New-York tribune., 1874-10-12
THE LIFE AFTER DEATH.
IN. Rev. Henry Ward B,ecAer.at Plymouth chur'

Inc tnr0nR aC flyUOuIu CHuiCu yOo'Si""1
morning hardly less dense than on the preceding
Sunday the occasion of Mr Beechers first appearance
after his vacation; but the people were more patent
than hen and there comparatively little crowdng
and ebowing for ingress and when 1t was announced
that the house was filed those who HAD got no further
than the vestibule. and the rush outside, went
homo at once, leaving the street clear Ihe
ushers seemed, however, to have gained ex-
perence for the church certainly appeared
to be more closely packed AS usual, the platform was
bright aud fragrant with flowers. On the left was an
bouquet Of large. bright Movers anu On & te
roses aud erns gathered In vase OF ground glass am
deco ated with gilt aud devices II bright SoiOrs he
pastor explained the text There remaineth, therefor
a rest to the people OF God."-Hebrews w, g. In the
OF the sermon he described the causes WHICH
sometimes made people wish for de ith . ,.,
The doctrine OF future conscious existence with wilma
for individual hope and aspiration among the ancient
Jews rather than an announced doctrine IL ,n Is no
part OF the Mosaic economy All the threats ana tue
promises that made OF old were secular anu yet
we discern Enthusiastically in the nober moral natures
whose words or life, teachings contained 10 the
Scriptures that they did anticipate continued
may be called universal certainty. With the unfold
ing of the this anticipation OF another lfe has not
vanished as "a shadow IL has grown. The foundations
of hope deeper and l!s uses are multiplied In the
proportion in which men are more men tnan wnen ~ ,e
existence OF another state or being OF lmlnor-
taty do not think that desire ls evidence Se ds or
presumption OF the existence OF the thing ue-
sired but it is proof where It exists In
widening circles where It grows stranger "a aaa W
self to the and the anticipation, ana where tne
Il y si esmoSy ss asSto to the Of
world fulfill that which man consciously needs. II
ing is partial and Incomplete. and if Judged by that
sense 1t would seem 10 foresnadow an altereA-
istence The world is kind OF crysanthemum.
Il grows and grows all through the Summer
and Is off by the priests just as begins 10 posso
50 the testimony Of observation Is tnat men come ho
he of blossom,
and they do not come to themselves ana even ~ in
civilized society the great bulk of men do not really
develop with the outlines tnat marked IN them ana
discern them one among another; and human nature
as general thing does not perfect itself here and
everything seems moving with indications of some
thing better, and something better ana something
Is death a sponge wipes life, like slate. clean
do not ask for proof as we prove mathematician propO
as comforts and satisfies the moral sentiments, all the
ASPIRATIONS and all the atecopsi II II does IL Is hna
yicton on You can produce conviction some
minds by reasoning by PLAYING on the mignatlon'
II an that best man. with increasing industry, lifts
Its hands mplorlngy for death there IN TINS oua
practical benefit But would rather be filed with the
s aae hs for oTf eeas aat Is Mas
hatioD shall not know what nave lost, and all the
down to 1t reap treasures that the world eanno,
give. do not thank anybody that goes around and
blows about, and calls himself a scientist l
Exercise inc my Imagination in constructing air
castles. Why don't know that every year the house
that don't cost anything; change them-that don't
cost anything; make rooms and hll them with books
Imagine all the effects OF light shadow; and shall
come aud say to me That is all ARR | know
a comfort to mei Ii is not nothing; II Is something
II is relaxation it s rest Is joy; and t1i t9at
much. 1t may be demonstrated that man as an animal
has very little conscious need l watch my cows and
my oxen and of the most striking things perceive
III them Is how perfectly contented they are SO men
Or n
n the But you feel rs fact that with real
and worthy DEVELOPMENT comes CONSCIOUSNESS OF tae
manhood Culture and development lead to desire for
another life For men who reason painfully
higher form Of reasoning; but men who use trained
reasoning recognize that there is such thing as some
In other words there inmatlons OF higher range
of reason than what Is analyzed among men That
which true Of the Is true OF the imaginaton 1t
true of the moral sentiments 1t Is true OF the aec
tons of life Nothing is more disturbing than the i'm
aginatiou; 1t produces more yearnng and more long
ing, and are giving ntimatlons OF the souls home
sickness for its true home. Nor do we mud the
idea of love- 1t always opens conception Of loving
which refuses the ordinary affection There is no father
their children that they make their love something
larger and grandern than Is Tasy nrSS rsGos
There Is in parents heart sense OF love which he
never reaches-an ideal love- This comes very much Of
but not reached Iu other words these developments
reach higher and higher towards what is the truest
their ideas, and that there is higher sphere. aud
better development, and more perfect one. ,.,
and recttude in low sphere. We say, therefore that
happiness the proper state OF man ln this world Hap
that it is in this world by great deal Joy s to be our
portion when able to bear it, but 10 the nascent
as S i found Sie saaef a, s ae
made by hardship by suffering. by hard
aspire to endeavor and 70 thrown back aganf the
man has any root in him he rises again, and he gets
his being always smelling flowers. II comes because
when he sat down there was thorn and he jumped up
by hardship and not by soft touches. The
children Of the poor have better chance than the chill
My children shall walk such hard path as
did" No; they walk soft way, aud are soft all
cold all manner OF things belong to the experience Of
this rough world Men born into the world much as
and others with their heads down-an tumoled TO.
gether. Disappontments aud discouragements seem
essential TO the production OF the higher form OF man
hood in this life.
Every man must need. feel that in this life where man
is being developed for higher manhood when sorrOws
the path along which man walks toward oy-in such
world as this you understand how all men should
look unto another Of existence when these things
shall have passed away We shall start In our life In
n and Scps Gs so
spirit Of discomfort. Il Is not spirit OF grumehng
world with manner OF il-hat by the spirit
text. This admirably expressed by that
" our earthly house Of this tabernacle were dissolved
We have building N Of God, house @ not made "a ,o Win
upon not to get rid Of but TO get not to be dispos
sessed Of the cares. the burdens the ordinary trials
troubles wearyinSs, and sorr0ws; these must be
ready TO bear there Is good In them Certainly 1t is
not pning after Incidence. There MANY who speak
were simply cessation OF activity. Now there are
many things among us which we may be permitted 10
long 10 be rid of and imagine persons In such
straits that they might wish for death. can imagine
Que lying bed-ridden, can imagine one not always bed
ridden yet moving with such "a shad0wy life that
he can do little for others; neither would l
rebuke them In such wish and I can
imagine persons undergoing such drudgery OF labor
that they last cry out for rest. imagine slaves
lives and the lives of Doors aud peasants oppressed
with want and taxation that IL would be with them o
legitimate desire TO die. l can imagine parents who