The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-11
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.


Plymouth lecture room was crowded to its ut
most capacity last evening. Alter the customary
services Mr.. Beecher sad:-We have large men,
bership and 1t Is good deal scattered. We are in
the habit OF keeping them under correspondence
once or twice year to know how they fare. Mr..
Beecher requested Brother Halliday to read the
letters he had.
Brother Halliday stated that he had received
forty letters in Six weeks In answer TO those he
mad written. The first he read was from Brother
Groves, in Jacksonville Brother Halliday had
considerable difficulty IN reading the letter and
Mr. Beecher asked him If 1t was poor writing. Mr..
Halliday said no, the writing was well enough,
but the light was bad, and offered the letter to Mr..
Beecher to read. when he could not do with
any great readiness. The writer. In telling Of the
progress Of the children the schools there, said,
sOne little girl wrote ner name on the blackboard
as plainly as could" (laugnter.)
Another letter expressed desire that Mr..
Beecher might live to be as old as the hills OF
Scotland. Another. in answer to Brother HALL
days recommendation to join church where he
lived, said that impossible Tor him to join
another church as it would be to adopt another
mother because lie was away from his own.
Mr.. Beecner said IL wanted 10 know what these
letters contained because wanted 10 speak on
the subject. You know the difference between
outward appearance; the ignominious figure ne is
obliged to cut. when he Is
GODS MESSENGER
he Is cast down aud despised. Take man in the
world ana ask him why he don't unite with
some church, ana he says IL don't see what
there Is particular to make me want 10
JONI Alter a mans curiosity rs satisfied, can
understand that ne may think Joining the church
was a shadoWy thing, and this Is the experience.
In great churches IKE our own, where ceremony
uiSUeQSA1
the eye or the ear Now, In the Episcopal and
some other churches there IS great deal that
notning OF that KIND on which we place reliance TO
produce effect; but yet you will find that stronger
impulses OF human nature felt III church life line
strains OF tenderness and affection scarcely known
anywhere else outside OF the nursery. You will
ma burning aHecuon IN such churcn as thls
You VIII find that something or other does GER
tain.y take the soul out OF It's ordinary habiudes
In the first place, in church lie, where 1t Is prop
erly conducted, we don't come together by our
lower natures at all; all frets and cares are
moved. II we were to live together all the
we 0 do % now. We ' aont come 'd togetner
In intellectual pride; it is not de-
batting society 1t is not .or the discussion Of great
place, In consequence OF our common weakness,
outside every one tends to defend himself; but IN
inirmity, breaking into SIN. There never was
greater mistake than the adoption OF cctain fg-
ures OF Scripture lor everyday use. You might as
well talk poetry when you go 10 market. Ord-
nary experience should not be intrusive, but
there IS an abiding CONSCIOUSNESS that we
are bound together by our common weak
chSrcn fellowship Largely because '' we are
sinful and need help. Next we come on princi-
pie or good Will; we come as brethren A church
thaC Is constituted as a Kingdom cannot produce
the same results as church constituted as a fam
lly Then consider what experiences we have in
common. We are not associated on any principle
or rlvalry, but our horizon stretches out more and
more Till we feel we are
CHILDREN OF THE INFINITE
and have sense OF life In Jesus Christ. We come
together round the Lords table OF truth. Now
have seen a great deal OF affection, seen love be-
gun and love going on, and yet | have seen
no love more rare III It's essence, more
have hoped aud loved and worked together.
Love brings US here from week to week.
and we are pouring our best experiences into the
common lot, and the lie growing out OF this is one
OF the highest, ami those who nave had IL seldom
lose the navor and 1t is to natural to have such
letters those read sent to alter years OF abb
sence, and yet don't object to members taking
their letters away; am SO loose in my ideas. you
know (Laughter.) But when they Ieel they would
be wounded to leave say let them stay. man
can be member OF a church though he does not
TO come into the church it not because we think
them so good that We want them to be set up as
LITTLE SAINTS IN INCHES.
We ask them to come on the same ground that q
tender plant Is taken IN out OF the March wind, be-
cause 1t Is tender; because t cannot AFFORD to stay
out. suppose man, great, ruddy, robust, the
picture OF health, should go to hospital and ask
Tor lodgings, and man should say, 1--WE can't
ss @ would aes rs
say, mo matter. the hospital Is good enough
for mel Now all who are so well
that they want to come into the
chufch to shower down blessings us we don't
want. We have our GOD TO shower down blessings.
They may come because they need to come.
We want these who have begun to dedicate their
thoughts and purposes to Jesus Christ. We ask
them to come because they are babes IN Christ.
have seen great many persons come In with o
flash and flare and go out ashes, and great many
like little plants that grow to large trees don't
ask persons to come in the grandeur OF strength |;
but, II there are any babies, any that long TO be
better and are willing to be helped and loved and
instructed they are the ones TO come.
had as much satisfaction. l have mad great
many more troubles than any one else, but won't
call them troubles. 1t makes all the difference
what you call them. When God wants something
done that shall make His name appear He sends
me to stand in this DARK place or that dark place.
God calls you and you don't know 1t and sneak
down and run out. have had life OF blessings.
/ have been failed, 0verruled, snubbed and put
down and all sorts OF such blessings.