The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-20
PLYMOUTH FRIDAY TALK.


MIR. Beecher's Dissertation on the Plan
of Salvation.
There Is no falling or in attendance at Plymouth
church yet; the prayer meeting last evening was
as crowded as usual. After the usual exercises
Mr.. Beecher sad:-I received note. | meant to
have brought it to read, but forgot it, However,
/ can state its purport. The man asked me
whether it was necessary for faith In
the Lord Jesus that we should have .
clear apprehension OF His work and OF
the way In which He is enabled thus 10 become the
Saviour of those who put trust in Him. This is =
question of great deal more importance than
many are apt to think. l begin by stating that in
His own time the Lord presented Himself to men in
His own proper person; He shone out in His radi-
ant character and all those who believed aid not
believe because they understood His nature, or
because they understood the theory and doctrine
of the atonement; and it Is equally certain that
when the Apostles went out to preach, they
preached Christ, not in the aspect OF
MODERN THEOLOGY,
and the questions discussed were not the ques-
tons we discuss as to law. &c. When Paul spoke
of the law you are to bear in mind that he meant
q different thing from what modern theoogists
mean, and when Christ was preaching to the Jews
they tended to draw Off and say, NAY. we are
Noses disciples" but Paul argued with them,
saying,
1t is through obedience to Him tna. you have what what
Se aw 70 not trust en 70 y
trust living person; ana .S.v when a...t they
Christ, living person, not law, but great,
powerful friend, who would save every one who
puts trust in Him. The theological governmental
aspect as to how He was able to forgive sinners Is
settled and yet, to certain extent, 1T has been
the view presented. The PHILOSOPHICAL experience
Christ himself, and in HIS time probably ninety
nine out OF a hundred loved HIM as person, and
did not have q clear view OF the
MODUS oPERANDI
by which Christ saved men. That was not what
they thought; they trusted living person and
not society. would not be understood to say
that 1t Is unimportant to inquire what was the re-
lation OF Christ to the Godhead? TO inquire what
the relation OF His lie to moral influences? But
this | do affirm that this is second TO the main
point, which Is to gain an understanding OF Christ
the soul OF man Or salvation. recollect hearing
q Sc mon preached In which
THE CROSS OF CHRIST
was the text, and the word 'crOSS'' was used
altogether, Christ not at all cross cross cross all
the Time. The atonement OF Christ Is continually
presented almost as If 1t were another name for
Deity; not that l deny the at0nement, but that
certainly Is not God.
back to the man. II speak of what man has
done evinclng SKILL 1t s not TO praise the object
What we want Is the sense OF a living being not .
legal officer; not what he did, but what he Is So
when hear men talking about the
PLAN OF SALVATION
In Jesus say we are to be saved by Jesus Christ.
don't object to your talking about the plan or
salvation In Jesus Christ: object 10 any recapltu-.
aton. our hope is not in what He did but what
He Is. We are to put our trust in the nature Of
God itself The thing Itself lives IN the soul OF Cod
and, therefore, say you don't need TO understand
what the sunerings OF God were; 1t won't
do you any good. He who, therefore, would be
safe, don't dlssuade Eim RON inquiries, but
say let not the framework OF words let no theory,
no phrases whatever take the place in your con-
seriousness Of your love for the all powerful God;
and whoever trusts i'll God believing Him a-wise,
loving and just. though he may be imperfect In
all human philosophy, has the element that saves.
1t Is the power Of aith Ill Jesus Christ tnat saves
Here Mr.. Beecher gave space for remarks and q
brother said, What do we Know OF Mr.. Beecner's
plan, but his preaching. l here read in different
writer's OF this or that being incOmpre-
hcnsole, ana I examine the New Testament
to find anything lncomprehensiDle, but nave
looked in vain Tor anything That says this or that
is incomprehensble TO tine Christian. God put
mind in us to look and lind out things for our
seves.r Mr.. Beecher sald:-''No. that is not the
end Of life. Paul says .knowedge puffeth up but
love buiideth up mans strength does not lie In
what he knows. knowledge IL good Tor nothing
except for character, and God is not God because
He can do what He likes but He Is God because HIS
goodness Is infinite and just and pure, and so
BLESSED are the pure in ieart'n
After the prayer meeting the Examining COM
mittee met to receive applications for membership.