New-York tribune., 1875-03-09
DIR. HALL ON PREACHING.
THE PREACHER AND HIS TIMES.

EFFECT UPON SOCIETY OF LOVE OF wEALTH-IN-
FLUENcE OF THE CULTIVATION OF PHYSICAL
sCiENCE on RELIGIOUS BELIEF-ovER-ESTIMA-
TON OF GENIUS AND THE ARTS.
rrRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or TIE JRIDUSHl
NEw-HAvEN, March 5.-Dr. John Han delivered
his ninth Lyman Beecher lecture on Preaching" at
D. m. yesterday, before the Yale Divinity School,
in Marquand Chapel. In it he claimed that preach
ing was to be less modified for the times than is
generally advocated. and indicated love of wealth.
extravaganza over-devotion TO physical science. the
fine arts, and genius as weaknesses OF the times
which were to be Offset in the estimate by inde-
pendent thinking, a growing sense OF human Droth-
orhood, yearning for Christian unity, and bone
and foreign religious actiyitYfeatureS to DO allowed
for in preaching.
II was to be observed. he said, that the Apostles 'he
leaders OF the Reformation, and tho most successful!
preachers Of to-day, spoke at once to their times ana
followed their individual methods The Apostles as
sailed Pacanism and distorted Judaism the Reform
ers corrupt Chrisanity the preachers of TO-DAY, un'
belief ali wordlnoss. But the truths proclaimed by
Peter and Paul ana John the same In all the
preaching. The necessity OF phases OF preaching
T. suit tie times Is overestmaed Though men trav-
eled and lands by steam they were the same
men. differing ouly in surroundings. T6ere was
the weakness, way wardnoss, and need oi~mordi
new creation. The devil assai'iug them was also the
plying the same old allacies as in Ion. fe shall DC
WISE become a> gods. not surely die" Christ, the
remedy was likewise the his sefdenying lie oi
love- his Dlnitc yearuings, and his everreSoh' "eII
As b3rc the hJ0d and in the cities OF the ph' 80 ~
New-Yoik Boston. Chicago. they were eating drink
iuc. marrying. giving in marridge-aH P'oP0i
enough Of Itself, but crowding God out OF minh' ana
dclugins il with worldhness. In urging preaching "
tho times The conception that The world was I'M
prccccnely bad, naturalnference growing out OF inc
Increased facilities for collecting ncw5 But TINS was as
false as was The other estimate that would make all the
pos; dark and the present only ght culture ana at
ta:nment stl there were ey and excellent character
tes of the day which were to be borne in mind by the
urcachcr and By which he to be in measure
guided in his work.
First among the evils was oyerestmate OF mate
rial wealth. Therefore the preacher ought to seek 10
turn tho money getting tendencies oI the age into nooe
channels for noble ends, 10 warn men OF the emptiness
Of riches and especially to dIsenchant the Joung from
its allurcmen,s. second evil was extravagance-not
the spending large sums. when fairly ones own Tor
legitimate ends bat spending for the name and sake OF
spending. Jesus, against jerusalem was noWlSe
dazzled as were his disciples by the citys spIepdor'
having bohcld tho heavenly Jerusalem. Athrd evil
was an ovHrans OF physical studies They tended TO
repeat in new dress the sorrowf old story Of natural
ISIS becoming men, counselors OF kings priests 10
people the real rulers Certainly science followed In
largeminGel way. was noble but in any less grand
spirit 1t was apt TO lead to disbelief IN whatever
truth would not submit to scapel. microscope or
cruclble; and it did sore evil when 1t led
men OF high scientific renown TO pass
outside their prouer realm and dogmatize concern
ING other truths the prestige OF their Tame Tor IN
drscncnf The pulpit must honor all TRUTH but insist
on li2hsr steal truth, and emphasze the faet
that all truths had tEeir respective panes ana conul
tons An ipropOriOUed reverence for arr, ana iaIth
In IT, power, was fourth evil Religion had often sac
ri1ccd much 10 IT, Ii could be hlgh ara religion low;
the DAYS OF the Renaissance Of Leo A OF the Mtdlc
were not way. II ones people should want IL
helm on zion by sucn alliance, they were
In he diss ted Another evil undue Difference or
ido!atr, for genius. A man might be an immense
genius surprisingly brilliant, and yet poor gui ie'
TIE way O lie 81 constructed that genius hal no
advantage in u " the wayiaribg naD though "A foOl
stood Oh an equal footing in thai path or the specially
chaTacieristlCs OF the Times, Wlch the
preacher was 10 chCered by and TO take advantage
or the prevalent ind pcndence Of thought was IoIe
--..
The growing yearrng for sympathetic, II not organic
church unIJil, was another most hopeful sign Dospltc
peruclus eeiueAts, IL for the most part genuine
Ii needed encouraged aud made Dracucai by lle
preachrr fourth encouraging feature was the growth
OF the IN spirit which now last becoming ike
that OF tle days before Constantine. nnal hOpeIhl
Characterize tne intense spirit OF activity through
ont the church. Never had men been so ready 10 DC
as.ir IN tncIr religion. The mission work eNlnced ~
and efforts home eVangel!zati0n az Well IE5 actlF
lty might readily be only activity OF enterprise
of The fles 10 was 10 be sancted and made activity
perVaCei b the spirit OF GOI. Inat the preacher
might teach this, he Lust experience it. Working on
ih,s noble plane us life would a success like Abei's
preachers hia would be largely thrown away WHICH no
man af