River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-01-22
Sale of Pews ina Plymouth church
From the N. Y. Herald, Jan. 81

ing last evening. Shortly after SIX
o clock the house was lighted and
thrown open, and in half an hour the
whole edifice was crammed. The vast
audience was composed of the regular
members Of the Church, ladies and
gentlemen, and a pretty extensive
sprlnkling of strangers. These latter
were, OF course, curiosity-seekers and
their presence was readily detected, so
different were they in appearance from
the regular habitueS Of the church.
For more than half an hour before the
time appointed for the sale Of seats. a
commotion was made in the halls and
passage ways of the building
by men who passed TO and fro,
up and down hurriedly, talking
together, making entries in little books
and whispering and meeting and escap-
ing from each other. Some few ladies
Joined in this mysterious business, but
many Of them seemed to be advising
and urging the men, and whispers and
entries in the little books seemed to
follow from their advice. 1t afterwards
turned out that all the running and 60.
ing and talking was speculations on the
result OF the coming auction and the ell
tries in the books were bets on both
sides Of the subject. Some were OF
opinion that the proceeds would ex.
coed the returns Of last year, and
others were doubtful that their expec-
tations on the point would be realized.
A few minutes before seven o'clock Mr..
Beecher made his appearance on the
platform in front Of the organ and
said -
LADIES AND GENTLExEN--You need
not look at the clock. The minister 5
watch is what we go py here. In Jan.
uary, 1850, this building was first open
ell for public worship. remember
well a remark Of a gentleman friend Of
mine and connection of my family to a
lady Of his acquaintance. lie told her
that the novelty Of this church would
be worn off in sixty days. He now rep.
resents part Of the city in the Con-
gress OF the nation; but although he
has been good business man he proved
a bad prophet. We have gathered
here in nany times Of great darkness,
doubt, vicisSitude and peril. | may
now call tins Old Plymouth church, for
it is old according to the scale we live
in America. We have been
here on annual trial before
the people by the method
we employ Of vending our seats. Dur
ing the years when we had Castle Gar
den and Union meetings, when mer
chants and men were threatened if they
dared to express their sentiments OF
such subjects as slavery or liberty; dur
ing the days when parties were forming
into life men in this congregation took
a part. Every year we were brought
before the public, the seats were offered
publicly ofiered-for sale, and so
that crucial test of New York value
was employed by us in every year since
1850, no backward step having been
taken by this church. 1t has gone
straight on, and when the hard times
came, and money was close and bank.
ruptcy abounded, measures and men
were unpopular, and even leading jour.
nails in New York were recommending
that a minister of this church should
be
ROLLED IN THE DUST.
as testimony Of his offensive senti
ments there was one stock that never
went down in the market, and that was
Gospel stock-the best stock a man ey'
or invested in. If thought that YOU
came to this house as a matter Of fash
ion or merely for the sake Of some in
tellectual enjoyment should b,
ashamed to say single word to encour
age you. But | have the test Of toe
many men--Cf thousands-that tn,
Gospel preached in this house has not
been preached to please merely, but &c
make men better; | have the testimony
Of your own experience that you have
been in!yours business helped by relig
ion, and the way in which you
have gone through your sorrows il
your family by the spirit Of trus
which you obtained here; that you haC
better ideas Of citizenship and patriot
ism and life in God and love to mar
from coming here. | believe that tina
only leads you to come from year e
year to purchase seats in this HOUSE
where you may still have this bread
Of life. ! will not allude to any Of thu
circumstances which make our cominl
together this year peculiar. hay'
only to say in the language OF the ole
psalmist, 81 have never seen the right
eous forsaken nor his seed begging
bread" All through this pain
ful period Of my life, a
a time when most mel
have earned th5 right to cease from
labor and obtain the remuneration Of 4
life spent in the public SERVICE am un
able to do 50. accept this trial with
patience, with cheerfulness, and Will
that trust in Gol which ] preach Il
you, and it is my desire TO 60 through
trouble in such a way as that ] ma
not blush afterward when ] preach &
you how to bear trouble, how to carr
sorrow. Mr.. Beecher then took up
diagram Of the house and explained
how the seats would be disposed Of
lie informed the audience that thei
auctioneer had been beguilcd from then
but that another had stepped into hi
place, and he brought the salesman for
ward.
THE BIDDING FOR TnEsEATs
was promptly opened, and the frs