The New York herald., 1875-10-18
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Mr. BEEcHER ON THE POWER AND PURPOSE o
THE BIBLE-MUsHY AND D1sCoNsoLAT

MI. BEEcHER ON THE POWER AND PURPOSE or
THE BBLE-MUsHY AND D1scoNsoLATE
CHRISTIANS.
Plymouth church crowded TO the doors yesterday
morning, and hundreds Of people who had waited pa
tently in long which Lad been formed front
Of the edfce before the doors opened away
without gaining admittance. The preachers platform
was decorated with baskets OF autumn leaves and
flowers tastefully arranged
Mr. Beechcr preached from the familiar Of
Isaiah -Cease to do evil learn 10 do weLn TO learn
to do we'll he said is the way 70 to do evil Over
come evil with good Put away sin BY putting on
righteousness. This is the way OF reformation
Indicated in tho pages Of Scripture If
the Biblo be looked at from the stand
point or art or political economy il is
no book Neither VIII it do to test it a science
Of social philosophy. book il is, too, that has in
spired art as high as any power that existed.
book it is Of political economy that among the Jews,
when they q secluded nation, has taught lessons
that will never be willing TO let 60. The time
when in the want OF oil other books and mostly Of
oiner knowledge men shut up TO the Bible and
praised IT, much, but wrongly, teaching people
that It kind or universal arcanum; that it had in
it something Of everything; that IT perfect ency
clopcdia That time has gone by.
MADE
The Bible not made as a mere book; II was not
made Tor any literary power, neither was the world
made as we engine In machine shops.
The world has grown up by slow methods; but 1t is a
great world, a wonderful world and world 81 strange
faculties and poweTs and the Bible Is made OF the
same powers apparently thrown together loosely,
compacted and yet from beginning 10 end bearing pre-
cselv the ae testimony Ia respect to God Through
out period Of 1900 years. IN different countries, IN
different languages and under all circumstances i has
struck the notethe character Of man the
sity Of change the mode Of changing and the phoso
ply IN details even N respect 70 changing from wee
and sin There is other book that Will ever super
gede this, for this reason-that there never any
other book SO absolutely nlcd with the experiences Of
the human sou. u Is life over again; only 1t Is life
over again under the genial influences Of Divine
Providence pointing men away from their sor-
rows and their sins 70 a higher and
nobler state. Aud the teachings OF the Word OF
God are never confused never secontradicory never
obscure Its primary, fundamental principle is that
reformation from evil should begin at the source Of all
conduct-that IS i stands in marked contrast with the
practice and the teachings Of all other systems The fun
damenta teaching OF the Word Of God IN regard 10 the
reformation Of man IS that reformation must begin at
the centre and work outward not outward and work
IN toward The centre Ye must therefore, y Is said,
"be born again Of the heart OF the saviour Tho
Bible does not set aside AL forms of outward help but
teaches that ne who would lead higher life must have
strong desire for higher life, Just the seed must
have desire y sprout IN order W sprout The be-
ginning Of every life that rises above the animal
has It's origin ii this aspraton-a yearnng FOR eome-
thing higher, truer and nober The Bible recognizes
the TACT that The elements of good character are bnt
UP stages layer upon layer but The desire 10 lead
higher life must precede tho building ID oi this
character and the desire comes AZ once 1t
through long series Or experience The
work Of God must begin the soul its centre a
new heart Is tho indispensable necessity for the now
life. The motive power Is what men want-the knOwl.
edge and the purpose 70 live different life from that
OF niquity This IL the lrst step this Is tho main
spring OF all reformation. So that when mon begin to
reform BY dropping this vice and that misdemeanor
they do not do harm, they do do wrong but thoy
do not understand the true theory 81 working
salvatiOn because they attempting % work from
the leaf 10 the instead Of from the the leaf
They act like unto the master Of a mill who should,
when his water wheel stopped IN time of drought I'M
10 polishing the machinery ana oihng the joints The
motive power is wanting the centre has given out
Paul said "Let him that hath stolen steal no more
man with the instincts In him will end il very bard
not to steal and Ii he has nothing but this command,
nstoaI no more be viii steal again. But Pau says
also nsteal no more but 60 10 work" You
need property you have desire for u and 50 TO work
f0r 10 That's the antidote for stcalipg You must
raise In the a right feeling, which will put down
the wrong feeling You say 70 an ill-tempercd
child "Put down that temper" and have hum do H.
but you say "if you don't put that temper down
III put something else down" You then raise another
feeling which strong enough 70 overcome the temper.
20 the economy or sefgOvernment consists simply IN
the power which ono class Of faculties has 70 over
come and put down another for seems that the mind
acts IKE long board pole which " baanced-when
one enc goes down the other goes up The law q rcl
ornation cogsiss not much In directly opposing evil
tendencies A. n setting foot the operation OF other
feeDngs and tendencies which shall override them and
elcctuaHy put them down. We must strike for the
positive, and not the negative There has been 80
much preached about "a change of wllt that
20 think that reformation Is assured by getting up
EIeai as1latlna asJS aLher 1lse eInLeaGad stand