The New York herald., 1877-07-28
MIR. BEECHER'S EXPERIENCE.
HE REVIEWS THE STEWARDSHIP OF HIS MIN.

HE REVIEWS THE STEWARDSHIP OF HIS MIN
IsTERIAL LABoRs AND HIS OWN PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST YEAR.
although the calendar years begin in January"
said Mr.. BeechVa at tho Plymouth prayer meeting last
night s'almost every other dates, which with
him take the place Of the beginning and end Of the
year." With Mr. Beecher the end ct the
month OF July, the beginning of his sum
mer vacation, marked for him the END
OF the year. In some churches the orthodoxy of be-
lief and the Of the pastor sufficiently Indicated
his Of thought during the year In addition 10
this be wished add confidential statement OF MS
thoughts and feelings during the year. While therc
werc many advantages In tho notoriety which Ply
mouth Church possessed, yet there were also many
disadvantages Many things In his own personal ex-
pcrience would be useful to relate TO his congregaon
vet he could not speak so freely knowing that his
words would the next day bo paraded on the house.
tops
labor, but OF very plcasurablo labor He had not
forced labor but be thought he had dono as murh our
ing the past year during any year OF his ministerial
direction OF God-naturo. There werc no questions
sacred any longer that they should moi nos
doubts, and Mr.. Beechcr thought man must plough
very shallow to have any doubts HIS doubts
were to great ceriaintics but as 70 systems aa
minor questions as for instance, whether The divine
should rest on Justice or mercy. he hud tfeu
to keep his mind on ali that God had been whispering IN
his anl to keep himself abreast OF tho Ehoweugc
OF the world.
From his childhood Mr. Bcecher said he had stood
by revealed religion, by tho personality OF
God Tho emincncc presence OF Gou through thc
Holy Ghost the humanity and divinity OF Jesus Chllst
and the truth OF Divine Providence On all these
great themes he thought he never stood 60 urn III ms
past year his mind had been drifting from doup's
toward wider horizon. II seemed to MIN
there never was so much God as there is now There
never seemed such luminous sense OF thc DIVINE
spirit Mr. Bcechcr hungered and thirsted alter Goa
and felt impeed to depict the character OF God 10
make men want God and learn His spiritual beauty.
He had thought OF these things during tue past
year. He did believe them so mahematicaIy as
sense OF God with him, personally, was more apparent
now LITTLE THE WORLD LOOKS
Whom Mr. Becchcr dwelt the course OF human
the view Of nese thoughts these events be-
came minitcd and almost Indifferent TO him. The
higher one gets the fntter the world looks TO him;
rough places seemed smoothca out. II is the same
way with human nature People would say 1t was very
fine for him to talk in that way but suppose reverses
should come, suppose he should be smashed. Well, 10
that, TOO, he would try 10 be Indifferent He mad
had hls troubles aud be thought no one could
say he had not borno them well. He
could go on under all trials unless his stomach should
give way. One should pray 10 the Lord TO take care
OF his liver and stomach, for when they were out OF
order grace had hard rime Of H.. MIR. Bcccher elt
that he was better fitted to be teacher OF his church
alter tho experience OF the past year He, however,
took syeryihlng ,,r IN ga,e. way aaa sr,
jah I" US his lie was drawing to close.
Mr. Beecher said he thought tho heavenly
truths were becoming more beautiful to him, IKE
multuous ecstac state but in q very calm, stead
fast, waking state content with the presence OF God,
willing 10 GO willing to stay willing live willing
to die. HIS liie had been a very happy one and one
OF extraordinary prosperity He might be soon taken
away from his congregation and he wished TO leave
them testimony OF the glory and the beauty Of
God and OF the sweetness and comparionship Of the
Lord Jesus Christ This was his testimony.