New-York tribune., 1874-03-30
THE CHARTER OF THE CHURCH.

oud said IN member OF the church. at whose side ne
sat IN somewhat enthusiastic tone: "fOu ought 20
see the crowd outside now, and The remark gives an
d.a OF the appearance of the audience which gathered
Ia hear Mr. Reecber in great expectancy in view OF the
decisiop OF the Congre gatOnal Council, delivered late
the evening before. The key note of the pastors "h'e
discourse, which continually sounded whh great
emphasis was the superiority of Love, over all
other elements OF Christianity aud its primal neeeS-
sty rs a marx Of goodness. Mr Beccher am'us NO
s,id that as rule had done his own work.
but during the few weeks he mad lad 50 nnch 10 40
that he was glad share his pulpit with prethVen III
the ministry, and he was very thankful 10 fres'"''
Chapn of Beoit College who had consented 10 lI''cu
for him in the evening MI Beocher the" create" sig
a,n, smiles nv Announcing that he proposed 10 Teau
10 his people the Charter Of the Christian Church-ihe
18Th chapter OF First Corinthians. which begins
Though speak with the tongues of men ana OF ahseS
have not charity (which Mr. Bcccher translated o'ei
am become as sounding brass or unklug eymOal
lie emphasized with great imprcSsivcness the verses
,cuoting the long suffering of charity love, how 1t
vauntcth moi ITSELF is not pufed up doth not behave
itself unscemly cot easily provoked, rcolceh not I'D
iauulty the truth beareth all thing. h0peth ali
things lud endurcth all things finally closing And
now aHdcth faith. hope, love- these three, pu 'he
greatest Of these is love"
The text for the sermon was .akeu from the first chap
Ter of Corirhirs 1sh the 25th Paus words
in the opening of Corinthians look, said he, Ike an IN
discriminate defiance Of all intellectual exeelencles'
up under three titles the significant names
Of intellectual development. Where the wiser or
IN our phrases. Where Grecian philosophy J" that
wisdom which developed itself in the schools OF Greece,
for Il was To Cornth lie writing Where Is the
scribe a. who represented the scholar the cultured man
in ali evil ana religious knowledge Where Is the dis
ter OF this world - 10y which, doubtless, he meant the
>opbists-ths men who instituted disputes among the
Greeks and everywhere throughout all the clues.
Where are tlrse men VINO live by the development OF
intellectual TRUTH whether among the Jews or among
the Creehsl God aas made them seem foolish by the
presentation oi Jesus Christ who Is Gois power IN the
world.
Now am far from understanding this as being dea
aation of reason or reasoning the part of the Apostle
IL does not either deny undervaue The uses of the
intellect whether In the promotion oil science or phlos
ophy knowledge more generally. Ii does not under
take 20 saw that these things OF VALIDITY II does
not touch that question. 1t IL not even declaration
that the Grand Outstanding processes OF the world can
rake plcq without the usc of the human intellect. 1t is
tbis-aud the spirit OF the whole Scrpture-that ~
the work OF rating the world mere intellectual
forces secondary, subsidiary auxiliary to the forces
Of the human understand this them TO be the de-
ciraiou the great work OF eevating the human race
~ the primacy Of disposition, the prlmacy of heart
power the scficrOgaon Of intellect, but the dis
not he changed from their feshy nature iuo their
higher spiritual nature by any amount OF knoweGge or
Intellectual reasoning We are not, therefore calico IN
hi. declaration 10 choose bcteeen the intellect and the
heart emotion but the question is SIMPLY as TO their
manducnt give unto you, that We love another"
and all through the Scripture II Is declared substantially
heart ruler When rise out of the childhood OF TINS
life INTO the or gEgSI e aver oSr which we sWeed With
pride only parts fragments, ana tat we knew as
about old Assyrian CIVILIZATION by picking up here
and there a fragment OF broken column For we know
in part ana We prophecy part but when that which
perfect shall come then that which Is IN PAT & snail H. be
me- done away You might as well persuade Newton to
go back To The nursery and play with his whistle and
wp,lS 70 nut on again the arguments and views that
made him so proud iu this world ana yet ln 'me ne,
schemes OF philosophy .tnGIe Is something 'hat Is not
SShs Sh end 70 he Sought in life is the separation of
animal life by developing OF the germs OF divine life
Paep Hrs1lte SiSnosons Not wisdom or doctrine or
rules or regulations are 10 lnstruet men Dut me deve
idys Now to ca the world to love is very different
thing from calling the world to ortnodoxSrt rePent
fakO his sins is to ROw the ground m and ddS eaye he
aow 1t H very G Wen m 70 tSS Se "a farmer RS5 did MsnS
aud many man has been born into zeal,
asss arn all nn You are born n love That Is
love is not to be simply born a baby 1t has got to
sTssP nS Ana has so 10 walk fast to learn TO run 1t is the
only thing that has right to enslaVe man the
oyet~tbng hnt n Won do not love the Lord and thy
nee6bor as thysef Il nothing II you have that and
nothing else il Is enough That IS II is fecreatng ana
casiopal exercise II must have in it continuity and
universally. Just now and then the intermittent light
rise somewhat along the scale and there IS enhnsi
asm ,n labOrs OF love, and old quares are settled as
well a. stubborn questions, and all obstacles go dOWh
before il like snow before the summer SUM- and for
moment have the intermittent eAperehSe vi what
bers had that am0cut flame. ana we cO9d see all the
churche, in any denomination adopting as the
nTnc article of their faith the main necessity OF having
spirit u self-sacrihcng love. 1hen ch1rches might
DC governed by love aud govern ot1Grs X love,
You NAV say that intellect is the headlight OF loco
motive II throws the light along the track, but the
propeng force resides within. Look at the struggle
In the Roman Church, the efforts OF Pere Hyaeinthe
"hat are they pat attempts 10 oe1h %s hon @ hon
about the liberty OF mems understandingst Ihisls
,ut hoop or two four churches Will spring out OF the
Church OF England to-day. There are great nghtne
the condition Of things III France ana
Germany, aud see what the struggles OF
historians writing down and scholars ale studying
the questions at What Is the rght u Dlsnops
aud the condition OF ministry Is II prie sthood or
brotherhood What is liberty IN the churehi what is
seryiliyi How far may you carry ordinances, ana
where must you stop win Ordnahees OF y m ,
or Uaitarianism or some other creed rght bte tne
whole Christian world to-day battling on these
and the OF the church IL not DOW any more inan 1t
has been at anyotherime concenteed IN tins ana there
never Will be conversion IN this world uhl tDere Is an
enthusiasm OF love.
You NAV build your eathedrals until they kiss the
heavens and your altars until they glow ike the rain
bow with precious siones-if you build them without
love they are nothing. Where have YOU ever found
denOnnuatiOn marked on from other denominations
by the especial predominanee Of this quality Why;
we are sending our missionaries 70 the heather and
auarreng at home lAppiauseI You may JOIN me
when lay II on Others but YOU are lnst ar bad as they
the fetching up OF the outside the externals Is not
that there are not enough hoops ON the barrel,
empty barrel lLaughter.l Here We are going around
cooperng and coOpering and coopeTing the Cnuch on
The outside, driving down nail here ana there ana
When YOU come down TO the 1t is not worth the
keeping lApplause.l But yon must not dnderstano ms
as undervaluing auxiaries You must not understand
NE saying there difference between one form OF
organization and another, but do that you canh9t
think right without the principle Of love at the root ~
f. the helm OF the soul: the pilot by which God is 10