The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-15
YESTERDAYS SERMON.
DEPARTURE FROM THE OLD PATHS OF CHRIS


YESTERDAYS SERMON.
DEPARTURE FROM THE OLD PATHS OF CHRIS
TIANIrY.
AS early as ten O'Clock yesterday morning the
tide OF church.gong Brooklynites set strongly In
the direction Of Plymouth church Fifteen min
utes before the hour OF commencing service the
seats and alsles were filed. Precisely at haltpasr
ten Mr.. Beecher assembled the platform and took
his seat. He looked pale, but subsequently re-
gained hts wonted color under the warmth OF en-.
thusiasm with which he imoued his discourse.
The choir, Miss Lazar soprano, rencered the
"Praises OF God" and the excellent chorus with
nne effect The pastor then offered the prayer,
thanking God Tor deliverance from fear
and trouble. and asking that we be brought
to the realization OF peace and happiness
through the spirit OF Christ. He prayed
that the blessings or God might descend on all
who were then present; that their services OF
prayer and song might be acceptable and their
houses De filled with gladness. He then read.
with great feeling, Psalm lxxii.. commencing,
"Truly. God Is good to Israel" &C. The 199th
hymn was then sung with much vgor by the con-
gregation. In the prayer which followed he
prayed that there may be no more doubt among
men as to the knowledge OF His dlvre law, but
that they may be imbued with wisdom from on
high; that all the churches IN this great city may
be enlightened, that they may draw men to them !;
that the preaching shall be from on high, and that
the blessed time shall come when there viii be no
more idols. no more superstition, no more lnjus.
tice and no more oppression. but when all men
shall be filed with the knowledge or God, and the
world shall be filed with His glory.
Mr.. Beecher read Tor his text Jeremiah w., 49,
"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye on the ways, and
see. and ask for the OLD paths, where is the good
rest for your souls" and Jeremiah xviii.
15:-"Because my people have forgotten me,
sacrificing In vain, and stumbling In their ways,
in ancient paths, to walk by them In way not
trodden." The word path" as used In the Scrip
tures Is equal to our word 'road, >" with which we
have been so familiar from childhood. The condi-
ton OF society was indicated by the state OF pres
ervatlon In which the paths or roads were kept.
Well Kept roads were then mark OF progress and
an indication OF well regulated government. In
Palestine still paths are traversed instead or
roads. In ancient times 1t often happened that
these paths were washed away by noods,
neglected and forgotten. and men went
stumbling In their ways. 1t was so In the
paths OF religious LIE. The analogy is
e oo eas the ns
social. moral and political oeheis. In the Ola
Tes' ament the term paths often refers to physical
hapits, such as works, dgnting, sleeping and with
all that the body does. 1t also refers to the estab
llshed rules and laws governing society; also to
the regulation and carriage Of mans mental con.
dillon; OF his thoughts. ana specially 10 his
works-to all habits, IN TACT, regulated by laws
and customs. 1t Is in this view that he would
point out tie way to keep in the ola ways, the
methods which nave proved beneficial to mankind
These ways which mad been IN Increment to our
growth and development ne would nod last to.
THESE should not De cast or Tor IS there nothing
analogous between the sOwlng Of the grain
IN the ground ana the reaping OF the
wheat in the harvest. Are we not to take into
pYan mr. nc " onpQS ~ Qr NOR n
the world to hold on to anything that rerards; but
we aye here 10 retain that which has proved to be
been found. There Is something IN our Yankee
nation which breathes mucn OF contempt for the
IDEA OF CLiNGING TO OLD THINGS.
We want that which Is new III all things.
We have new continent, anu we had no such
as are TO be found IN Ola Rome or 10
and stand out prominently IN bright contrast 10
the lmperfectlons OF the nations and institutions
of the past. Yet we are not half as new or as per-
feet as we think. We have imported many tdeas
from Greece, from SYRIA. from Rome, aud our
but the thoughts ana experiences OF thou.
sands oil years gone BY Our institutions
We are not nall SO wise as we take ourselves to
be. But sucn Is the spirit OF American lie II will
not admit OF the idea that II mas borrowed from
the past There are so many new theories ana so
many new processes and Inventions and progress
continuously revolving that we are apt to gloriy
ourselves with the idea that we don't belong to
the old ages. We too often imagine that the sun
and moon should bow down aud worship us.
and the progress which has been made during the
last ty years IN action III thinking IN art, In
lgious freedom AM activity in scientific dscov-
cry. These revelations have set on fire the mag
nations OF young men, who tell you that cd
man rs doubling, then. the social w., anu
are those wuo are doubtful OF tho wisdom OF the
old social usages. lney hurst Tor a iaraer ana
better way. lney would SPEAK as II the expert
ences OF ages were not oil beneht as tnougn a
truth learned once is not learned forever. 1t Is
THIS DOUBT and uncertainty winch leads many to
throw general distrust on religion and It's teach
ings. they near so much doubt to tEemoral
power OF rehgon That dlstrust Is eneendered IN
ana ID a a ys ou
the over OF religion. The Changes OF leligious
belief IN the young enec' the most Injurious &C.
Suits because they have larger concerts than they
have inteliects, and as they cont know much about
religion. or ANYTHING else, they treat the
church go out OF their way they VIII go out of Its
way. Tnere is tendency on tue cart OF thousands
TO draw away from the teachings OF religious
sects. TO teach that winch is reiiglOusly adapted
Tor the civilization OF han IN moral relations aud
vital 10 civilization Is none tne less autnorzed
Common schools are wise and Indispensable, out
he did not think IL was essential TO say they were
commanded by the Bible Things that are neces-
sary are just as certainly ordained OF God as II
they were laid down Ill the record. the declara-
ton Of God III adaptation OF the truth oil revela-
ton is Just as strong rs IN the written word. But
because men see changing relations they
are abandoning all CONVICTIONS all virtues, all
manhood. You Will ind that these views nave
also their illustrations In the paths OF literature.
There IS tendency to give up the old faitn IN art
and Journalism. The educated mind OF England,
Germany France ana Amerlca In literature, ms
tory an science Is
TENDING AWAY FROM OLD GROUNDS OF CHRISTIANITY.
There is a departure rom tue old Christianity
taught and old custom without pniOsopnlc
grounding. 1t is the genius aud tendency oil the
young and the rising generation. Men lose sight
Of the TACT that Christianity Is the leaven gwen by
God to the ages. without That men are driven
out into tnat outer space. Mr.. Beecher then
alluded TO the craftsmanship which existed
among sects, saying he would not cIrcumscrloe
Christianity, Out he would call attention 10
the moral aud social bearings OF changes rom one
sect to another. You can teach man much
more easily now TO dress and how to Iurnlsh
a house because that Affects his material
~. To Nn lnZI IL