The New York herald., 1874-08-31
they will see and hear things even more
startlingly instructive


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name and borne it with her vulture wings to
heights to which his eloquence and intelli-
gence could not raise him. Never was his
preaching of more interest to the world than
now, when the question demands on answer
whether he should be allowed to preach at all.
Every word that he now utters has new
significance with the public, and many per-
sons who have only heard of him as a cele-
brated name are now anxious to know him as
man. One principal effect of the scandal
has been to concentrate attention upon Mr..
Beecher's doctrines. People wish to under
stand what is the religious belief of this cler-
gyman, who stands accused-and, thus far.
untried-of crime, as if knowledge of his
opinions would throw new light upon his
actions. For these reasons the sermon which
Mr. Beecher preached yesterday at the Twin
Mountain House, and of which we give full
report will be read with unusual interest,
though few months ago it would not have
commanded more than ordinary attention
There is no logical connection between
what man breaches and what he does. The
stern Calvinistic doctrines may be taught by
q man of the tenderest heart, and the inadel in
religion may be implacable as q moralist. Mr..
Beechers creed has never been very clearly
defned-in fact, it is doubtful whether he has
any creed such as is formally embodied in the
thirty-nine articles or in the Presbyte-
rian catechism. Precisely what he be-
ieves in respect to salvation by works
or faith, predestination and free will, the
plenary inspiration Of the Old Testament,
eternal punishment and other great religious
questions we presume no member of his con-
gregation can tell. He avoids the public dis
cussion Of these matters, and his opinions Of
some of them are only to be imperfectly sur
missed from his silence. But he has none the
less strongly marked tendencies of thought
and feeling. He likes to dwell upon the
bright side of religion, the promises which
are made to the righteous, the mercy that
endures for the sinner, the blissfulness of
praise and prayer, and the inexhaustible love
of God for the world He turns away from
the contemplation Of the anathemas in
the Bible and the pains which
are reserved hereafter for the wicked Re-
igion to him is always something beautiful
and bright sweet spirit of rest and joy,
typifed by stars and flowers and birds.
When Plymouth pulpit is embowered in
roses its pastor could hardly preach upon the
text, depart, ye cursed, into everlasting
fire." The devil to him is not the awful per-
sonal being that he was to Martin Luther
Mr.. Beecher would never throw an inkstand
at the devil; he would save the ink to write O
charming description of Paradise or Eden.
Satan is vague to him; something unpleasant,
being that is supposed to wander on the out
skirts OF the congregation, like Moulton, and
to be expelled from the church, when he
enters, by the imprecations and blows of the
faithful.
The sermon Of Mr.. Beecher yesterday had
much of this spirit. There was hardly word
in it that could make the sinner uncomfort-
able. The theme is not new for that the
ideal condition Of mankind is perfect unity is
the favorite doctrine Of oil humanitarians
But Mr.. Beecher differs from many of the
clergy in his conviction that this perfect
brotherhood must not be sought in one
Church. AS community is strong not by
the similarity of its members but by
organized variety, SO the Church is strong not
by likeness but by differences. Unity of be-
lief he holds to be impossible because of the
structure of the human mind, but unity
of spirit in the bonds of sympathy
must be the ultimate end of our aspirations.
From this conclusion Mr.. Beecher passes on
to Characteristic contrast. Conscience he
describes as a despot, which seldom smiles
but always frowns; whose duty is not to re-
ward but to punish. But love sufereth long
and is inexhaustible in its pity and consola-
ton. The sermon must have produced
strong impression, for at its close Mr. Beecher
without difficulty collected enough money to
relieve widow with five children, whose
little farm was burdened with a mortgage she
was unable to lift
1t will be natural for many who read this
sermon to conjecture from it the probability
of Mr.. Beechers innocence But they will err
in so doing He may believe all that he has
said, may have had not particle of hypoc-
risy in his heart or thought, may have done
noble deed in his practical appeal for
the poor widow, yet the question of his
guilt or innocence In the Tllton matter re-
mains unaffected. There seems certain
amount Of effrontery in a clergyman preach
ing the Gospel, or what he supposes to be the
Gospel, at time when he is on trial for
immortality, and yet we are not sure that Mr..
Beecher is entirely to be blamed. He is lust
what he was two years ago. If he should de-
cline to preach now it would be taken as
confession Of guilt, and tina. he cannot be
expected to make. We publish this sermon,
therefore, just as we have printed Mr..
Beecher's sermons years ago. We know be is
good preacher, but the public has yet to
decide whether he is good man. IF that