The New York herald., 1875-11-26
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

PLYMOUTH CHURCH
Every inch OF room inside Plymouth church was OF
course, occupied yesterday morning The platform
adorned in very novel manner, extremely sug.
gestve TO the congregation or the thanksgiving din
awaiting them. On side Of Mr.. Beecher's chair
large basket filed with pumpkins, onions, apples
ana oranges, in the spaces between which were red
peppers, parsley and celery. This surmounted by
sheaf Of wheat on small table the other side stood
tall glass dish the top covered with flowers and FERNS
while clusters Of Malaga and California grapes hung
about the OF the dsh dropping to the table Tho
services opened by an anthem, 'How Manifold
Are Thy Works. Mr. Beecher selected for his text
Isaiah, xxxiii, 6-"And wisdom and knowledge shall
be the stability of thy times and the strength OF thy
salvation.' have chosen this said he, fit sub
ject and leading properly to the discussion of theme
in which all Americans are interested. mean
COMMON SCHOOLS
The influence of classes Of picked Is not growing
less; arisocracy only part of democracy. The in
fuence of the thought OF whole body OF citi-
gems is having and more effect upon the public
welfare and is developing specfaes, tor right rooted
specalties are the which democracy throws up
just the uppermost part Of plant is in the air for
the sake Of the under ground and the higher is
the servant OF the lower in every well regulated
munity where the blood circuates freely. The
progress intellectually of the whole society is
the peculiar work of age We
are not the first who thought education
necessary to man. but the first who have attempted to
carry out the noble proposition that education is
sary to mankind. Only in time has there been an
effort TO educate society itself all the way down. The
colleges and universities ask leave to be from the
health and prosperity OF the common schools ! do
not underestimate the high culture OF specialists
far from saying that high education should be given
to all You might as well say every in army
must be general Every section OF society has its
time of enthusasm-there political enthusiasm
aud enthusiasm OF morals and enthusiasm of amuse-
ments. Now IL is music and all the world sings or
plays or whistles Now we have not had our enthusi
asm about common schools, must have a revival
there We have the material in this nation for the
most tremendous
INTELLIGENCE
which nation ever felt II this enthusiasm Is TO be
continuous and result in permanent strength four
things are needul-First That education shall be
mon second 1t shall be SO conducted as TO enable men
Of ali faiths to unite with the system; third, that
shall unite all religious sects fourth, that by its in
trnsc worth IL continues TO feed the national conf
dence and national enthusiasm.
FirSt-The schools Of the nation must be common
and universal common in the sense that they shall
abound where they most needed. 1t is enough
that Boston or Chicago New York should have
schools but the scattered population the emiqrant pom
uation the colored population, moro needy than
the population Of great centres The children OF
the ignorant should be helped before those of respeca
bly, intelligent parents Be sure that any system OF in
huence that strong enough to take OF the poorest
will be strong enough to take Of the higher The
wholesome. 1t ought to be considered misdcmeanor
and crime TO poison anybody and Is, when done one by
one, tut
POISONING HUNDREDS OF GIRLS AND BOYS
ia not held crime. Schools where ten are placed
where one ought to be, schools that the crucial
tests of the endurance of the little urchins are a
shame We are also TO make them better than any
other schools II IS a shame for the cities Of New
York and BROOKLYN to make jails and call them
schools to make holes and call them halls Applause
And not only in behalf Of my brother Just landed
on this Shore in behalf not only Of the aborng man,
but in behalf OF the common strength Of the con-
tinent, | make this plea Every common school
ought 10 be made so rich so ample, that you cannot
make private school live under the drip Of IT
tAppause) We are bound to make our common
schools palaable because result OF educating all
classes of society together is that boys and girls will
know each other. Put your Ounce and my Ounce
and everybody's Ounce In the common school, where,
no matter what their position in society is they
are are richer or poorer according to what
that rubs men together in the meal and
tends IN after life TO smooth the attritions common
school is not just what they learn out Of the spelling
book, 1t is moulding trough where make up the
whole original batch You can sweeten it after suits
you but there ought 70 be original -four Qaughter
But 70 undertake TO march trumphal procession into
city through rat hole is not absurd than bring
ing children together in schools where they ranked
and cassed except az TO their attainments IL Is sowing
the seeds Of disintegration. The common schools lie
at the bottom OF our Commonwealth
y6econd-Common schools must be so constituted that
they may allow all political parties unite their
maintenance They should not be subject 10 the
Authorizations PARTIES
II Goliath is TO be slain ID shame send wet nurse
to do IL on the other hand II babe is to be tended
would not send Goliath or David to do IT, know places
not far from here where backma and favoritsm have
been wrought by those who have been made the high
priests OF culture
NOT RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
Third-Common schools must be so constituted that
Of all sects may send their children without fear Of
propagandsm. In large sense all things are relg-
ous, but the school must not be regarded religious
institution. 1t il secular and must be kept secular,
and should be defended against anything that should
make anything else than secular It is not right for
Protestant n
where substantial fellow citizens-,Jews or Roman
Cathocs-send their children and oblige them to hear
read wnat they do not believe (Applausel IL is not
right for the Roman Catholics TO read their Bible and
oblige us TO listen to IT, Fair play is the doctrine and
tits not fair play for the majority TO rule the religious
teaching or tho children Of the minority Applause
Two three years ago this doctrine would not have
drawn the appreciation of your observation-disclosures
you have lived TO have your heads approve Does this
make goddess schoolY In one sense yes The COM
mon school don't undertake To educate the whole man.
II gives him start and then says TO mother and
Church. 'sNow you must do the rest" The school
would be goddess the way the constitution Of the
United States Is goddess because the word God IA not
in it but IL it is essentially just what is the difference
whether the word God does not appear at all is
peated forty times2 That Is Pharisecism run mad.
Fourkt-The common school must be so good 10 JUS
tifv the enthusiasm for IT, Reading, writing and
arithmetic are three keys, and only that There ought
to be taught TO the child. primarily, knowledge or the
child himself There s no ignorance 80 universal and
so unwarrantable the ignorance OF men respecting
tho structure OF their own bodies Men are left to
stumble blindy against all manner Of influences that
tend TO destroy life and IL Is sin and shame that
boy should not know anything about himself ZAP
plansel He should be taught how he differs from a
top or monkey. lLaughter) lie should be taught
the elements of political system and our duties and
rights under H. We are taught 70 swing red hag on
the Fourth OF July but how many children know the
difference between the President In Washington and
Queen Victoria in England? school should be made
power In
INSTRUCTION IN FUNDAMENTAL MORALS.
Children should be educated 10 know their duty TO
aaeb aaDay and lbs Stale So children would coe out