The New York herald., 1874-12-07
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYxoUTH CHURCH.

O1VVAAxG VAOAOklE10s
PLYk0UTH CHURCH.
MIR. Beecher Prcaehcs ON the Life OF
Paul-Foundatiom Building In Mem
and society.
The noticeable feature yesterday morning Of the
congregation at Plymouth church was that 1t was
made up TO larger extent than usual Of the pew
ow ners and their fricncs. When the time came
for the entree OF the strangers there were few
vacant seats and the result was that the aisles
ana entrance doors were more than usually
crowded. Mr.. Beecher preached . sermon Of con-
siderable power on foundation building, as Illus
trated In the life OF Paul. The words selected Tor
the text were from the fifteenth chapter Of
Paul's Epistle TO the Romans, and the twentieth
verse-"Yea, so have / strived TO preach
the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest
should build upon another mans foundation"
When Paul was converted. said Mr.. Beecher he
stood very high among his own people, and bis own
nation, rs q man OF capacity, education and
knowledge. He had executive talent. He was
evidently fitted to take The lead to put down
pestilent heresy that hts countrymen thought was
spreading among them. 1t was on one Of these
errands that he was struck down and brought 10
saving knowledge OF Jesus Christ. Paul's charac-
ter was SO bright; he was man with tempera.
ment OF the utmost lervor. NOW, being con verted,
one would suppose that . man with such a nature
would have zone to Jerusalem and put himself at
the head OF the Christian movement. His oppor-
tunities would seem 10 have pointed out the
neignborhood OF the modern church, one
to be especially fitted for man OF his executive
ability. Instead OF that alter spending few days
at Damascus he went to Arabia and spent the
first three years OF hls ministry somewhere
either in Syria or Arabia. o. :hess first three
years we have absolutely no account whatever.
Tnen lie went to Jerusalem and stayed there only
a fortnight. Alter tnat he went north to Asia
Minor, and Tor fourteen years he labOred without
going back 10 jerusalem &C all. He aiterward
went back TO the city tor a saort time. lie de-
clares tnsI ne preached NE Gospel where other
a commanding position or q good salary.
WHAT PAUL DID.
who had taken prominent position. He went to
the Gyntilc world and preached there. He pre-
icrred 70 60 where 81 there r iad been NOBODY to lay
the Apostle s. PauI's ieenng; "I'il DO foundation
prefer to 90. wnen went down in the caisson OF
was. 1t VAS narrow, cotnparatively contracted
place. wnere men were WORKING under dtsagreea-
When / came up i thought when that
bridge is flushed there viii be thousands
ana admire it and % praise p0 the '"e engneers. ens
but there will be very few Who will think OF the
men who worked tn tnas caisson and VINO laid the
These men who worked there, cribbcd and con-
lined, will get precious lit tie thanks. Yet. f0unda-
tlons are very important for these massive struc-
tendency is to build structures that seem
IA NaS s aMays vesD s
70 see them do. Now, that man should IKE to
man might do It for bread; olt he would scarcely
90 It for pleasure. WHAT then, was IT that Paul
sSe Gospel, not W where Christ was 'G named, lest
should build upon another mans foundation"
WHAT WE'RE rAUL's HOTlvEsf
What were the motives that prompted this In
the arst place Paul had Chris,lan prize. he
sake OF his message. We know that his natural
temperament would make him full as large as he
nobody else viii do.S This was proper pride.
condemnatory or PRIDE, but II is very useful iail.
ing There have been thousands OF men destroyed
destroyed De- a IT.
always IaIing tnat he never got rid or and 1t was
NE tne IMPRESSION tnat he ought to ?. .eacn cue Cos
IT was this, that he should do IL because
ne nan persecuted the Caurch. Then there wasthe
feeling OF love TOR Christ. In this there was q
love ior CHRIST. II was a fountain tnat could not
oe restrained. Thus 1t came that when he lay In
prison, at me close OF hts work, he rejoiced in
the assurance. 81 have fought a good fght.n
which WAS an assurance that 1t was beneflccnt
thing, and was intended Tor tue ha apptness OF
mankind. There have never lived upon the earth
but two or three men VINO were his equals in this
magnanlmlty. One OF these was Noses and per-
hapS two or three more. He was a great preacher,
man OF magnificent zeal. This was the cnurac-
ter1sttc OF his ministry Tor thirty-one years. such
man don't come Ia every age, and wnen he does
come there are very few men wno are apt to ap-
preciate HIM. This life OF PAU ought to anord an
example to US and 10 all nations
SOCIAL PROGRESS.
The world is moving. All nations are working
themselves forward. Tue questions that are agi-
tating mems minds are making themse. yes heard.
We are hearing complaints and we are ha Wing ar.
gunents. Men at the bottom Of life are too low
down to care for renncments There must be q
provision III society l0r noble souls so that otner
men shall have largeness In their manhood from
top r bottom. 1t IS the best In the community
whica determines the degree OF CIVILIZATION. the
mother OF Christianity and the mother of ciyftixx-
tiOn must be taken where the men live. The
question OF the times Is what Is the condition Of
the great laborlng classes. We know that every
thing In this wOrii goes up by birtit-throes aud
striving. The example OF Paul should teach US
that men should take PRIDE In their WORK that
should have larger view of his work
than the mere money recompense. Mr.. Deecher
here hlustrated BY number OF examples thfs
truth, among others he instanced the builder OF
ne said must have thought amid the weary days
and hours OF cold, dark DAYS, IN which the founda-
ton work OF that lighthouse was done, OF the
thousands Of happy men and women who would
gave them. a man by thus living put himself into
his work. Then there was the man with practical
tdeas and the man with sentimental but fh0 dif.
ference between mean man and true man was
the dinerence between heaven and hell The toll
and struggles OF work may be largely redeemed
by the epirit you bring TO 1t. Mr.. Beecher con-
cluded oy Illustrating this thought by instancing
kne careers tnat hao made Immortal the names or