The New York herald., 1877-10-08
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

RETURN OF HENRY WARD BEECHER-HIs SER.
MON UPON CHRIST AS THE FoRERUNNER OF
THE RACE.
Three thousand faces beamed . welcome upon Henry
Ward Boecher yesterday he assembled the platform
oi Ply mouth Church, alter his vacation, look
ing ruddy and healthfui as ever. There pro-
fusion oil choice flowers upon the platform, including
many bouquets and embems sent by admIrng mem-
bers OF his congregation After the services great
many came forward to shake the PASTORS hand, and
he extended invitation to number to walk down
to his house and see a nght-blooming cerrus which
had blossomea during the preceding night The text
OF Mr.. Beecher's sermon was the passage from He
brews vi, 2O-"Whither the forerunner is for en-
tered. Jesus' This. the preacher remarked was
Interpretation given by the inspired writer OF tho
Hebrews OF the office Of Christ ms foreshadowed by
their high priest entering into the holy place
of tho temple. But the altar and the temple
were then abolished Jesus the everlasting
and heavenly High PRIEST aud He entered heaven
the High Priest used enter tho holy place behalf
OF the people, to plead with prayer before God Tor
them. The phrase 'iorerunner" Mr. Bcccher thought
used IN only one other place In the Bible. What
the precise functions OF the forerunner were, what
the mns,rations of His heavenly work AZ dstin
guished from His earthly work, were questions every
one would lam have answered. Many Of the passages
IN the New Testament were but hints and men could
follow the up, yet thcy continually insisted upon
doing It. As the scripture was directed to every part
OF the human being, SO men IN attempting 10 follow
after the truth had given every rgcnous theory and
every possible notion until The whole Christian world
has been filed with vagrant, erring and conflicting
Testimonies the subject o. Scripture THIS trarcty
amongmen and this indehnencss of know ledge had led
many 10 shake tneir heads and say 'An, II had
revelation TO mako ! would make IL so that men
would not be IN doubt what l was sayng.n
The Implication in this was that The scripture is not
revelation, because It leaves men in doubt. because
holding TO a revelation from God they undertake
TO settle things that are wholly IN the clouds and
tall into innumeraDle difficulties and divde into
ana schools OF belief Men are disposed to say at
all sort oi dream OF revelation; II II had been
revelation oil God we would have had more knowledge,
moro certunty." The obscurity of the New resta-
ment was not, Mr. Beecher argued, In regard to uuty
in our relations between man and IN this life and
with regard 10 our whole living in this world, whc her
II be in relation TO any faculty or all OF them our in
tcrcourse with another. relations to business
our relations 10 civi government. IL was not denied
tnat the Testament was clear, and only upon one
Two points had there been any question during 900
ycirs upon tic subject o mans ethical relations
time. Where was the obscurity, thcna 1t was in
4 gard to the state of being hereafter; the dccrecs
attributes, plans purposes of COO. This obscuriiy
the very threshold was all important. In regard
the e that is tho New Testament was explicit il was
doubtful only reeard to the lie to All things
being into accouEi, this very obscurty favored
tho authenticity of the New Testament
THE LIMITATION or MANS INTELLECT
Mr.. Becchcr called upon his hearers consider In
that connection, hrs. now little men capable Of
considering things that belong To iuturc condition.
Men could understand altertnings only SO far us they
suggested by foregoing ones and they couu only
understand as much Of tho hereafter as they had had
experience OF here. Paul gave his view of that when
he said, sKnowledge shall fall prophecy shall Ia I"
In other words when come into the other lilo what
wo call positive knowledge hero will fldo ana die.
There hgs hero that Will no fade, he SAID
faith, hope, love they viii remain, they arc
changed by death In other words, the experiences
when may called emotlvc-soul expericnces-bs-
long uturc and spirit e nut those experiences
that belong TO the muscle and bone, and our roiaous
in the lamy and the State, arc OF Tho lower type and
VIII not appear IN heaven. Tho capacity OF man 10
understand this uuro life was limited the preacher
held By his receptive power lhis power had
been held in view by the inspired writers and by
Christ himself IL 1t we're possible Tor n man TO un
dcrstand higher life It would bc impossible TO convey
conscious OF an evolution OF being IN him, 10 express
which there Is no language. Strong feeling outruns
\ language every whore
MIR. Boccncr next called upon his congregation TO
consider the nature Of soul existence aud the npos-
sibility OF It's being analyzed and defined at you
take wdtcr ho SAID, .'anI resolve IL into Its com
poncnt gases II Is no longer water II you want 10
nnd out OF what flower is composed you must pull u
TO pIcces, but thon IT no longer flower" In like
manner, he held men were continually IN theology
attempting 10 express as an idea that which was In
capable OF beng so expressed. The nature aud powers
and boing OF man ana the poverty OF human language
ell prevented the lapse OF knowledge from the great
spirit realm beyond. The preacher passed on to
consider. In view of this, what tho method
OF Christ. "What would be thought he asked, 'if
the Saviour had Undertaken to give clear statistical
and definite outlines ol spiritual truths which coud
not be thus handled, according to tho fundamental
clements OF HIS man existence and human natures
J sus was Ike man, but the inference drawn by some
thai therefore he was not God, not fair one.
the actions una language OF the Saviour
modified so as 10 come within tho scope of human
comprehension. Just as learned man teaching an
infant does descend 10 tho level Of thor understand