The New York herald., 1877-11-30
lis Perils, Past and Present, Discussed
from Plymouth Pulpit.
THE SILVER BILL DENOUNCED
Praise for General Grant and Eulogy
for the South.


the edince dlled. even the aisle chairs being
brought into requs'tion. Singular say. there was
not single flower upon the platform, which on
Thanksgiving Day 10 usually prousely decorated with
blossoms and fruits Dcviatng from his usual Gus
tom OF reviewing the OF the year, Mr.. Bcecher
made retrospect OF the nations history dwelling in
particular upon the pcrs through which has passed.
He divided these into throe perodsthe colonial tho
Revolutionary and transition and that Of late
the years following II Tho dangers OF the present
days ne mado light OF, IL out Of tho power
oil any party cabal 10 work moro than transient
mischief, deep The foundations OF tho Republic
laid. He denounced reputation, and declared that
decision OF Congress making silver equal to gold as
currency would be s'cheating by law, and would
disgrace the nation tho eycs OF the world. Mr..
Bcecher paid tribute OF praise 70 tho Southern
people for the manner In which they have accepted
the results Of the war, and thanked foreign born
citizens for helping defeat the repudiation
party very unusual thing, Mr. Beechor had
mis- address written In uii and road IL He
forgot himself and launched into exicmporaneous
flights, throwing his .scopy" to tho winds. He
frequently applauded, and laughter greeted the dro
remarks With which ne sprinkeu his discourse Tho
other features OF tho SERVICES collection for tho
%e s. M Anna Rs
Eo0rge Werrenrath and Mr.. Henry Camp, the volun-
esr snos sngnS Gs A. hs csse ns
hne effect
Tie vital nerve, Mr. Becche- said, which ruus
through and tho whole history Of the United
States the power Of intelligence and rec,itude, Of
patience and hberty-tncr power 70 achieve every
great end needed Tor national prosperity. Physical
force had had less part the results achieved in
tonal lie with US than in any other national life of
such magnitude and duration. The first period Of
great national peril was the colonial Its three
divisions were the settlement or immediate tho inter-
mediate anu the period oil transition from dependencies
OF the Grown TO independent national lite. The FIRST
settlers fleeing in Europe believed IN
with Christ and its immortality. They held 10 that lib
wnss n i was hs.
discerned tho royal fact that obedience to Gods law
Is the highest liberty 70 which mankind may
sver reach. Mr. Beecher pointed 10 the fact that
the development Of the noble qualities OF manhood
and those high principles which made the future Re-
public possible were born and nurtured in that dark
ana silent period Of colonial history which,
throws up auroral glow against tho heavens is by
mind the TACT that Ia the New Testament the lite of
Mary alter the annunciatlon retres from sight; but
in tna o6scurty was silently forming the Saviour Of
the world.
THE REVOLUTION
Tho second pcriod was that Of transition All re.
publics before had been shorlved on account of the
weak of thor political from the OF
morality among their people "Kighteousness exait-
eth u naton," and AZ the bottom of every enduring
state must lie universal reclitude. New England in
early days was the point in time where tho spirit OF
Palestine and that OF Greece met. In Now England
were Socrates aud Moses, Isaiah and Plato. There
was IN New England no art. Phdias and his
brethren had psrshed in the Red Sea OF
time. but Tho profound moral sentiment which
centred in tho old Hebrew pervadea New England
and With IL united the Keen intellect AMI tho
Specializing and investigating spirit OF the Old Greeka
Jonathan Edwards stood forth & The best type OF this
extraordinary reunion III The republic oil letters Aher
the Declaration Of Independence there moment
of pcrplexty. The coionsts were like man who had
again :" In New England most intense spri. o.
pArlotsm was developed And II 1t was said that the
Vryinians led in the Revolution Mr. Beechcrsad-
mtied tnat theirs the root aud the stock but held
tnst New England gave the sclons that were grated
in and made the top OF H. 10 ner people due the
constIutionthe wisest political instrument known.
OVERTHROW SLAVERY.
Tho third period oi peril arose from tho fungod
the nation. Mr.. Beecher drew avvid picture of the
which flowed from that detestaole system. He
spoke of the vast influence IN the nation OF the slave
holding power aud pointed out that but for is own
suGacIty and blindness migut nave cursed the land
ior hundred years longer ne pictured the iears ana
iuse kiDdlcd at sumpler Then. so Tar
us human judgment could see, the chances were IN
favor OF SoutherE success and supremacy But q
great element which had not been counted
WAS tho unprecedented outburst OF patriotism on
the part ot the people Mr. Beccher said that when
the brought 10 successful close ho ielt as
did the traveller VINO crossed deep chasm on dark
night, believing he was on . bridge, when In the
morning ne was shown the single s,ringpioce
when ne had passed. Even Que year before
the surrender Of Leo tho South might have made ia
voraoIe terms which would for a long time have
shackled the nation The Southern people would have
before but that hey were made tena-
by their love OF liberty and independence,
although u seemed 10 as that they were nghting Tor
slavery. This wss one oi those concentrs circles OF
man and the inner sphere OF God The close
OF the war brought three eminent perils-
the army, reconstruction and taxation. Mr. Bcccher
dwet upon the almost miraculous manner In which q
million ana half OF men dsbanded and brought
back INTO the ways Of peace without the issuing of
proclamation or the drawing Of sword made neces-
sary
GENERAL GRANT EuLoGizRD
Washington was less thought OF in this nation AZ tina
loader OF tne Revolutionary army than as the man
VINO taught the nation peace. General Grant-,ap-
pause)-who was beyond all question our best and
aDlest General and who by his skih and indomiablo
courage wrought for US hnal dclverance. sat
in the Presidential chair-not without somo
mistakes, Tor he was human, but without one single
tendency to military rule and with absolute q
respect Tor civil law had been manifested by any
President from the time OF Washington. Wncn all
collateral things. Mr. Beecher said shall have gone
below the HORIZON OF time Grants namo and lame viii
stand and tower (Applause.) SO far were VIC from
there being any danger ot perpeuiy OF the military
power that we have gono 70 the other extreme and
forget to be grateful the s0iders VINO fought
battles. Tho man with but foot could not travel
80 last for place as the man with two, and the one
armed veteran begged at tho doors OF legislatures IN
vain competition with men who had two arms.
Then Ar. Beocher turned 70 abolition. The liberia
ton oi those four millions OF men, upon whose
bondage the welfare OF nnumerabe families IN Tho
South depended, turned that whole soccty bottom
admire tho conduct OF the liberated slaves or tnat Of
their musters. Whatever trouble there had been 10
the south since the war was caused In tue
main not by the mon who bad once
owned slaves. but by "pocr white trash'
VINO had themselves been brutal'xed by
tue accursed nocromaDcy OF slavery No act of Con-
gress, however, could transform ignorant slave at
once into intelligent citizen
THAT CLEVELAND LETrkR
''But, Tor saying this some years ago, said Mr..
Beecher, ~ was blamed by you, and damned by the
republican press largo. But snall have, nope,
leisure 10 revise all such judgments that.n TAP
piause.) "Nothng grew slow humanity, be-
cause there Is so much OF IL, and the
best things are always longest In coming
TO maturity l have this to say OF the Southern
people" continued Mr.. Beecher .sihcmselves the vc-
inns o the system OF slavery and bsguiled by 10 into
the war, no set oil carried themselves moro
gSliauuy and more noby with q Apurage-yes, and
oitentimes with chivary that might nave been
pattern. And when they were ruined aud found tneIr
own slaves on par with thom not
only, but elevated above them, nave
YOU found nigh spirited as thcy
that could have borne all this with patience aud q
scli-govcrnment that Is more credIab,e than their
courage" loud upp!ausc) Proceeding In the same
strain, Mr.. Beecher slId his heart turned TO The
Southern people with an admiration that he never
felt before and he declared that their conduct slnco
tbe war had largely redeemed their misconduct be-
ioro IL. This continent was greeted with loud ap
pause