The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-30
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

MIR. Beecher ON Love-The Power Which
Makes Man Like God-How the Ply
mouth Congregation Took the Verdict
OF the Council.
On entering Plymouth church yesterday morn.
ing. twenty minutes before the commencement Of
services, one strange to the place would probably
have been surprised by the buzz OF harsuppressed,
eager voices. On all sides excited brethren and
sisters were communicating to neghbers the re-
suits OF the late session Of the Congregational
Council, which had closed its Iabors in the small
hours Of the morning. Some brought their
HERALDs with them and were reading its re-
port and the editorial comments. and all who &C.
cupied the already mostly filed pews were dis
cussing In an excited WAY the acts and cOunsels OF
the ecclesiastical body which they seemed to con.
slider as convened TO squelch the Plymouth pastor
and throw discredit on the discipline and morale
OF their church. Little OF the conventional awe
OF a house OF worship appeared to check the
Plymouth nOck In their free criticism In the meeting
house upon what they consider as unwarranted
meddling in their affairs. They having seen fit to
quietly drop from the church rolls person who
had voluntarily severed his church connection four
years before, without bringing him before the Con-
gregatl0na bar and thrusting him from the pale
with the anathemas OF accommodation, they hold
that under their form OF organization they alone
are competent to decide upon such action and ask
neither consent, Endorsement or counsel OF sister
churches IN the matter, especially as it Is under
stood that the churches which now seek to impugn
their action have in many cases done precisely the
same thing, without doubt or question OF its pro-
priety or their right So far the Council exoner
ated Plymouth church from censure IN the matter
at issue the verdict was accepted as well enough
by its critics in Plymouth church assembled; but
where the conclave assumed to advise the garrison
OF the rock as TO their future course, 1t plain
to see and easy enough to hear from all portions Of
the thrOng in the body Of the sanctuary and its
wide galleries q decided expression OF dissent and
disapproval.
Mr. Beecher came in, as usual, at the rear en-
trance, threw his soft hat upon the floor, and ganc
ing upon the floral wealth arranged upon either
hand, threw his cloak coat into the pastoral chair
and sat upon 1t, busytng himself tnding his hymns
and turning down the leaves in the New Testament
where he intended to read his text and the morn
ing lesson. AS the clock opposite the choir pointed
to halfpast ten, John Zunde, the gray-hared old
SWISS who for many years has presided at the
noble organ, commenced prelude which seemed
q musical rendering OF the spirit OF Plymouth
church, and its
ANSWER TO THE ECCLRsIAsTTC CHALLENGE
He played what resembled bugle call to action,
changing sweety and grandly into triumphal
march and pecan OF victory; the whole framed
on an air Of touchngly melodious love and har.
full choir blessed be God and the Father OF our
Lord Jesus Christ" Miss Lazar, singing
one wn M dat,Sca are oausa as 70 oV We
the Council in Mr.. Beecner's prayers; bat wnen he
read the thirteenth chapter OF Firsl Corinthians,
which he termed the 'oharter OF the Christian
Church." substituting the word 'love" for ''char-
ity'' through the chapter, 1t was evident enough
what was In his mind. He named as his text l.
Corinthians. 1875 which Paul states
that the preaching OF the cross Is, TO them that
perish, foolishness;bu unto the saved the wisdom
OF God. He continues to state that Gods plan OF
salvation was based not upon Greek philosophy or
Hebrew scholarship nor the learning OF the dia-
OF the various cities, but upon the wisdom and
power Of God Paul. said MIR. Beecher, seems, IN
hurl defiance against all intellectual excellence.
He enumerates :he several classes OF learned
men Che Of the time, ana says explicitly city
wisdom-it comes by the power OF divine
love. God makes the worldly wise seem foolish by
the presentation OF salvation by Christ. He does
not In this undervalue the uses OF science. He
don't touch that question. He simply announces
that the spirit OF the New Testament Is the
superior value OF the power OF the heart. 1t gives
the disposition, the emotions, the primacy over
the intellect and knowledge. Men are trans
not called TO choose between the heart and the
intellect, but to the one before the other, TO
use the intellect In increasing our power OF loving
We are to construe the teachings OF history as
enforcing the duty Of love to God and man. The
ruit OF the Spirit Is love- JOY, peace. without love
all talth ZEAL fidelity to party or doctrines is only
relative. The great tragedy OF truth is based on
rock. Love, which would sacrifice self for
system taag6t by Paul. when was a Child" he
says, ~ thought as a chld' but the love Of Christ
has taught me higher wisdom Could Newton,
alter fathOmng the motions OF the planets and
weighing worlds. have been induced TO go back
into the nursery and be amused with string and
tOpY
LOVE ABIDErH
Faith hope, love-these will endure till eternity.
The heart remains. The intellect and It's knowl-
edge spass away and change We are to develop
IN this life Christ's disposition. He came not to
the great the wise; He came to call men from tho
flesh lie to the lie of the spirit which exalteth
itself in love; to work out with justice liberty.
Love Is the great architect of the worlds recon-
struct,on not wisdom: Love evolves al with JUS
the human soul Is to lit us up to sympathy with
God. IT must be developed with fervor. Love
SELF" This is to be the rule. Every household on
earth says amen to this command. What so sa-
primitive Church and is the model OF the Church.
All It's ministrations are based on the foundation
OF love. To call all the world to love is different
from calling 1t to orthodoxy To plough the ground
simply to raise crop OF weeds would be poor
farming. The proper evidence OF Christian expe-
rience is love. The new birth requires love. One
may exhibit faith, zeal, orthodoxy; but without
love there is but miscarriage. 1t is not enough
TO creep one must learn To walk TO fly, to love
his.nelghbor as himself. only love has right to
say
] AM SOVEREIGN
1t has the right to be the vcegerent OF God. This
spirit must come with power 1t has had sporadic
manifestations; 1t must become prevalent as the
atmosphere OF our Christian life. 1t must be con-
slant and spontaneous. Pride for the
sceptre, saying to love get thee behind me; and
vanity and reverence Tor authority says 10 love,
put on thy shoes, this Is holy ground" Beauty
with quick appreciation OF harmless Joys, claims
to be supreme III the soul; yet God exats love TO
rule the EARTH No JOY alone Is ike the JOY OF
Thousand hearts; no voice like the voice OF
multitude. so churches are most powerful when
they nave the CONSCIOUSNESS OF love pervadlng all
the voice oil love rising from each IN concert Is
this the atmosphere OF churches nowY Wnen
such spirit regns all quarrels are forgotten, olo
disputes and differences OF doctrines disappear
Ike the snow before the April sun, when n0t an
March winds could blow away. All cnurcnes nav. nave
this evidence OF their faith they love eacn osueH
Orthodoxy Is nothing II there Is not love III !ie
heart When church Joins to church In the srdrit
OF love the element Of humanity VIII DC leo lnto
life oil higher moral Quahties. THIS Is part Oh the