The New York herald., 1874-11-27
IN THE BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
Plymouth Church.

TbanRsciytng Day brought TO Plymouth church a
much larger congregation than usually gathers to.
gether there on this annual celebration. The
house was so well filed that nearly every seat was
occupied. Mr.. Beecher preached one OF his char.
acter1stic discourses, in which comments on reli-
gion, politics and social life were so happily
blended as 70 call forth demonstratlve approval,
that took the shape OF applause ana cheers from
the audience. The text selected was the fourth
chapter Of the hrst eplstie of Corinthians. the
nineteenth and twentieth verses :--"But I viii
come to you shortly II the Lord Will; and will
know. not the speech of them which are pufied up,
but the power; for the Kingdom OF COD Is not in
word, but IN power" Mr.. Beecher said that this was
not mere accidental statement OF Paurs for In
the fourth verse OF the second chapter were these
words :-"And my speech and my preaching were
not with enticing words OF mans WISDOM but in
demonstration of the spirit and OF power.v It
was evident that the apostle meant by "the wordn
the wnole system OF teaching. Now the Thessa-
lonian Church had apprehended the mode Of the
great civilization. The Grecian civilization was
remarkable for intellectual development to
larger extent than ever before. aud 30 some
extent than has ever been since. They had
set before them the great outline or the civilized
and material world as science and the aesthetic
system OF the globe. They were advanced In
ethics but not In aesthetics. The apostle makes
large distinction between the kingdom
OF God and the Kingdom OF intenectual
statement He regarded this as secondary
and Instrumental Tne kingdom of God did not
consist in these truths but in the essential and
fundamental condition Of the human mind. The
Kingdom OF Goa was found in man and not in
those things that have been set up to influence
men. We are not to understand that we are to
gard the statements OF the nth with indifference
put tnat the results TO DO sought and the actual
gain or such results are OF far more Importance,
condition OF the Kingdom OF God.
CONDITION OF CHRISTIANITY.
T0-day Will look at the history and condition
OF the world with regard to the question whether
Its present condition. as matter OF experience is
ton. In measuring the world | sIall use me
Apostles measure. IL Is certainly USE
how many ministers have been settled; how many many
missionaries have gone forth; how many converts
pave pave been added TO the churches; how many
BlDes nave been distributed; how many tracts
have been sent iorth as winged messengers All
these things are supposed to be instructive one
condition OF agriculture in The United states by
going into an agricultural warehouse and ascer.
the Year, You to orm an have aS
actual inspection 0t the farms, and the gardens.
Quantity not only, either, but quality must be
producing power OF the soil. SO, IN LOOKING out
on the condition Of the world, regard churches,
But the question is not how many Instruments meats
had been created, but what upon the whole has
agencies, and which have beea active lor 40 MANI
centuries; what has the power done among the
civilized nations OF the world; what Is the dyna.
Chr1stendom.
WITH RESPECT TO INTELLIGENCE,
Above all other periods In the history OF this
world this is the age great Intelligence II may
be said to be an age OF scientific fervOr. The ma
lions are aroused to scientlc zeal. There is vast
increase not simply or the facts known but OF the
power to know-an educated tendency to investi-
gate and determine. There is recognition OF the
power OF Intelligence such as has never been
world.
HOW THE WORLD IS GOVERNED
In government 1t Is not so long ago that Il was
force and then canning that were the factors or
government. To-day all governments feel that
their strength Is to make their people Intelligent
Education makes strong men for the State, Tor the
army, and education makes stronger men to
easily governed II they are governed rightly. The
desire tor knowledge has Increased among the
Known bfoe The mass a are SAYING
shall die ignorant but our children shall not We
beginning to find, alter 1900 years, that truth
In CHRIST shall make US free.
THE MORAL SENSE.
Let us look al the other factor OF which he
spOke-the moral sense, or the dynamic condition
or moral sense OF the human brain. We are liable
to mistake here in looking at the .'word" and not
at the power" Mr.. Beecner here spoke Of the
various meanings attached to the word ..revea-
ton" He SAID :-Reveation is only the unfold
90 s we enoe4
stand God except as great mind. We understand
the qualities or truth In men and then attribute
them to God and give them infinite proportions.
Therefore, every considerable advance in the
knowledge Of mans mind viii be disturbing
body now seems to oe alarmed because truth is
shattered. You must remember that this Is what
taxes a ine n the world
the outside bark Is cracking what Is 1t saying to
the bark but "get out OF the way" So, when men
are learning higher truths, larger and more
triumphant form OF statement, they say to those
earlier truths, ''get out Of the way" Churches
vermn @ must ret out Of the way M vi vitality T Is tue tue
best medicine, as well as the best sense. Jap
plause.) SO churches and theology must conform
themselves to q larger statement OF truth and
Justice from the topmost round to the very bottom.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
E.neve In the Pope, In archbiShOps, the bishops,
"a al his priests, in all his deacons, In all the sys
TENS or degrading weakness that have come down
In sasa e ages that
their right to put their priests upon when they
tell me 20 worship Jupiter when he has been
wien they call her the Virgin Mary. When all
these things are put upon me with 'Thus saith the
Lord" then and snen only does 1t concern me.
WHAT sAPpY TREE ROOT DID.
The ideal Vi manhood was never higher than II
Cnristendom. We have to-day . conception OF the
ideal man that reaches down TO the bottom OF So
world is to be laid down In the body. II regener-
alton has got q great deal to do generation has
got much TO do. There must be TO nave higher
order OF civilization higher organization or the
race. There Is no reason why men should be born
with slx-incn circumference OF the head. For
the very beginning OF the new heavens and new
earth there is needed new men that shall stand
mental existence OF mental strife. Society is full
OF disturbances, truths that are trying to develop
here, a tree with a small sappy root;
watched the growth of tnat tree, and by
and by the large nag stones that pressed
down the roots were raised, and they continued
to rse until this little sappy root had so disturbed
them that they Tilted the pavement, and the great
with men; you may put upon them as many ny
stones as you please In the form OF regulations
adjusts itself to their claims (Cheers.) Gener-
ally speaking society has one gate open. Men
butt themselves. generally speaking, at the sides,
ana they die before they find that gate again. ZAP
plause.)
Mr.. Beecher here said, on looking at his notes,
that he found that he had only got halfway
through his sermon, and that he mad Deen talking