The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-04
BROOKLYN CHURCHES.
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

MIR. BEEcHER's OPINION OF SHAKESPEARE AND
sHAKrsPRAR1AN STUDIES "A SERMON ON THE
HIGHER LITE.
For some not very apparent reason Plymouth
church was more than usually crowded yesterday
morning. Alter packing the church to Its utmost
capacity large number went away, unable to
obtain admission. 1t being the nrst Sunday In the
year there was an admission OF new members.
Seven were admitted on profession Of faith and
five by letters from other churches. In addition
to the announcement Of the renting OF the pew
on Tuesday evening next, Mr.. Beecher took oeca.
sion to say word for Shakespeare, In ann ouncing
the delivery, In BROOKLYN, OF Mr. Weiss lectures
on the women OIL Shakespeare. He said:-Next to
the Bible Shakespeare has given rise to more
mental activity than any man, probably, that ever
nved-certainy OF the Anglo'saxon race. 1t may
be that Plato and Aristotle, In their sphere OF
scholarship may have originated as much
mental activity in their time as Shake.
spears In our own; but they have not
exceeded it on universal thought. Still the mine
Ia not yet worked out, aud it never will be until
mans nature and observation have ceased to exist.
IL Is good not simply 10 read Shakespeare, but to
critically investigate bis writings. To young men
who peginn ng their literary studies lectures
will afford an opportunity OF nearing man OF ge-
MUS, and also afford an approving opportunity of
gaming a knowledge not only OF the great author,
bat also Oh the nature Of mind.
THE SERMON.
Mr.. Beecher preached a sermon on the indwell-
Ing OF the spirit OF Cod selecting for his text the
twenty OF the fourteenth chapter OF the
Gospel OF John :-'Jesus answered and SAID unto
him, II q man love me, ne Will keep my words:
and my Father Will love him, and VIC WILL come
unto him and make our abode with HIM. This
language (,aid Mr.. Beecherl is not solitary or sim
gular; It Is a text that reappears uader various
forms and images. "Aoide III me aud In YOU AS
abide In the vine; no more can ye except We aDide
In me." The three evaugelists called synOpuc,
Matthe n, mark and Luxe, deal very largely in the
external experience OF the religion OF Jesus. John
diners from tue others IN revealing the internal
life oil CnI ist. 1t IS remarkable how iar from an
educated style OF thought aud Will Is the course OF
experience generally. Our grade OF education IS
manly IN the relation VI Things to ideas. We are
reasOners. We use iacts rs grapes are used, for
tho sake OF the VINE wnicn can be pressed out or
them But the TACT ID that sou destroy the cluster
only iOr TIE sake OF tho conclusion. so That men
come TO say tnat facts are very good, but doctrine
Is supreme. with the execution OF the Apostle
Pau. who mad received ilOeral education, there
Is hardly philosopher Ia the whole Bible. Among
the Jour evangelists Jonn stands alone anu pecI.
pei, the uUctrlhe OF an lncarna'ed Saviour. VI q
divine mnd in the human MIND Is not an
elaborate psssncl0gGai taeory or truths l.
Gospel 1t IS the same, but The facts are stated. In
the Otner the facts aie stated internally but not
externally. MIR. Beecaer mere described the diff
ferent mental build Of men Of each Of these classes,
anu SAID that he mys teal nature rejOiced IN JOnn.
He then explained the mode OF treating Scripture
by winch we could get more out OF IL than Is
generally sought. Mr. Beechef then turned to
consider the highest form oil being that contains
within itselI the germ and seed Of all creation, OF
every element known to man. OF every faculty,
and o. those emotons. and which faculties, organ.
zed an expressed. he back OF all the faculties
OF mind, and IN quality Is lar In excess OF any
tnlns we know. After tracing the nature Of tue
and lover elements SOM, o, mans nature. he saia:-
and the peasants OF Germany: between
Shakespeare and the yeomanry OF England,
between Emerson and the blue boys Of
cannot be said TO be the same beings. II 1t he so
OF these minds dwelling vita Us, how much more
80 Is It wnen you extend your observation above
all human being ana consider the Divine nature.
IL - possible to narrow this thought though 1t be
so lar away. 1t Is this knowledge OF the divine in
mind with mind by Thought, by imagery and BY
spiritual experience. rbe TIMETABLE has no bars
no limits; IN this intercourse there is absolute
freedom IN the higher spbcres oil human life.
bondage belongs to the lower spheres OF human
lie. WHAT, then, must be the terms OF Intercourse
That 1--we above the sphere or mortal lilef What
man mo9t perfectly Mr.. Bcecner here enlarged
upon the intercourse OF man with the Creator
tnrough the o influence renee, OF the. Divine
OF culloren with their parents. is he said, In the
susceotblllty OF mind with mind That he placed
Tue whole doctrine OF the SPIRIT oil God. inc in.
dwelling OF the DIVINE spirit 10 man is the fruit Of
the divine teaching Ia the mans soul. 10 the
question, DO you believe In tho higher life ?" he
would say that there Is sphere 10 which mans
mind may owe In perfect peace not because 1t
Is s.nless not because 1t Is perfect, not because IL
perfectly good, not because 1t has reached TO the
standard OF the perfect measure IN Christ Jesus,
bat because the mind reaches unto direct infu.
ence oil divine iighi that the man cannot help but
We peace!u. ana oyiuh Mr.. Bcesaex concluded Jy