Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-07
BEECHER's CONVERTS.
How the Great Sensational Preacher
Gathers Them In-Over One Hun
dred Persons Admitted TO Church
f.ar


Gathers Them In-Over One Hun
dred Persons Admitted TO Chureh
Membership.
New York Sun, Maya.
One hundred and two persons were
made members of Plymouth Church
yesterday. The pulpit and choir gal
lery were nearly covered with flowers
and green leaves, and the rush OF at
tendants was far greater than usual.
Thus the plain old interior was made
to show at a glance that the occasion
was inordinate. The candidates, seat
ed in the front rews, were first br1efy
addressed by Mr.. Beecher.
"You have separated yourselves from
this congregation, dear friends, he
said, ''to perform one Of the most mo-
mentous yet joyful acts of your lie.
You will never cease to feel the effect
of the dedication you now make.
Should you cling affectionately to that
Redeemer whom you are about to open
ly avouch, you will ever rejoice that
you were brought to this hour; but II
your soul shall draw back, and you
shall put Christ to an open shame,
this deed shall be an everlasting WIT
ness against you. Yet we do not cast
down. Though we have thought meet
to admonish you. it is with cheerful
hope that He who in love has called
you, will never forsake you until you
shall stand in Zion and before God "
The articles of faith were then read.
They are peculiar to Plymouth Church,
Mr.. Beecher being their author, and
are as follows:
We believe in the existence of one
everything and true God, sovereign
and Interchangeable, infinite In power,
wisdom, and goodness. We believe the
Scriptures of the Old and New Testa-
ments to be inspired of God; to contain
a revelation of his will, and to be the
authoritative rule of faith and practice.
We believe that the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost are revealed In the
Scriptures as existing, In respect to at
tributes, character, and Office, as three
persons, equally divine; while in other
respects they are united, and are, IN
proper sense, one God.
We believe that our first parents
were created upright; that they fell
from their original state by dis
obedience, and that all their posterity
are not only prone to sin, but do be-
come sinful and guilty before God.
We believe that God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten
Son to die for it; that Christ appeared
in the flesh; that He set forth a per-
feet example of obedience; that He
purely taught the truths needful for
our salvation; that He suffered in our
stead, the Just for the unjust that
He died to atone for our sins, and to
purify us therefrom; and that He rose
from the dead and assembled into
heaven, where He ever hveth to make
intercession for us.
We believe that God offers full for
giveness and everlasting life to all who
will heartily repent and believe In the
Lord Jesus Christ; while those who do
not believe, but perseyere In sin, shall
finally perish.
We believe in the resurrection of all
the dead; in final and general judg-
ment, upon the awards of which the
wicked shall 90 into everlasting punish
ment and the righteous into life eter-
nal.
do you thus believer" asked Mr..
Beecher, after he had finished reading,
and the candidates bowed. Then he
asked them to rise, and continued:
Do you now avouch the Lord Jehovah
to be your God; Jesus Christ to be
your Saviour; the Holy Spirit to be
your Sanctifer? RenOuncing the do
minion of this world over you, do you
consecrate your whole soul and body to
the service of God? Do you receive
His work as the rule of your life, and,
by His grace assisting you, viii you
persevere in this conservation unto the
end?
The candidates bowed assent, and sat
down. Thirty of them were then bap-
tiled, the pastor touching their fore
heads with wetted fingers, and repeat
ing the customary words. The cere-
mOny concluded with the rising of all
the members of the Church and an i'm
piled assent to the following covenant:
We, then, the members of this
Church, do joyfuny and cordially re-
ceive you into our number. We prom
Use to bear with you, to love, to edlfy
and by all means In our power to ad-
vance you in the Divine life. Amen.
Mr.. Beecher's sermon was a present.
ment of the possibility and propriety
of happiness in Christian life in oppo-
sition to the generally accepted and
sombre conceptions.
Two Of those who united with the
Church were immersed by Mr.. Beecher
in the baptistry under his pulpit on
Friday evening. Mr.. Beecher's olive
wood pulpit furniture was removed,
and in long, priestly robe he descend
ed the steps and dipped the candidates
Just under the surface of the tepid
water. The congregation sang, "Shall
Jesus bear the cross alone" and when
the second persona lady-had been
immersed Mr.. Beecher lifted his hands,
the water streaming from his flowing
sleeves. and with benediction dismiss
81 4bn.o u-bo IoI r,a+ha,a1