The New York herald., 1874-08-24
BEECHER's SERMON.

terday Among the White MOuntains-
No Personal IAlIusions-Fervfd Prayer
and Praise-Lack OF Faith in Chris
tianity.
TWIN MOUNTAIN House, N. H.
August 23 1874 !
In accordance with his practice in former years,
the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher to-day conducted
religious services at this hotel, where he has been
staying for several days. The event having been
rumored for two or three days about the
hotels IN the mountains. caused consider
able stir among their visitors, who came
out in numbers from the Crawford, the Fabyan
and Profile Houses To swell their force were
visitors from many points within radii OF fifry
miles OF the Twin Mountain House, and as the SER
mon which Mr.. Beecher was to deliver was ex
pected and announced by many who considered
themselves well informed as likely TO have kin
dred bearing upon the scandal in which the Brook
lyn pastor Is involved, there were present here
also party OF reporters connected with New
York and Boston newspapers With these ele-
ments the large parlor OF the Twin Mountain
House was crowded before ten O'Clock this morn.
ing The gathering was OF a 1uttering, whispering
kind, somewhat more excited by the expectation
OF being fed with new information about the scan
dal extorted by this MOulton statement than by
religious fervor.
THE SERVICES
were late In beginning, on account OF the restless
ness OF the expectant auditors, who kept Mr..
Beecher waiting Tor some minutes after his ap-
pearance on the platform, before they rustled and
jostled themselves into statue-like attitudes Of
attention. Once placed, they had to remain fixed
throughout the services, because the crowd was
too great to allow them to move. The gathering
had wonderful likeness in appearance and man
ners to that usual at Plymouth church.
Mr.. Beecner began the services with the usual
prayer, which volunteer choir, under the d-
rectlon of Mr.. George S. Cheney, OF Amherst
Mass. followed with hymn. When the singing
was over the minister gave
AN EDGE TO THE EXPECTATIONS
OF ali present BY reading the ffth chapter OF the
Epistle Of Paul 10 the Galatians, beginning,
"Stand fast, therefore. In the liberty wherewlth
Christ hath made us free and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage" While reading
this the Plymouth pastor seemed laboring
under strong emotions. against whose ex.
preston, except in the sn0thered, sob.
bing cadence OF his voice, he struggled success
fully. Many OF his auditors. especially ladies, be.
ing sympathetic with MIN, were less able to sup.
press the emotion mis- manner communicated,
and ere he had done his reading their faces were
dushed and tear stained
THE SERMON.
When Mr. Beecher had ended his reading Of the
scrptural lesson he prayed long and with fervid
eloquence, which was finally quenched by
tears. Mr.. Beecher appeared in particularly
emotional mood, and his voice throughout
the services was strangely toned BY the effects of
his hay fever. Alter the singing OF the 7o5th hymn
oftne Plymouth Collection by the choir Mr.. Beecher,
having nrst read the hymn through, laying particu-
lar stress on the last stanza,
Rest &c.
he began his sermon. His text was from Timothy,
chapter q verse l9-"Nevertheess the foundation
OF God standeth sure, having this seal: the Lord
Knoweth them that are HIS"
The real subject to which he applied this text
was lack OF faith in the power OF Christianity. He
charged that we have come upon q time when
there are two classes Of men antagonlstic on
everything but the belief that Christianity
Is being rapidly overtnrown. One class yet de.
voutly believe IN what they call real Christianity
and are bewildered by and scout the new expos.
tion and new creeds which accept Christ as theil
founder. The other class believe that Christianity
has no present value, that 1t Is stubbe. field, anC
that we are getting no scientific light tht
way toward truth. MIR. Beecher's arguments ant
ralllery were directed manly to showing that rev
elarions from God are alphabetical and may b,
combined in ten thousand ways. He denounced
the idea Of q church stiff1y modelled and fixed IL
the beginning, and argued that
CHURCHES ARE LIKE MEN.
They were not born in full power, but have t(
grow toward perfection. Changes within then
are necessary; like infants they must have all thel
latent powers urged into nse. 1t Is the vivifC
spirit OF God which makes changes in the churches
yet the worshippers of modelled churches Will NOT
recognize that the first sect possessed the posi-
bility OF progress and that Gods influence works
upon this possibility, they declaim loudly the
downfall OF Christianity. Every daisy, every hare.
bell. every renuncuus has roots In life, but they
must be stirred by this vivinc power or the sun.
In conclusion, Mr. Beecher defined the religions
of the present as pocket systems, provincial and
each having but one true element. Religion is
truly the fruit Of the spirit, which ST. Paul defines
as love, Joy, peace, long su1erng, genteness,
goodness. faith; and 1t will never be out or be
crushed until the soul of man is quenched.
Such sermon as that have epitomized was
not expected by many persons IN the congrega.
ton, yet it Kept the attention of Its hearers
strained until the close.