The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-10
PLYMOUTH PRAYER MEETING.


WRONG MAN.
1t has now become so necessary to be early at
Plymouth prayer meeting, In order to gam an en-
trance, that people are obliged to invent
some occupation by which TO keep them
selves awake during tine three-quarters
of an hour waiting. Knitting, croches
work. books, magazines and newspapers
are all In order, 80 that Tor half an hour or so
previous to Mr.. Beecher's entrance the room pre-
sents the appearance half Of Dorcas society ian
exceedingly well regulated one) and half Of read.
ing room.
Mr.. Beecner came in last evening at twenty-five
minutes past seven, and gave out the hymn in
his usual style-"1,2 6l.n Then ian almost un-
heard OF thing IN Plymouth church, he said,
"Leave out the third verse.n But as they came
to IL he said, "Slng the third verse; sing II al.n
The verse in question was as follows:-
I' 1he t siSo %s al 8 Fl sisEey gsr,
And by his men OF war;
AVA %hp sDSIe th @d powsss sslSw
From everlasting woe.
After prayer by Mr.. Beecher himself he con-
tinued-Now sing the hymn meant to give you
before, 1895; the figures were blurred and gave
out the wrong one, but still am glad OF 1t now.
Mr.. Beecher began his remarks by saying:-
When our Lord was on eartn He astonished the
want or prudence, especially in the company
He kept. The impression was prevalent that a
good man ought only TO be found in good COM
pany And there was probably never such
gathering in Judea as Christ brought together,
ragged and filthy, corrupt men and corrupt women.
lie might have gone on q mountain and talked with
them from afar; but He did not do so He allowed
them 10 touch BIN and even sat at table with
them. 1t gave rise TO many scenes. 1t came to
pass that Christ sat at meat and sinners sat with
Him, and when the Pharisees saw 1t they said to
the apostles, ''Why eateth your master with pub
licans and sinners2 and Christ hearing /. said
they that are whole need not physician, but
sacrnce.n What does mercy meanf Pity,
humanity. What does sacrifice mean
The most sacred OF offerings upon the altar OF
divine pity. He makes them stand one against
the other. Gods heart WAS full OF tender con-
sheraton for men, and in proportion as they are
bad they are needy. In the Sermon on the Mount
He says. III tnou bring thy glit TO the altar, and
there remem6erest that tiny brother mas augnt
first be reconciled 20 thy brother, and then come
and offer thy gilt" Wnen you have done your
duty 10 suffering men, then / am ready for you.
Well, you viii take notice OF remarkable scene
In the last part OF Mattnew-of the final judgment
IL Is not literal description, bat as much par
able as any. "Wnen the Son or man shall come In
all his glory and ali the holy angels with him. then
him shall be gathered all nations (Which means
Gentles). and on the right hand are the sheep and
on the lett hand goats, and he says 10 those
on mis- right nano, "Come ye blessed OF my
Father, inherit tue Kingdom prepared Tor you
4
nungered aud ye gave me meat; was thirsty
ana ye gave me drink; was stranger and ye
I0O WAS m SICK and ye Visited me- ei0ine was me- n
prison and sc came unto me. Then shall the
righteous answer MIN saying. Lord, when saw we
thee an hungered and led thee, or thirsty and
gave thee drink? When saw we thee o stranger
ana TOOK thee In, or naked ana clothed
came unto thee 2 Ana tue King shall answer ana
say unto them, Verify; say unto you, mas
much as ye have done it unto one or the least OF
these my brethren We have done IL me.D
what then Is the test How many prayers have
you uttered How many times you have gone to
yourself toward your fellow men Are
we to understand that worship Is
joymsnt. what is it Tor, IS Il good for anythnSf
DO you really think God needs your hymns ana
prayers2 liz Is that you may have brought into
your so1l the thoughts OF God. The enect ol devo-
ton is TO lilt man up INTO communion with Goa.
enectS BY the way you carry yourself toward
your fellow men. There are great number OF
A SUBSTITUTE FOR HONOR AND MORALITY.
The feeling Is that plety IS the universal iorm,
ike the fringe OF a silk shawl-you can get along
without It. / nave been reader CT religious news
papers. and have observed that Il an utterance
is made tnat seems 60 take away from the
common view OF the atonement or thar
seems to throw doubt on the Trinity, or n
q minister elder deacon Is fouud riding
unnecessarily on sunday they Will come GOWN
on such men with all vengeance, urged by what
they car their iaithiulness TO the cause, and yet
wnen they get a chance at a minister trey don't
ike they viii jap him without any hesitation, and
wnen convicted OF IL they will turn complete
somerset and make an apology meaner tnan
the offence. When was In London was with
Brother Holme who looks very much like me
and has been taken Tor mel hope he acts
better than do. (Laughter.l We wanted TO near
got the tickets aud we went. About two months
after reached home q slip OF paper sent me,
cut out OF one OF the leading religious Journals
there. IL said that Ward Beecher. oil America,
had visited Surgeons church. ana surprising him.
self unknown, compared himself with Spur9eon In
talking To one or the members.1 Well grace dld
not predominate In me Tor few minute
(Laugnter.l However, went.to Holme and said,
struck me, and SAID, 'Holme, you are the villain
In tnat ri ot.u "Wel yes ne said al ala talk to
some one about you and Mr., Spurgeon,n and as he
was going back TO England just then, ne sald he
Know me, sirpi "Yes.n "wno am IY' "Ward
Beecher." II am not he, 4" aud ne told him OF the
mistake and showed him the paper and
he promised TO repair IL. what do you
write. eve make haste to say that we did great
injustice to brotner," and put 1t IN the frst col
umns OF editorials lie did not. He wrote
little mean paragraph In the smallest type USED
IN the paper and put u beneath some advertise
ments. (Laughter) That Is man TO whom toe
Lord Jesus CHRIST would say, "iour pIety stnks,n
and | see good many men / think are nrst
cousins TO that very edition. (Laughter.)
Now, II any man ought to be Just,
say anything he likes, and people cannot help
themselves. Wen, TINS amt all. am not speak
ing OF this because have Just observed 10. When
the people were IN the dcluge, don't think any
particular drop OF water hurt them-a little more
or less dldnit Fart tnem-and l speak very dis
interestedly. (Laughtera Now don't have con-
vlcson that piety rs everythingn and OF ITSELF but
read the results IN your growing mercy and gen
tleness toward mankind