The New York herald., 1875-11-01
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.


utes aferward there not an inch Of on floor
galleries left unoccuped on either side Of the plat
form stood filed with brown maple leaves mari
Colds and various hall dried wild plants such may be
culed by any country hedge this season. The
music nothing less Than treat
Mr. Beecher took for his the first seven verses OF
the ninth chapter of Matthew which relates the curing
Of the palsisd by the Saviour The incident said
he, took place in His city That not Nazareth,
where He was brought up, from which He had been
peled by the riot after which He betook himself to
Capernaum and dwelled there and called that His home
There details Of HIS removal there, nor whether
His mother and brethren went with Him. From that
centre He made circuits throughout Gallce The MN
stry OF Christ may be divided into three parts The
first part OF His ministry devoted
premely to the reformation of morals;
and the OF his discourse was Repent
for the kingdom OF God IS at handn The
second part Of His ministry the delivery of dis
tending show what the spirit and genius
Of this 'kingdom of heaven the disposition and
heart OF man The third department Of instruction in
progressive cycles that in which He taught the
mystery Of the higher spiritual development Of man.
kind, and this last the ministry which had its
sphere in and around Jerusalem near and throughout
the days Of His passion. As reformer Of morals
He was continuing the preparatory work which John
began. No sooner had he gained, however the ear OF
| HIS people than He began TO insist upon more
| than morahty-upon the development of the
| positive dispositions Of the soul which He con
| suuted each man and in the realm OF
\ tins spiritual and inward kingdom which He
| called the kingdom OF heaven or the
| kingdom Of God. THIS pervadcd His ministry, not
only ia Gallee as lie drew near 10 the last months
| OF His lie His instructions these points became
! dctatoral and dramatic SO that alter being driven
/ out Of the Temple Of Jerusalem by HIS enemies and
having taken refuge in the mountains, His discourse
! fairly swarned with PARALLELS and lie into those
sublime teachings which found principally in the
4 I'M thn a MA 49,
Divine Spirit ttse Comforter. SO there are these
three natural and progressive periods the teachings
Of saviour. Now, these relate TO the early
period OF His ministry in Galee and IN Capernaum,
| and the time when He enforcing His instruc-
/ tions with miracles, While he was sitting house
I which was
! so THRoNGED THAT NO ONE COULD ENTER
there came a body Of men bearing the paralyzed
patient the rug or little Thin banket-like pallet
which used IN Oriental lands this day as 4 bed
When Christ saw this man He sand, 'Son, be Of good
cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee Now this was a
great disappointment, probably, all round There is
evidence that the parayuc man himself able to
upon the faith those who owed him-a thing which
it behooves TO remember When the servant was
himself unable TO exercise faith there vicarious
faith aud the miracle performed upon the faith
others. If the man himself conscious and
able to appreciate that which smd he
was doubt, greatly disappointed lie came
TO be healed Of the disease which made his life a
curse instead that he received spiritual bless
ing; aud he felt doubtless great disappointment one
who should say, what is aspiritnal benedicon good
for me, who am In such miserable condition ~ and
his friends no doubt would have said, ''Why not
heal himy Why preach to him the grace OF forgive
nessS Why not heal him first and then preach
hmYn There was, told, goody number OF
Pharisees around while Christ talking gathering
what they could to show that He orthodox
you to remember that the head OF the church
not orthodox IN His own tme-and when Christ
said, Thy sins forgiven theen these men did not
say word, but one smiled another nodded and they
looked at each other and muttered Jesus seeing in
their faces the expression Of the thought This 1at
blasphemy, said TO them, That you may know that
| have power, up take thy bed and walk" When
the man rose up and walked they held their tongues
That did strike them evidence. When the Saviour
wrought the miracle of the SOUL when He brought the
daylight OF hope to the heart when He said .all thy
are forgiven thee there was no evidence in that
When they the man walk their eyes took that in
and they could understand IL; but they could ap
prcciae any spiritual manifestation although they
the appointed 10 keep the faith orthodox. Christ
all through His earthly life constant in his wor-
ship in the synagogue and kept the laws until
they put in opposition with humanity
and then de struck Tor humanity. HIS leach
iugs all show that He felt the value
OF man, and OF man in his highest nature Let us
tnen or moment regard what Christ did He offered
FIRST soul gift, and as that did not seem 10 be any
thtng, he offered them body gift But beyond all
question the disciples, the Jewish doctors and the
himself in the first instance felt that the lower gi be
cause apprecaoe TO the senses, was the higher one
God had offered him the highest gilt which He could
give He offered Him back a white soul made
white by red blood that was yet TO be she'd employing
tho hgure which was so dear 70 the jewish mind That
gft has in the promise Of righteousness rectitude
right thinking right living under all circumstances
which the man Is placed Il prepares the soul by this
cleansing ior
TIKI fNDwELLSG SPIRIT or GOD.
II brings INTO chambers of the soul 4 new light a
life inspiration. God represents Himself as
unable dwell IN the hearts Of those that given
. over slaves to sin. The man. who was cured did not
know what he had presented him. A mar brings me
great gilt Running In hastily and out Of breath he
cries y. know your taste ana hands me an oystera
great rough thing. "And that the gtY' Open
IT. and there's pearl Magnificent! Christ never
refused 70 heal the sick raise the dead feed the
hungry, but tie was always Striving to make this a
bridge a higher gut 1t good deal better TO
teach man 70 raise his own food than TO give It 70
ch should be taught '' % 50 oe' carry 'nda nmse
that he shall not stumble and cut himself than how to
cure bis wounds alter he has fallen and hurt himself
Al IL in those days II IS In great cities
when there movements being made for the saliva
tion Of men, people stand oil and cry what bias
phcmy s this who are these men that make these
onersY The men Of God into whose hands has been
gwen the kingdom OF Heaven they can let in, but
these wandering and
how they assume 70 themselves any such ollceY'
Another stands of and says, Now, what ideas do
giye2 Where is their shapey logic and ingenious
philosophy that rises up and appeals 10 us What do
they do but gather crowds, produce momentary i'm
pressons and then let men scatter again the
sea scatters the crest Of the drops OF foam
What do they do ~ II all they did make
hour luminous and hopeful, they would be doing
thing good | suppose there souls that know
of pure spiritual JOY IN one hour 10 such gather
ing than they do IN their own homes IN month. Out
Of every hundred people that are excited there arc
hy at least that learn the way-then the greater
gift theirs II not strange that the doctors and
The philosophers and and literary critics Of
our day do not understand what the Pharisees did
understand .'Seek nrst the kingdom ot God and
his righteousness and all things else shall be added
unto YOU First humanity, first soul power, first
God N youwisdom, strength, enterprise JOY peace
first that and clothes and bread and coal and
money. FIRST that which Is most important-the
souls salvation, rst that and you are striking Alright
Some people say whats the use OF preaching TO the
poor, why don't you feed theml Why not bring them
loaves vi bread instead Bbles2 Man can't eat paper
even Win the gravy Of printers INK on u,
say the sooners These Efforts 10 evangolizc
the people carry with them in their train
everything that naturally needs. BRING
men 70 q of religion to sense OF responsibility,
70 something that is generous to something that lifts
them ABOVE trouble aud care. Give TO the lonely
Trend That Will never leave them nor orsake them.
6lve 70 the selfish, proud wicked guttonous drunken
man that power Of God which shall enable him to
up out o. his moral paralysis and you have given
MN the best thing that God can give TO man listened
70 MI Woody yesterday morning and reioced with all
my heart and soul in the success that God has given TO
him. have not had my heart so Gled with thanks
giving Tor q great RECORDER HACKKrr sAys.-GIF
THERE EXISTS An OFFICE WHICH MORE THAN Any orHER