The New York herald., 1874-10-26
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

the spirit-The Orthodox Idea Of God
Denounced-What Convention Does and
What II Does Not.
Mr. Beecner preached yesterday morning to o
congregation quite as large as any he has yet
preached to since hts return from his summer
vacation. Before the sermon he expressed his
desire that the ushers should seat the strangers
in accord dance with the rules OF the pew letting
ten minutes before the time OF the commence.
ment OF serv1ce-instead OF waiting until the hour
for the service comes He also read the names Of
eighteen persons who would be received as men,
bers OF the church next Sunday. Ten OF these
we're received by letters from other churches, and
eight on profession OF faith. The subject OF the
sermon was "The SOUPS Relation to Christ" and
was founded on the following text:-Romans,
seventh chapter and last verse; ana first verse OF the
eighth chapter-'I thank God, through Jesus
Christ our Lord SO then with the mind myself
serve the law Of God; but with the iesh the law
OF sin. There ia, therefore, now no condemnation
70 them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not
after the flesh, but after the spirit" The prin-
ciples here understood, said Mr.. Beecher, In this
memorable passage OF the Romans are that men
are originally sinful and imperfect, and that they
are spiritually imperfect 1t Is universally under
stood tnat this is the cardinal condition by which
manhood comes into this life. Imperiectnessi Is the
great cardinal condition. 1t admits, In this re-
spect, that while men fail to live in a degree OF
perfection, that when men have the power to live
wilnin a regulated degree Of life and then fall it
then becomes sinful. Nevertheless it is taught in
these memorable chapters that In those VINO seek
to live q lie toward this perfection there Is
LONG AND PAINFUL STRUGGLE.
Especially was this true in the childhood dispense.
ton OF the Jews. The struggle was mainly be-
ween mind and matter, between the splr 1t and
s s o1ep
the battle Is between the incllnatiOns and the
higher moral sentiments, the reasons and the
sense OF tnat which Is dt ana beautiful. This was
teaching a knowledge anu conscience tnat
only made matters worse Paul says that coming
into that moral measure, instead or making MN
better, only made MIN worse; tnat this revealed
to him how weak, how sinful he was. Before the
commandment came he felt all right enough;
when the commandment came he ielt that It was
all wrong enough. When miners are lett together
out in California you see how rough thev are, how
and comfort 60 by the board, and they do not seem
40 feel their discomforts. But what cnange the
ides Of order and nestness. How soon these men
see that things that appeared all right to them
before are all wrong now. Where there
With It, osa' Paul Absolutely Dec declares aSat
relief came to him by Jesus Christ. Then follows
unto him. That is but the epitome oi every mans
struggle. There Is general wish to be right; but
now Is II to be donef WHAT Is It, then. tnat ac-
tions to Christ bring peace to menf That Is the
question snail draw your attention 70. Does it
the great distinctions OF right and wrongs
THE MORAL Law.
Does the change In Jesus Christ change the great
law Of moral nature In which men i've? No, 1t
does not. To take away that moral law would be
to take away the ribs and the great backbone OF
holds up nigh standard OF moral
conduct and enjoins 1t upon every man
lake 81 oway az sar wnca w1ue 70 @
mission for the man to 60 back to the condition OF
the herds and the docks. Men need to be kept
alter the mao has become one in Christ Jesus 1t
does 60 on. 1t goes on manlfestly In the great
had very little advantaSes oi birth and education.
How few men you find who have had these advan-
tagesl The great mass OF men are born In adver.
slty-men who are born With enormous forces Of
energy, and II they do not obtain some outlet Tor
this they become desperate. II you want
to see what men are and aons e reaG na, about
are. Suppose one Of these rough men win
tremendous physical energies ana undscipned
nature-Decomes converted converted IN a great
and grand revival DO you suppose that he wants
to gorge any the less aiterwardsf No; he does
the @ lesss '0 No. suD2H'f X the e. man got gea
OF Christ 1t is twilight with him but, neverthe-
less, there ls q real vital force IN him.
'THE OLD MAN."
Still there is the old man In him. He Is as lustful,
passionate, wakelu and money graooing as
ever. Is not all TINS wiped awsyY No; ~ is not
wiped away. When man ,s converted it is very
much like railroad that is laid out There Is the
wood clearlngs, the tunneling, the road digging,
and It all looks like confusion, but 1t Is all
working towards one result Jesus Christ as
made known to man, as He Is described
in the New Testament, q representation OF
God. believe that He WIS internally and orig
inally equal with God. But innnity cannot be
bound; but He was born OF woman, ana Ii cer-
tain to nave suffered obscuration. He no more
represented the whole OF the Godhead than winter
represents summer, wnen the leaves are hidden
under the wintry snow. He, therefore, made HIM
self OF no reputation. He presented 70 US mainly
the dlspensations, the purpose and the govern.
ment Of COD. what, then, was the revelation OF
God as made In Christ Jesus? Ii was being in
tender sympathy with manhood; tender SYM
patty with mankind In all their sinful
ness and their weakness. Mr.. Beecher here de-
scribed the orthodox action OF God who
was enjoying the beatitudes OF heaven,
nurrying world that was gong on below: That
was not the God OF the Bible With /, 200, 900, 600
OF men on the globe, not l00 900, 900 OF them hav-
ing Christian mind, what spectacle for God who
was listening only to the angelic chors OF heaven
No; the Old Testament and the New said that our
God was "Like as a father plying his chldren.n -
He made men OF dust so that lie might remember
them. believe that there Is God who helps me-
to be perfect who pities me, cares for me- watches
over me cares for me as o mother cares for her
child even In her death. Is there such God as
thatY Yes A God that Ii as much greater than
that as divinity ID greater than humanity.
nonovr m nm