New-York tribune., 1875-12-04

gentlenen-members Of the church-sittDg IN the
front rows watched him with glistening eyes, ana
frequently applauded with all their might. when
Mr. Beecher, with much feeling said, NOT
one minister has come to me
in fellowship" tears started into the eyes
of more than one hearer. The oudest applause Ioi-
lowed when Mr.. Beecher with great emphasis ex-
claimed: 1T is possible that Plymouth Church
may stand outside OF the 5000 Congregational
churches Of America but 1t will be when they put us
out, not when we go ont" and when he declared
that the time for silence has gone by"
Mr.. Beecher spoke AS follows:
sorry that this church should be the occasion OF
SO much ne aud excitement through tue pubcJournas
as has been. But call every person to witness "ho
IL familiar with the internal history OF this chnen
OF its own seeking. 1t has not been developed
nv us in the church but it has ndled upon US by
adVersaries standing outside of the church lAppauHc
We have sought to perform the appropriate "ors m Oh
church organization, peaceably meddline win no otner
churches living III peace and charity with every Que au
every effort, in despite of storms that arc & IN.
psraeled, | think, in the history, OF ordinary ry
churches BY the great goodness OF God, ana by
the special nlweng OF His Spirit, that work we have
been enabled to pursue through good report ana n
through evil report for the past two years abatng not
one witt OF our labor in MISSIONS abating nothing
in hOusemoetngs, living and growing nnit ainon
ourselves, and having the Divine work OF nd
OF the conversion OF people to the uue ynar asr
holy life going on during the pas past i, e,eSy yes
respect, far We knew the mind of the Mar,s,'
honeying aud home staying Christian churcn "nu .ne
most OF the news that has been driven forth NE paues
from the file in the papers has been hrougnt upEn @
say this because there are r s'ne "nS If
70 say that Plymouth Church was always
s M Wien Ply & mouth sG Gqrin hr sdr Is ppa@ee
She seeks other publicity, however, now tat Il ho
mered. We would fam forego that winch we nave % eI
compelled 10 have, but IL was not perlnl'teu w & aU
thIuK Judging with all the allowance made TOT tue r
ates Of men yet in the nfsn' mat ennesa .H nn
its continuous abors has done more IN tue plst tWo
years magnify Christian life and Church NE tnah IL
has every done in any other ten ears 9 its existe y,
wish 10 further that in the administration or me
affairs of Christ committed TO mems hands III tnls ehucn
we have Sought ut every hazard anu WI, a. 81 co
to discharge our trust according 10 !he h Tsdoa
and OF thrs inn fellowship We dOut believe that the
Church ~ singfom. We believe tbat II Is IdhhIy
We don't believe that the officers OF the Church nave any
rights oyer those OF lts lndiNuui mem9ets, o'ue I"
those which belong 10 the household OF Heaven IL uoeS
them. IT cannot touch them only Tor theit good
and for the purity or the Chulch and We nav
ored in ,le administration of our duties 10 DehaFe
lenienty and tendery neither 10 i9pIoTn s n r n1
Judgment. We haue sought 10 clean our ehuieh OF Gn
ever seemed not TO belong 10 us IN manner as lo
Objectionable as possible 10 those persons going our rom
us MnIlc nave been attempting to do ns there mas
been crouchng agaiDs, Gs at every sep meu VINO
avowcdy nave no sympathy WIN US, VINO Id. M.tJe &
tlteiing and mistakes, WHO nave sought TOT ul
az men tor hidden treasure, and have cpuhsrird
not with us-nOt one minister mas ever CONC 10 ne ~
fellowship; not Christian man OF all those VINO ilnu
one man has ever church bearing tne fellow
ship OF other chuiches ana Saying, why 90 ge 80 =
NV
nave cd back ann held councils aud waited iOr the ms
take thdt might be pOJnoed uion and made an
argument against THIS church, and We nave stO0a III the
lndf ol iaut mding, of uncba1tabe wachnSs, OI the
fellowship OF evil cOulses Tor period Of years
And it - supposed 10y sUlnc thal Dy te fOfce OF
pressure Oy annOyaoe 10y yexatons, they VIII weary Us
on and that for the sake Il peSe We Ina
possine that Plymouth ChuGeh may si',nd
outside Of tie 5000 Congregational churcnes OF Norn
America but will be wncn they put Us OUT ana not
when we 90 out iApplause, aud cry Of :" "t'oood j
We propose to sIand Hore we are, III no spirit Sl Ost
macy or of pu.nae, but We believe THIS cAusen fep"
sens the iuuan nta IDEAS 0f inc latI"s De'tei 'ian
tue churches That surround us. We are standing
.or lust our rghts as committed 20 us oy oar
led Head Ne are Standing Jr tins principle me
nght OF church 10 administer lts tudNa actod5
t. TIE iglt and wisdom God gives 10 IT, aad VIC are
sandiug FOR IL under peculiar eiieus ah,es; Whon -. !,
sipe, seeded by spurIons doctAlne OF Iomsh, @hich
terms fellowship, but IA operation government
1ho doctriue fellowship whicn, a. IT haS been cx'n.
phed upon and 90 us means tne aDs0mte SURRENDER
vote. os Lie malorlty churches III ta ncgIDJrh0Od
Now thar pu ;ipe, stand wltn the f4ets, aud We
slan Tor the cAurcBes. We don't bazon ourselves as
champions but do ths tIat whlle III Tue pfoN
denc of God il has been made our peculiar dny 10 stand
and labor for tins local ehurch, we nave becu Stlhs
Ir il t tine wn.n there is danger than there IL
IN any OF the churches, that there MAY De doctrine OF
Lut a uoor, base imitation OF PresbytonanIsm.
Tue Presbyterian Church system II an admiIdble
ua those dioult which nhere the ~ stenh oee
cueeked by experience anu therefore PresDy ell'iam
pure aud simple is To he respected. Con5eSauOn"sn
pure AMI simpe has als0 the result oi Oug experience
made Itself be respec ed adequate adnrsoe ana
ism a. the Presby brethren judge PrrsDy
better lhan H. Therefore CongIesat nsiisn Is good
and Pipspy terianlsm Is good bat PIenDygduohall9ni
mean. Laughter anu appiaise
me TIME FOR SILENCE GONE BY.
While, tben, are attempting Ia msintain our own
inteality and our own rights feel that called
upgu in fighting our own battles to prevent battles in
many many weak churches that might not be able under
the circumstances to bear mp. VISA to say more than
tut w.s TO say tie unle for scnce-and we arg
informed thau tntle was llne 'o TpcHh ai'u
Lue to be sept-tnat the time for slen,e =
nas gone by loud apiAse ana whatever Is 10 DC stu
ana snuuhi be said VIII be said. AMI whatever ia to be
met. and whatever investigation IA to De proposed oy
proper parties IN proper meIhois VIII Dc %'otdau anu
not avoided. Applause And propose ana say u 10
Ou, a.d say 10 brother tnat are concerhod tat
WDeu any rs 0ciatlon OF any eouhch Sousiuets n'ae
tcs pertaining TO THIS churcn, l msehd 10 DC there
ILoud appiauso. And now In regard to the particular
tiiL are before U.s. 40 not plopoSe To ssluaHe
tnem, but this we do cay, that wren memetrs
80 lar disagree WIN ns 1hr apd sp
expressions Of Opinions Of tho majority; when tscy
80 Jar disagree Win us that they cnnCt attend our pno
tic serves nor private me, LhSs "nen tn.! ceiuo,
unite ia the perOi Of tnir duty winch they most
s0icmnW and luOilcy covenant to perform, ana when
tbcy lend themselves I" ose seeking the dseieut oi te
church. Il the duty al the church 10 terminate
its connection peisons Loud appause Is 10
be assumed that We are to pc htid responsible Iu ruie
who will not come, suf Us TO have an influence
over themf lAppiauso ls II to be assunCd tIat Whe
we offer every consideration tnat ought tO DC bestowed
by gentleman and II CHRISTIAN man upon woman
aud when we SEEK tna IN eSS1g ac,Isp way oIy tl.
church as harmless as may o,, as eeae ne,
ncial az may he TO take our kndhess as ground oi
fresh and seek Ia condemn the Church under te
crcumst.iucesi G I tbink Inis, in the Judgment OF
every rgbt thuhing man, and appeal To tue
COMMON sense and to tne g0od neiShpory leel
inc of meu whether by an honest attempt 10
,au nae tie Church those whom IL cannot take care Of
whether tlat isn't risht aud Car stlan-wb.Der 10 d
y and inveige and trouble cnur:h ON tnat account ~
not wicked. lApplause.l'
need not resolutions have my heirtest
assent and that IL seems TO me tDdt they
snail bave also the heartiest assent OI
inc Christian public when they shall read them.
Al there was any thing IN them UDect0naDiej there
VA. ANYTHING Ia that did not appeal To the heart
and feeling OF every right-minded man, think l. as
soon as any one, should know II; but 1t seems To me
tnat tcy are temperate and just, aud the church IA not
going Ia gave up ali organization.
A tremendous burst of applause broke out as Mr..
Beecher ceased speaking, aud the resolutions, being
rs..ll l.,..n IL, ian