The New York herald., 1876-12-04
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.


TURE-sERMoS by HENRY WARD BEECHER.
Rudy and smiling, Mr. Beechor yesterday ascendod
his PLATFORM and, casting his greatcoat aud soft hat
careessy across tho seat Of his armchair sat down
upon them and liked his eyes upon ,he flowers
beside him while the choir sung the opening anthem.
just before the he announced that the annual
business meeting OF the church would DO held on Fri
day evening next alter The prayer meeting
From Pauls lrst letter 10 tho Corinthians Mr.
Beecher chose the following passage Tor his
tcxt:-"For now through glass
darkly, but then iace TO face Now l
IN part. but then shall l know as
also am known" The contrast between the Old and
tho New tcstaments hc said Is nowhere as striking
as IN the doctrine o the future As a working force
Immortality was unkuown the Old Testament, while
Is the chiei working force OF tho New. 1t not
to be said that in the Old there ntmatlon Of
future reward or punishment, but not ncor-
porated into form definite instruction made
The basis OF motive The sorrows u she SAINTS O that
day were not consoicd apparently BY the nope OF mn
morIaty ana men were not deferred IRON EVIL oy thc
tear 0. penalty hereafter We who vc Dy latin and
MT by sight, VINO live by hope and saved by Il.
could scarcely understand how one could have walked
throuah the old uays without this hope and TINS IN
spiration But even We, The preacher said.
KNOW GREAT DEAL LEss ABOUT IT
than we think We do. When come to reduce our
knowledge 10 definite shape nnd that much OF IL
pictorial imaginative; or u is quite possible TO have
categorics and into species. Many preachers would
have pcope think they know all about IT, but Paul uid
not know SO much. Jonn says we are the OF GoL
but what being the sons of God means does not
know We hnd IN the Apocalypse pictures Of the
glory OF the other lie, wach have been and VIII be
consolation 10 men until The end OF the world; but
none o tnem win bearthc touch OF ana OF fact,
aud will melt under our Investigation.
!. Reading passages contiguous 70 the iext Mr.
lions OF God, OF moral government, Of CONDITION
Of being, VIII change as We enter upon tho
new HE, and VIII be us iorcign 10 our best
conceptions now as the thought OF child to the
best conception OF manhood IN secular things. On
this point gcttlng much help IRON the dis
puted question Of evolution. There were great cit-
ferencos among learned as 10 the origin OF thiug
but ALL sccpIicai or Christian agree that the method
of God is unfolding one, and that every form OF
istence has been developed from antecedent
lower FORM That line OF thought pursued IN science
with reference 10 things that arc has very mpOr-
tant RELATION to things that are 10 be- II was iruc
men could not go forward and reason closely they
Can upon material facts in the past but the light Of
this philosophy thrown forward solves great many
difficulties and creates a presumption along which
men hopes ana iai'h' ana eais or Ihal matter may
walk as upon highway cast up 1t con-
firms, TOO, the truth OF Scripture, aud brings us
back .ot with renewed faith. Tho gifts of tho
Church were much sought after, but Paul up
love against all these things aud declares shat while
they all should change WILL ana ho interpreted
what he means by gong back ana saying, whether
these prophecies they shall but this shall
profound doctrinai teaching going be the
same hereafter as here, added Mr. Beecher und am
very glad IT," The why all tho knowledge OF
this world shall pass away is because 1t s only partial
knowledge has somo value; but often the relations of
important as fact itself In our development there
arc permauencies. tut knowledge is not Tho
spirit land was shown clearly 10 be distinct from tho
lcsh land Tho teaching Of the Westminster cate
chsm upon TINS point, to the effect that the vertabo
earthly bodies shall rise. but that they shall have dit
terent qualities, was payiuIy characterized by Mr..
Boecher as
"a CUNNING DopGEn
'For, SAID he, 'whcn all the quarters OF body
taken AWAY what rs lcft? We shall ALL he contcnded,
carry personal identity and the power OF rocogniz
ing each other into the next life, but Paul said tho
leshy body shall net inherit that lie. That shall be
dropped the threshold Of the grave and with all
thai part oil the mind which required 10 take care
the body and all the passions incident to lower
existence. Men IN other times La been put TO death
for believing some finely drawn theological doctrine
Paus aliusOn 10 the maturity Oi tho developed man
was illustrated ny Mr.. Beechcr. IL was Analogous he
sad TO the difference bstween the thoughts aud
child. boy OF ton, he said. wouli tor nothing
so much as play and run alter top or hoop with
thusiasm: but man ci thirty or forty would not be
apt 20 run after noop-not thai sort OF hoop.
(Smes all around.)
Proceeding to speak OF evolution as applied TO man
in his spiritual nature, Mr. Rcechcr said there was,
respect 20 reasoning power aud The power OF Affection
a widcr difference betwc~a The upper aud lower lines
OF manhood Than between the ooton lite Of maunoOd
ana the wnnc brute creation bencatH Yet the nobcst
heroes We anoa are but s.asily lmadcra compared
with them they shall appear IA dove ,onrd into
tho future lie Our concep iou oi God WIS course
million fold more feeble stii- Tnere LIVING soul
ou shall .ose its God at DEATH tbs preacher said and
IN tho OF their dcsl Will ric up sucn majestic
stature such God, that every soul will be pvncratcd
with Joy.
that the new may stand forever sn9 forever Wc call
God king, judge fsther, applying the which, In
their noblcr rxponents upon earth. c.nforni our
ideas Of wha, no.c, true and so,u; hut what must
be the conception Of Gods nature when heve !
built II up from such materials us VIZ nnd scat
tered among imperfect mcnY Many men had an
idea OF salvation that u IS served out az
soup is served out in soup house. They say, Have
faith in Christ Jesus aud have got your ticket aud
you Will be save 7" Could anyth ng he moro morrow,
more dcbasing the whole play OF the DIVINE nature
upon nIturey As the love oi the mother and
n nd fait Chrlsf
saves US. And that is the whole work Of the spirit.
w enter the heavenly state Just according 10
the point where he has left oil IN lhs ''Some are /
by nrc, - somc in irll blossom and with
fruit already developing what shall know IN tho
heavenly land will depend very much upon what We /
have acquired here. Some VIII enter babes some
will enter priests singing
Mr Bcccher concluded by picturing what the horrors
Of an earthly existence would be " there here.
utter 10 right the wrongs committed here. arguing the
auaogcai necessity Tor such state and picturing ihe
rce0om and 10Y experienced amid the hardsh,ps NJ
this lie by him who looked forward to the future with
aith.
ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL.
ADVENT DISCOURSE BY REV. FATHER KANE.
There large attendance yesterday morning at
st. Pa,ricx's Roman Catholic Cathedral. In Nul-
the first Gospel Rev. Father Kane assembled tho pulpit
delivered short and able discourse upon tho
OF advent and its lessons. He prcinccd Ills remarks
by reading the Gospel Of the day and also from ST.
Pauls Epistlc To- the Romans The Gospel dealt
manly with ideas on the general judgment The
revere nd gentleman then deduce necessary
Instructions for the iaithiu view Of the scriousrcss
OF this important subject He also alluded TO the