The New York herald., 1874-08-31
HAGEMAN ON BEECHER.

HAGEMAN ON BEECHER.
Bcecher, the Modern AbeIard-The Scan
dal a Dcath-blow to Free Love Doc
trines-Beecher's Sense in Appointing
His Own Committee.
Last evening Apollo Hall, in Williamsburg, had
over 1000 people in 1T to listen to the Rev. s.
Miller Hageman on the "Great Scandals and their
Lessons" Hundreds were turned away there not
being room for them. Before the sermon prayer
was offered for the great preacher who had 'Just
come out oil the fire untarnlshed." The pastor then
took for his text jeremiah ix., 1s:-"And the
ravens brought him bread" He began by saying
the greatest scandal which has ever taken
place in history, all things considered since
the days OF the famous 5nanaorale between Abelard
and Heioise has come to close. The circum-
stances which gather around the case render 1t
fascinating so mysterious the shadows, so solemn
the silence, SO grave the offence, so conspicuous
the actors, so deep the plot, above all emiLsnt
the man standing charged as teacher sent from
God to the people, that it stands in history Alone
1t has the two events in common with that Of
ADelard and He!ose; Beecher in every respect
SAFE that OF established guilt is the Abelard Of the
age Both Ministers both brilliant, both orators
OF q continent. There is another element OF
similarity in both. 1t gathers Sadness and shame.
1t leaves Its shadow on mother, O wife, q
woman. 1t has sent broken heart like
the beautiful Heloise to the convent and cowi of
darkened grief. Whatever is or is not true. the
most indecent exposure, the most unmitigated
disnonor, the most uncvized holocaust of human
history. In sad and appalling juxtaposition to this
great centered scene, six other figures here ap-
pear, within only short time, all clothed with
royal authority from God. as his messengers, oil
charged with the highest commission that men
can carry through the world and all responsible for
their procession and post to the pubic. Brethren,
shall we be sensational or severe, IL for the
dignity OF the Churcn, the honor of the miulstry,
the defence OF christ in His cause for
the instruction and Reinforcement Of the
popular mind we pause seriously on such specta.
cles Of high guilt in holy place and interpret its
lessons and uses as Overruling providences of God
to the pubic. am not here as a prophet to pro.
nounce a prophecy or to utter a Iancy. am with
you stranger 70 dying testimony and girlhOod's
grave. am here to speak to the reflective heagts
OF the masses, pondering this affair anxiousy and
great scandals have occurred, but God let no one
q them go by without practical application. The
Il shows @ nas
that while. minister IS man, yet ne
ought TO be the best Of
nesn fred seven times IN gold. regret the
theology that regards minister as persistent
thing every thing, in creed church, which lifts
minister as an apostle ex-catnedra or in cathedra
above his people. He is not SIMPLY a white
cravated lunctionary, with tall vest, long coat.
Sn9r afe ann sban % h
OF elocution or musical rendition. The minister
nsvs. Uasn MAJ
pings, must be his badge. He must be
great as an artist in progressive holiness and then
message IN him. There are many things that lead
to alse Environment OF cleric dignity one OF these
' which man is put "s at s once PECULIARLY beyond
other men. The eplthets vary IN different churches
In one It Is q D. D.-a doctor OF divinity. Like
every other doctor men are very apt to be fright
ened and run away from his doctrines and
diagnosis. and leave an empty church on his hands.
after college, against all this expecting 1t and
wondering why it don't come protest The
among anon ''s HIS worsnippers '" refuses % to be
crowned honor such men as Beecher,
and Smith and mags r
this aristocratlc nomenclature rs utterly unbe-
coming in the pulpit. The day win dawn when
sermons, written for style. not ior souls win fade
away IN better, stronger future. Every minister,
one with all other men; he is not an autocrat or
aristocrat save In the royal aristocracy OF holiness
such scandals, instead Of detracting from the ideal
of the ministry ought only to plant 1t as the pillar
and ground OF the trutn as high as the throne Of
God IN heaven. The second lesson tonight Is to
teach them that all, no matter how scattered in
space. shoulder t0shouder, in cOnvivlc fellowship
There is. q cannabaism OF character among
tine ministry in many instances which is
never seen IN FIJI Islander. We are all in
war together to one music. one step, broken only
as an army Is ordered to break step on crossing q
bridge, on the bridge OF death. We must all stand
by Beecher as preacher. rs man, irrespective OF
his doctrine or mis- theology, until 1t Is unanswer-
ably shown that he Is guilty. That has not yet
been shown, being far from 1t. This scandal is a
lesson to minister's to study human nature, that
they may discriminate men. AS general rule |
MINISTER'S are the most verdant set OF men ex.
the subjects OF counterfeit. Their trust il VIC.
lated. The man who would pay hush money Is q !
mistaken, weak man for that occasion; the man
who takes 1t is scoundrel OF the first stamp. The
second lesson Is that this scandal is the death |
warrant OF lree love. The speaker expatiated |
The lessons were as follows:-First, a lesson
to man not TO put himself IN the hands
or power outside himself; second, les
instructors Of public thought; third, lesson |
on the religious art and function Of letter writing
the best instance OF which Is Dr. James Aexander's
letter for forty years; fourth lesson to churches
and ecclesiastical complaners. Beecner was right |
In appointing as committee court OF six honest,
unquestionable men, he was right In having his !
own case judged by his own people they knew the |
truth and the circumstances as no others knew It, II
the public Is dissatisfied, any man representing
the public, they have their remedy In court. Mr..
Hageman then concluded amid enthusiastic
excitement which nearly OvernOwed ITSELF not
wlthstandtng his dignifed appeal to the audience
that no such manifestation should be made. In
closing ne referred to the verdict OF Plymouth
church, expressed his unqualified faith in Mr..
Beecher, founded On the fact OF his thorough
Christian manliness He believed he was too
manly to tell deliberate lie, and le. 1t 60 down
by day and night through generations to history
and TO God. lie believed the unqualified denial OF
his guilt on the part OF the great preacher in the
stand as his world vtndication and reinforced
greatness.
III q