord to live on the mere plane Of iiie. The
t%a business Of. y'n your liie oh.u Is 80 to live live
over over the earthly elements. The probena Il,
OF life Is how young man shall get soundness
and put the lower life down 1t Is not more DIM
and developing than 1t is for you 10 live with your
physical development going on. II you would live
early beginning. begin now. Every year steadier
grow the tendrs that govern your lie. II men
M ie m s sG Of the and
duties OF life you Will be glad OF the mercfu state.
ment OF the Gospel, "iou need helpful spirit, =
and which says "rhe bruised reed l Will not
break.u
Ivprr uArr