The anti-monopolist., 1875-01-21

MonopoliSt.
LADIES AND GENrLExEN--You need
not look at the clock. The minister's
watch is what we 60 ny here. In jan
uary, 1850, this building was first open
ell for public worship. | remember
we'll remark of gentleman friend OF
mine and connection of my family to
lady of his acquaintance. He told her
that the novelty Of this church would
be worn off in sixty days. He now rep
resents part Of the city in the Con-
gress Of the nation; but although he
has been a good business man he proved
bad prophet. We have gathered
here in many times Of great darkness,
doubt, vicissitude and peril. l may
now call this Old Plymouth church, for
it is old according to the scale we live
| in America. We have been
here on annual trial before
the people by the method
we employ Of vending our seats. Dur
ing the years when we had Castle Car
den and Union meetings, when mer-
chants and men wei threatened it they
dared to express their sentiments On
such subjects as slavery or liberty; dur
ing the days when parties were forming
into life men in this congregation took
a part. Every year we were brought
befolo the pubic, the seats were offered
Publicly offered-for sale, and 50
that crucial test Of New York value
vas employed by us in every year since
1850, no backward step having been
taken by this church. 1t has gone
[straight on, and when the hard times
came. and money was close and bank
|ruptcy abounded, measures and men
were unpopular, and even leading jour-
nails in New York were recommending
that a minister of this church should
be
ROLLED N THE DUST.
as a testimony Of his offensive senti-
lments there was one stock that never
went down in the market, and that was
Gospel stock-the best stock man ev'
or invested in. If thought that you
came to this house as matter Of fash
lion or merely for the sake Of some IN
tellectual enjoyment l should be
ashamed to say single word to encour
age YOU. But have the test Of too
many men-vf thousands-that thu
Gospel preached in this house has mo-
been preached to please merely, but t
make men better; l have the testimony
Of your own experience that you hav'
been in,youra business helped by relig
5 ion, and the way i'll which yo'
) have gone through your sorrows il
3 your family by the spirit of trus
/ which YOU obtained here; that you hat
: better ideas of citizenship and patriot
e ism and life in God and love to maj
: from coming here. | believe that tina
only leads you to come from year 7
wear to purchase seats in this hous
a where you may still have this breat
of life. | will not allade to any Of tn
circumstances which make our comm
$ together this year peculiar. | hav
h only to say in the language OF the Of
!. psalmist, Il have never seen the right
I eous forsaken nor his seed begin
o bread" All through this pal1
y full period of my life,
time when most me
have earned the right to cease frol
y labor and obtain the remuneration OF
life spent in the public service, am ur
able to do so. l accept this trial wit
patience, with cheerfulness, and wit
l. that trust in God which / preach
s. you, and it is my desire to 60 throus
le trouble in such way as that } ma
not blush af.erward when ! preach
se you how to bear trouble, how to carr
sorrow. Mr.. Beecher then took up
diagram Of the house and explaint
er how the seats would be disposed 0
" He informed the audience that the
to auctioneer had been beguiled from the
at but that another had stepped into b
place, and he brought the salesman 10
"a ward.
1 THE BIDDING FOR THE SEATS
y. was promptly opened. and the fir
H. pew was sold to Mr.. Charles Dennis
ct $3.50. Mr.. II. B. Clahin purchased Z
'e second at premium Of $50. II
third was awarded to Dir. II. w. Sa
n at a premium Of $3.50. Mr.. G. Dr
lis wee bought the fourth for the sum
$500. Mr.. NJ. s. Beach gave S535
the eighth pew and Mr.. H. C. Bow
n bought back pew at the twenty>s'
end bid for S455. MIR. Augustus Stol
paid the sum Of $465 for the thirs
w. fourth pew sold, and Mr.. Petting
4. who is . member of DR.. B1ddingtoi
~ church, gave s4lO for seat. Mr..
"a S. Robinson, of the firm of Woodruff
ha Robinson. the house Of which Mr.. Mo
-, ton was recently memtcr, pi
I.r $4lO for a pew. Mr.. j. &. She
rd man gave S4O5 for his pew. q
~. for fully an hour after the selling BEG
|sr these prices we're maintained. II
md thev began gradually to sink, until.
so half past ten, when the auction clos
ON pews were knocked down at $50. 1
- total amount realized from the sale.
tie Guiding the rental, Was ST., 165, De
an increase on last year Of $I2,s
md The result was proclaimed from
mo desk by the auctioneer, and VAS hai
fro with great enthusiasm by the congre
inc ton. The first 13O Pews sold brou
oks ss.47O in premiums in advance OF
an year. One hundred dollars more q
lies the entire premium Of last year