New-York tribune., 1876-10-09
REPENTANCE AND FAITH.
The Rer Henry Ward Beeeher at plymouth Church (Congregl
ti0n0t0

REPENTANCE AND FAITH.
The Rr Henry Beecer at plymouth Church (Congre0a'
tioHaL)
The street in front of Plymouth Church be-
fore the service began yesterday morning was filed with
even larger crowd than on the preceding Sunday.
Fully 1000 persons large portion Of whom were Cen
tennia visitors unable to obtain admittanee Inc
audiencc-room was filled to its utmost capacity MI.
Beecher chose as his text Acts, Xxx q "IesuiyhG
both TO the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance TO
ward God and faith toward our LoIu jesus CAiIS'' ~
said in substance:
The words of the text are taken from the address OF Paul
10 the elders Of the church Of Ephesus when he is about
10 leave em He recoms to them how he has passed MS
time among them, preaching Christ with all humily'
long suffering, and patience, and then, IN MS parting
words gives them the OF all his teaching ana WoIK
TO preach repentance toward God and faith toward
ur Lord Jesus Christ" This is the formula for all right
living in its perfected FORM When John came ne sld
Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand' Nhe5
Christ followed took up the truth where JOhn hau
left H. and taught, Repent and have faith" ana IN
ths precept is included all that is Taught Dy prophets VI
apostles IN the Old or New Testament. $3.50, =,
TO set forth the necessity for repentance and alh Is
is NOT All there is of it, for the will spring up many
minor questions to what repentance really Is; low
shall one repent what is Christian faith, how shan God
he uuroaced and countless others that arise ron the
diherences in human dispositions ana IN tle conuleo9
OF their social and domestic hNes Bu tns lSCI' E1t -
begin new life there must be repentance Tor the past
aud faith for the future-this great 1acI uheies anu III
Cudes all others Repentance Is so hluyT % Va @ tt rI"
life consists in abandoning known eN aIU t MI1nG i
is
right and wrong at the same uhe, n5n Ca.nOI 80 UU
both drunk and sober. 80 II an HdOltht nah
he must forsake vice He fOrsake the antthcsis of
what is pure and true and beautiful lie must aDah9Oh
the DID, with all its known habits OF sin ABANDON vice.
If me be vicious insincerity if he he lnslncoTe an qGre
someness, hatred and envy The Old ana New Iesta-
euts both teach that to fOrsake sin is all that Is neces
saIy 10 o,n ~ V ,t ne horne nv MN or some one be-
70 he can be forgiven, has been one Of the most
where nat suffering shond fall We are ,od that Christ
"a
thus relieved them OF It, CHRIST ana h9etu suli.I
hut not in that way. Consider Nature She naS no
thought discrimination OF young or 9id good OF Dad
no recognition of viii OF endeayor Her Ia"s op.yed
bring just 50 much pleasure ana sa'lsiaC,iou ,,'
lust SO much dscOTd confusion, OF eAieinlhatioh
bad, desperate n9 t'hC9 ] ~ lt,ro dIes moi
innocent child swallows apOisoui u 'tcs ~ +lot
discriminate and say, Here Is vicious OtDducet td
gladly Will put out o 'As way be U 'ii c63 has dis
chiid VIII spare Soi 'ne si,ne SIi,e n1f n1 jfs
Obeyed her laws, ana she crusn9s sues Se Ue' bovs ISs
risen higher than that intO the social ana
moral lie, we 10 pattern atter natures la"si
ders ne must swing Tor it if he robS he must 20 To
prison But II the Judge could look down INTO lna' pls
tuers heart and could know that the man would trlIy
iY. @ IN m ~ 1Ie he rs not punished TO vndioate the
Jaw but to teach him 10 do better This Is the Whoie
object Of all legal punishment 'But When society
cause she is 20 weak We working socially at blum
teng problem. Our forms OF government are lhuhltey
So when man has broken Gods law, II is said there
must be an iufctiOn and tulhlnent OF the lehal'y
that is these lower lorino OF man weak govtInueut
earv by these teachings for Christ to die in order 10 MI
which lust much should be taken to purify each lie
Neither IN ClllstS leaiu.hks nor & ~ nI t vi td m fi
Ties, is there any OtheI uoclIIlV @ t n, 4,
cave evil and, in faith, do wel' But what tneh
ni.V dscloSivc Ii ,e forth Gods paternity Christ took
The suffering that TO Him, and bore 1t as not-ei
great attribute OF God is love; this IS inherent IN lis
nature. He is The eternal lalu-heaIer ana snpfutt
revrr that lie may vindce His justice but merely be-
cause He loves men, HIS children; IL Is auOclOus 10
transfer the eXpedients OF human law 70 Hou govern
.rra rFrffN l. N
does right He viii reward; he who does wrong lie VIII
afct THIS is the pcrsonht9tOn OF Goa as e6silt,o9
in Cbrst's suffering and work among mon Ihe lie OF
Christ sgnidcd the life Of God ANA love Is Gods atone
1ueut for ie is love say Repent then so much tOr
Now for faith. when once man has turned
away nom his sins he may be for the time
I'm a much weaker and more dangerous condition
tnan before. Suppose man has stolen large
property. lie reptus ana restores H. LOT restore II ne
invtt M his be e repentance Then in his poverty be
often stands IN much more distressing SOhuIuh tni u
when IN his sins Ahoghef mas Deeh ,, coA KY i',G ia
drinking than is good I0r MS hteF, MS Nhe
or society," yet al me saihe the he1ihs "p 1Ird
sugsred over He wa8ioly and happy and made others
Ian he did certain kind OF good. How vile must that
wee be that has not some redcemlng qualities! ne rs
,cform and signed the pledge Now he not drink
drop; well he won't he must Keep out OF ms former
hs Two lives having lost caste and force on the one sde
and popularity and sympathy on ti9 oIHel, ne Is IN
The way in which society," the ChuIch' anu
humanity generally treat man IN d tnaS Of b"H
lrne moment a man makes up his mind 10 reform ne
must 20 back the old formula Break on thy bIs
nv righteousness" There tmc when hlS heeus
10 be mOfhercd " much when he j. just leaving
evil There must be sympathy somewhere OF ne Ias rs
love alone saves hing Many would teach Us that Christ
s. the svmpahiztr and God the dispenser OF Justce bu
not so Tic Father and Holy Ghost He together IN
Fympathiziug and IN giving themselves iSr a NOil9
from evil by tine spirit OF Christ, trGst lin,
believe Him. lean Him i Is the love OF Coz II CntisV
Isus mat leads men 10 an the purity they may attain:
f there is any here who does moi need repehtcee
do not ask mm to repent But look INTO your oT @ sous
of unworthy thoughts and tell If there Is 40 need Ol
repcutance In the love of God there Is sympathy Io
each of MS We repent When at the last shali stad
before the great bright throne, ana Goa slall ASK,
I" what ant tAou, o man % 1 shall be bold euOugAtO
answer {" Il matters not what am. Ii Is only III thy
love hope"