New-York tribune., 1875-05-17
CHRISTIAN ACTIVITY AND CHRISTIAN
WAITING.
THE Rsp Henrv Ward Boeeher at Plymouth Churh tCt
~ - flnnnLl

WAITING.
THE p.r .nrv Ward Beeher at Plymouth Churh (Congrga
N" N" ~ ttonal)
Mr.. Beechers audience yesterday filed every
scat and all the available standingroom In Plymouth
Church The doors leading from the nails 10 'he hooT
and into the galleries. were thrown oren ana the rs
were crowded with people eager to see r Beeche ana
hear his words. The plymouth pastor suffered from
bad cold and during parts Of his sermon IL was with
difficulty that he spoke. The tbeme OF his DISCOURSE
which was over an hour long, one which brought out
his utmost earnesness of thought and expression When
he came forward at the conclusion oi the hymn ana an
nounccd In q low and emphatic tone the text ElheSiaS
w. l3 nast clalise) "And having done all 10 stand
many recognized the significance OF the selection III view
Of the fast approaching climax OF the celebrated trial.
md n regular attendant ut the church was hcird 10
usncr 10 a ueighbor: "IhiS will be great sermon"
At the conclusion Of the sermon many OF the audience
were in tears The discourse Included many OF Mr.
Beecher's most vigorous Illustrations. and contained
references which taken by many of his hearers to
be the heartfelt expressions of his courage hope and
trust in the position In which ho stands. Following arc
his words A.. ,,o,.o o,,o
figure drawn from ancient warfare by when hc Apo.tc
60, forlh Chrisfan man as warrior and Describes tho
various moral influences under which ne acts ~ PARE VI
the armor offensive and defensive, and Hlrse''s I'm as
having made every preparation not only but a. 80 haynS
advcntured into the battle and come 20 pont ID Wen %
nothing more was be done, ana yet ne was 10 s'iii
There are many times in the course OF great pa,lc
when to hold point Is Itself victory yo i,E i NJ, ~ m po
misc be adyerary but by the sacrifice OF life, by per-
While otler events transpire around The hattle.icld
and at last the active fighters sweeping arGa W circics
Si ore l Of the men that held fast 10 that aco Others
seem to have reapcd the victory but the tneal hoS
And thc Apostle Paul, without nInS OF
modern warfare, and without, Doubtless any slcIi en-
10 ' hr men eyericd themselves to the u;termos and
vet te conflict was not done They had prepared pun on
ibeir whole aI1nor exercised their rmost strength ana
coTaga ana things had simply - point or stan
still Thoy do retreat nor siireiic Lrl stint I
as before, by activity 80 now by patent waiting 'ney
This is the subject" having done AZ" great many
pconlc forgct ths passage. They willing TO stand be-
fore they have done anyting-yta TO lie down sleat
many persons are willing to stand frol indolencs, rom
an ndiposition to exert themselves; but the comment
is "having done ALL" 1t is conrand 10 men that love
enterprise that active They arc by nature or grIcc
ready 10 20 into any amount of sefsacrihcc and the su
ferg that is incident TO Il but 70 them above al ths'
il is the hardest thing i'll the word to stand or 10 VAT
There is much nisc0nception in regard 10 what are
called abors and burdens and Gro nd .Gi5,s
it no secular Christian-is s activity A. long az
man is in tho possession OF health bodily activity - not
toll 1t may become so hroueh c@ces OIt " Iu.
suitable degree Of physical activity Industry 3 not SIM
is S naiDrs Of namEnd and that which of tho
bOdy s eminCnty true o the inh IOr o, py io
not come few and arg, but like the dew and iiIc thc
@ iI W Il tlat which We enioy the longest
and in small measure at each particular moment OF tIr
Activity part and parcel Ci our enjoyment anu hctS
is no real essential or manly haNnos without H. Al
lborS therefore, that nO.gal ana carried on Wl'
moderation, within proper limit a. carry MI t.c, MI
therO%n reward TorT man t1Gt ioSWs M e cj1l @yS
stances to untimely faSuc-!e ought ID ENJOY
bs .nol lie ouat gGc' to eST the business itself 1t Is
the normal met lod OF developing the whole inai Every
SS5Sr oG snTa% oy %o enc u ere are eat
persons That take credit to themselves ior
S ood d. de ~ of credit If oos is prescribed and the child
takes il without wrinkle; but II great cns'ef @ o. nus M
1I ancon 'H " the Ehysan S 10 cat ponl three times
DAY and the chile with wonderful docity ana subnis
S@ GSS s IS II prs3ewoshy And So many
think that, because they do agreeable THINGS, NisI
agreeable people do those Offices OF Lndhes' wien ne
easily within their power, cost them nothing ana cause
plessun to others, they deeerye great creilt
ihcy think "am l not an active Chi.htiani Am
crosses people ike to take taem MP When he heart IS
il np and thus the ,higs that called TO do iii
Christian life ull Of relations TO pleasure 10 peace
10 srespcct, the sense OF praise, to the social III
slcts to sympathy that there Is no credit Ia them
They not valneicss They are Important , Dnt no
man take to himself the rcpute OF tg,ng sufferer
ard worker in any such sense as TO call Tor ply, VINO
merely does things which are agreeable w..
What cross do YOU suppose take u In preachingl Just
the same kind of a that mountain r takes up
that all summer long gushcs and sparkes not pee IL
is nature and it goes ripping down tho dell to please Ii
sGf-not to please the heavens , ,e clou or i
preaching to me peasanter than anything s!se tnat
preach might 4 IT Mh"e %1s mS Ss If o Of m
who is healthy and has healthy Theology oshI 10
he
chine was ever made in this world that had &c ,:icon
but there was mover machine made tlat woud run W..
so little oil healthy man preaching 10 heathy lne
and women to whom he can preach the gospel OF
hope faith and Of love- Some are told when they enter
bore Sm sn them, what an awful responsibility thcy take
upon them how much they should abide in the closet,
%c insS would iaOn% not take away one whit from the
carnesness and the genuine sincerity any man that
Christ Jesus but would away that fantastic notion
that belongs to monasticsm ,,i and not to to Chris
ter Is q disagreeablo work; II is noble, fun
Joy and other business is like 1t in the pay 1t gives
borders Of the wilderness laying foundations, there
mp in hearts of that conscientously doing
Gods work among the poor the heroic clement And
whether in poverty wealth whether in popularity
unpopuarty. there is i'll tho WORK OF every honest man
that doing genuine work for Gods people, JOY that
is enough 10 compensate. II there were no other Joys
other remuneration no consideration
thought he ought TO CO. OH II the true ministers Of
Christ in life could DE opened up in contrast vvdy with
the care, the burdens, tho dagceable necessities the
oyeitaxed efforts, that are made In other professions
methods msn would run to the ministry. Not TO ecclcs
a-tical ministry, sinecures, TO who have
On administration which requires them simply TO turn
the crank of prearrauged -rouilnists-though
chimes arc TO be buht; but / mean the
Jesus Christ IN the love and the power Of God that
is I'm Him; who ovo their fellow men, and are willing to
bring them what medicine what bread their
their hunger needs lhe ministry OF such men being
blessed ay ocatons that the world knows and activity
enterprise, rcesant preaching inccsant vistng-these
Things are be set down 10 the credit OF virtues
These are games. Now Paul did them, and lac did hem
TOO, under circumstances In which they were not all eXcr
nay l asant But read the passage TO your hear
ing is morning 10 show you that even the extraordinary
inc dents thai bcicll his active mnisryGO JOYFUL was
the central idea OF the Christian ministry In his hands
with all those supcrlayc experiences rarely In any
OhcrwoIc converted into joys by the shining light of
thr interior ana central Joys by tho service of the Lord
Jcs Christ and what tO hIn were false brethren
enemies the the Land, in the city the
country but occasions FOR Thanksgiving For while there
be some ships that go piungng, plunging pluBging
through tie Ecas, that every snse wave spills aud
throws over aud their deck is dry, aud there bo
others That ride the waves, ana whatever strikes them
Lifts them, there DO that jam themselves into
every and every OOd OF tears and there other