The New York herald., 1874-12-31
PLYMOUTH PRAYER MEETING.

GEvIEw OF THE PAST YEAR-rTs EFFECT ON
MR.. BEECHER
Plymouth lecture room was much better filled
last night than on the previous Wednesday, but,
after all, failed to come up to the usual attend.
ance. MT. Beecher's stand was ornamented by a
very beautiful basket OF flowers. After the Gus
tomary exercises Mr.. Beecher said lin the last
meeting OF the year 1t is natural that we should
cast backward eye over our expert
ences. That we are in the body, that
We OF necessity attend to the practical
wants OF lie, that we are obliged to use our
physical nature Is the suDstratum OF life. SO in
all ages the tendency to act with reference to the
visible and temporal Is universal, even when we
know tnat our spiritual man is the real man and
our flesh the temporal and that all should be
judged by the higher manhood, and that is bad
which rops our higher manhood, and that Is good
which tends to elevate 1T. Now, II you wish to
Judge by this standard, 1 can imagine a
meeting or the Church, In which the
brethren were to tell their years experience
One would rise and say 'sThis has been q
dark year, there has been great deal OF sickness
ads nd uana hss a beeu hcayvn can ,magne
an angel rising and saying, "l nave blessed tins
man all the year. Wnen l took hold OF him ne
was all body but i have trained him, cut on
shoots here and there, till now there Is prospect
OF his making quite
he
can imagine another brother rising and saying,
"rnls has been heavy year. | have been ground
up BY cares. but the Lord has sustained me. | am
thankful 1t Is no worse.r And | can imagine
IN anger saying, THAT man was too prosperous;
he was growing hard. have gwen HIM trials ali
the year, and l think there are germs now that
show that ne Is going toward spirit life." 1 can
Imagine another saying, IL have been very much
blessed; my wealth has increased; the Lord has
been good" and he sits down, and an angel says,
"Tnis has been the worst year tnat man has had
Tor ten years; he has not grown stronger; ne has
m nAtaA thn man has not
iarger.n Now. il we Judge ourselves in the year
that has gone BY Gods oealings in outside
e bear
ness IN regard to the last year Wnat has been
the effect OF your experiences Have you grown
in camness. courage nope and latin In the reality
OF invisible things, and In patience and humility
Am STRONGER
In those qualities which make the higher nature 7
can say IN regard TO my own sell that this has
been prosperous year. have rolled Oh great
many burdens, and I have mad good deal more
rest than la years past. Ii has pieased God TO
give me larger sense OF conservation. don't
know that should exactly say that have con-
secrated myself In the Orthodox acceptatlon OF the
term; 0ut find spontaneous consciousness
OF my thoughts and feelings, not rising towards
ambition and pleasure, out towards the righteous
ness that VIII make the world letter, and bear
witness that this mas been q year OF great con-
secration. Then think can say have been con-
sciously weaned from the world, and what l
ieel most gratitude ior IL, that under clrcum.
stances that would naturally tend to provoke
ANGER AND BITTERNESS
! can say have been spared rom that, and that |
am sweet-hearted. don't harbor feeling oil an
ger against any one. j have had momentary
wnds bur al Is gone MY sky y without Without clouds %
through trias aud come out sweet-nearted maj
and earnest Christian as am, so tnat tins year
has been prosperous TO me. ] have
REAPkD AND GARNERED
enough for five years. | icel that God has peen
good and merciu TO me,
several brethren onercd remarks when Mr.
Beecher mad ilnIshed, alter when the meeting was
ciosed Win Aymn anu bened,ciion.