New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-21
MR.. BEECHER ON REALIZING GOD.

| HIS FOURTH LECTURE ON THE PREACHERS TREAT
| MENT OF DOCTPISES-GoD AS A DISPOSITION.
AND AS A CONSTANT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. or
| REALIZATION.
IFRoa AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUSEl
NEw-HAvEN, Feb. 19.-The Rev. II. w. Beechers
| fourth lecture on "Iho Preachers Treatment of
Doctrines" was delivered in the chapel of the Yale
Divinity School this afternoon. 1t was continua-
ton of Tho Mode of Preaching God" the discussion
| of which he opened yesterday by explaining how
God must be preached as a Personality. He took up
to-day his second and third propositions, that God
must be preached as a Disposition Character, and
as a constant Presence and by illustrations showed
how those several methods to be used 80 that
his theme was in effect THE Realization OF God"
lie treated IL In substance as follows;
He knew by experience that preaching. not In the
line OF which ne speaking while 1t might have
certain power. would lack the highest power and would
coy; while this method never would. He had been
asked after yesterdays lecture what he meant by God
as a Personality. By such God he meant God
thoul hi of as separate from attributes God as much
distinct from and above the universe az man Is dis
tnct from and above his surroundings; GodPerson.
And 1t was be remembered that the Scriptures ever
worked in two lines, at exang God unspeakaby,
and vet making Him tenderly concerned in His crea-
ures-hssing carcssng, nursing, weeping over them.
The latter feature strkingy manifest in the Old
Testament and the entire Scripture bore III the direc
ton Of a perpetual incarnation.
God as a Disposition or Character. to be realized
through Anthropomorphsn- he might be allowed
word for whose length he was not responsible. THIS
was protested against but IL was the only way OF get
ting at God The anciens put together strength.
age patient endurance. all heroic qualities and made
Hercules; it was divinity in the line OF their highest
conceptions and other dvinites shaped themselves as
civilization advanced. But had the very highest quail
ties been linked and put in the sky rather than on
mountain tops they would not have been so far astray
at least by reverse process God must be realized He
must bo to the soul of father is to his child.
Prof Tyndal's proof that there light which could
not be seem was ply things. however ustra-
ton of how Divine things were, to the most earnest
search past finding out In attempting TO bring 10 men
this realization must come to his highest and make
use Of the imaginative faculty in himself and his hearers
or Illustrations OF the methods OF this realization the
Old Testament was full That book used types In the
sense-feld-seasOns. storms clouds, mountains seas.
winds. and with the most delicate aptneSs; rock"
for example aud the shadow OF a great rock in weary
land So 10 one clouds would represent babies baskets,
focks OF sheep caravans batements, and TO another
temperature effects. So her6 were functional figures
Lion" Eagle" Doye,"" Husbandman," Gardener"
shepherd" Captain" king" Judge" Witness"
all OF which were TO taken in their root idea and not
in all their details the lions strength without other
attributes. SO Father" and that in the abb
sence Of "Mother," hint OF how far back was the
world 1000 years ago Indeed the want created tho
Virgin Mary as many receive her. 1t when these
figures had had their outworkings that such compost
tons as Psalms and Prophets appeared and, indeed
no could be significant to man till he had como
to feel It's import, which illustrated the need Of such
methods OF gradual realization. The workings or such
reazatons were not far to seek. II some one said,
care you his soni Why, come home with me; knew
vOur father" the feeling kndled was delightful SO God
was 10 Jacob the God OF Abraham and Isaac, not 80
,hyai eal Sun %
God was the God OF these men, the God OF their naon
The average preaching was therefore TO De
LIBERALIZATION style. OF that sort were the prolonged
arguments between his father and Dr. Taylor III the old
Iiched pariOr-his father and anon bringing tho
wredrawn discussion 10 practical turn III he should
preach in the College Cnape, ne sHIIS not 70
hungry, and was common to the high ana low TO all
times Second causes were not 10 DO thought OF con
stantly; seeing things they are" was not seeing
things things were never seen tl what was back OF
them seem must in two fields, the concrete
and the spiritual III loved u into the woods to he
still that the birds would sing as II he was not there
10 have the grasshoppers stumble over him jumping
first ana seeing where they jumped atefward TO come
into the kinshp feeling toward nature and It's God
chants lie never saw naiure TIL Mr.. Ruskn showed
INN NV, SB9 since then she had been almost peter
gone back to Gods way OF having men learn and therein
10Y 2N TH ,n tIr po"er OF preaching he might have
LILO, Lon did nc mean much TO US 1.-THE God OF Abra
nam "as not as significant the GOD of nearer
mugs Coo OF nv dying cblld" was better for a
mother at certain times. 50 was God of America or
lou OF nv lather ami my mother" upon Ocr.s;on
lie who did not know the latter had not seen he
had seen the time when the heavens were SO black thai
only IN that thought came relief ~ '"''
God as ever present mast be preached IN these lima
symbols must be used only they must NOT lie FOO sci
and faf-feeled Robes ana windows, ana crosses were
too often as II one should light the speaker
lighted and bent intenty over iI--aid 90 INTO
and say AM trying 10 get vivid conce ption
Of the SUM- The Iflucple was TO b3 used. and be put
before men, but not abused. God must DC seen
seen He must be seen back OF them He must be seeo
in sickness sorrow, joy. life. death. in ones table ones
couch In all things Psalln 100. 3-l2. tue Hebrew
thought Of that presence.