The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-21
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

MS ucatoIas
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
GROWTH OF TIE HUMAN SOUL TOWARD PEP
TEcrToN--sERMoN BIZ REV. HENRY WARD
BEEcHER.
The heat Of yesterday caused NO falling on In the
attendance At Plymouth Church, and Mr.. Beecher
preached with his usual vgor He recommended all
his people witness tho parade Of tho Brooklyn Sun
day schools, which will occur ON Wednesday. "You
have Idea what nne children raise In Brooklyn"
said he sMen travel from country TO country TO see
nne horses, dogs focks and herds, and don't blame
them; but do blame them when after all this they
decline step outside OF their own doors TO see the
finest display OF thoroughbred children the world
For tho text Of his sermon Mr. Beecher read three
verses from Philippians, wherein Paul acknowledges
his imperecons and exhorts the brethren 10 be like
minded II Paul should como unknown into lite now
and mingle among Christians Ar Bcecher said that
for reason another no would stand rejected at
the door OF most Christian churches. He would be .
little TOO liberal for many aud little stringent for
others Into the High Church, called he could not
come because while he recognized govern
ments he also recognized that they were
worthless ~ compared to tho freedom OF
men; and because while he believed In ordinances
he preached that they abolished in Jesus Christ
While Paul would have been IN sympathy with many
systems OF philosophy Embedded In theology, yet the
moment .ney began appear In cast iron creed hts
tenderness would have led him TO Side with the nero
tics There were many among us, Mr. Beecbcr con-
tinucd, who were fond OF speaking OF themselves as
having attained state OF perfection. There wero
halt dozen styles OF perfection-the Wesleyan, the
obcriin, tho Higher Lille and he did not know how
many more.
Paul could never have joined with those He says
preacher, .he could get In among thoIn; he would
nave to walk around among the rest OF US sinners OUT
slden Paul also said II count myself 10 have APP
pretended, !" and instead OF dwelling his faults he
passed over them. Forgetting those things which
arc behind and reaching forth unto those thnss which
press toward mark Tor the prize OF The
high calling Of God in Christ Jesus" The emphasis
and The intensity OF PauIs lie consisted In making
attainment, in following aitor the ideal law which
could be reached, and thus striving and growing
ever Mr.. Beecher said he found great comfort in
this Tor he certainly had not attained himself Paul
regarded the law as the divine ideal OF human love
and human duty. 1t was simply matter Of impos-
sibiy 70 come up to the law Interpreted IN this way
Take the command:-"Love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart and thy neghbOr as myself"
Either OF these things, Mr. Beecher said, simply im
possible In this ie or II possible In thus HE, only as
tho truit or the whole or It and not q thing DO
commanded AMI TO be obeyed to-day. Ono might as
well go TO an infant class and command IL 10 In
10 them:-"Chdren, you have undeveloped IN You tho
capacity for understanding these things. now you
ought to know them" Dealing in the realm Of human
nature, and with things that we can understand we
would say 1t that such thing was absurd. Growth
nature; for his gradual development aud the manner
In which he was to como to knowledge OF the law
ample provision had been made IL was The duty
OF every man love the Lord with all his heart
but the knowledge OF God. the sense OF His beauty
and love-these educational results and ali edu-
cation implied time and unfolding. Men could not
obey once the command 10 love their ncighbors
themselves As well might the preacher command his
hearers mako themselves feet taller than they
were Men had to carn TO love God, just as they
learn everything else IN liia
MANS WEAKNESS.
In short no man keeps The law Of God even In
those respects In which he can attain 10 It and In
larger sense be does not keep the law OF God simply
because 10 SO largo that Il Is to be reached IN s
pt ude only through ages and through other spheres
Of being Men all 70 obey according to their ab-
ity any time and then 60 ever reaching fur
Their and further. The FOOLISH doctrine That q man
could 60 the utmost limit OF bis possibilities ut
places stumbling blocks in the way OF sinners and
leads 70 end OF confusion. The doctrine OF John
that should be willing to lay down his life for
his brother had reference TO higher state than that
Of average suppose were calling for volun-
said Mr. Beecher, how many Of you would lay
down your lives for othcrsf Well, observe you all
keep your seats; and you do right, you II
law thai would be just we'll to lay aside. Stu
dents OF painting sIrove TO copy Michael Angelo and
Raphael and drew inspiration from their works, al
though they could attain TO them. An artist who
rs good the orisinal-was not pericct-and
who should substitute as his ideal instead
Of Michael Angelo, some village painter,
and should thereupon cry out that he had attained
that man would be acting precisely like those who
religious matters claim TO have attaLed to perfection.
They have lowered their ideal Mr. Beccher exhorted
those who found them scives unable TO reach their
ideal be unhappy, but like Paul. to forget tho
pas and press forward with their liked upon the
law The Jew, he said, who started out TO go up TO
TO attend the feast Of was on his
TO that CITY the moment he crossed tho threshold
Of his door miles away. He 1t Jerusalem, but
ne going toward IL and would reach u In duo time