Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-05-02
Baltimore American, April "a.
Beecher on Easter Day

DOCOhCN OAA 11aeSASA Ae~J'
Whether Mr.. Beecher has lived a
pure and blameless life or otherwise is
a matter about which there is good
deal of difference of opinion, but who
can say that he is not a man of extra
ordinary genius? Of all the learned
and eloquent preachers who discuss
the great problems of the present and
future life, what one Can compare with
him in aptness Of illustration or felici-
ty of expression. In his multitude Of
occupations he has but little time for
study or meditation, and he is general
ly obliged to speak from impulse rath-
er than mature reflection, but what
one of our Doctors of Dividity ex-
pounds the Gospel with such force
and persuasi veness? There is no
preacher in the land that can touch the
fountains of human emotion and lay
bare the inner workings of the soul
with SO tender and skillful a hand.
He spent the whole of last week in the
interior OF New York filling his lecture
engagements. He was followed from
place to place by a corps OF persistent
'interviewers,' who did not allow him
to forget that dark cloud was still
hanging over his head. Telegraphic
dispatches were handed to him at the
railway stations advising him of that
latest phase of the great scandal, and
begging him to contribute something
for publication that would prOlcng the
excitement. After this week of labor
and turmoil and torture he returned
to Brooklyn, and standing up in his
pulpit on Sunday thus discOurSed upon
the holy associations OF the day:
"This is the one day of all the calen-
dar, because the whole alphabet of hu-
man hope Is in this day. This rising
of the Lord Jesus Christ is the seal and
surety of Immortality to mankind.
Everywhere there is longing for con-
tinue1 existence. WelOlg for immor-
tality. We cannot bear the conception
of being extinguished as candles, for
thousand reasons. Harriet Martineau
may do this, but think in that she
puts herself apart from mankind. l
am not willing to go back to dust. l
never read of the destruction OF Phidt-
as statue of Jupiter without sorrow.
l have sympathy with broken and
wrecked locomotive. Man thinks and
feels. He is ever pressing forward to-
wards the mark of the prize of the
high calling, along the line of every
feeling and every faculty. His work
is incomplete, and can this be all? If
thought there was no hereafter l
could hardly receive the lift of life as a
boon.
"When Christ says, we shall rise, 1
accept it by the evidenc that comes
from every fervent feeling Of my bet
ter nature. Every facultity cries cut,
| should be so. 1t should be o. This
day is also a witness and an answer TO
all who yearn for Knowledge. L do
not believe that any considerable
thing ever persisted. We own the
past, but it is only the early spring.
we wish to be heritOrs of the knOWl-
edge yet to be revealed. We want to
know the solution of the moral ques-
tions of the world. l believe that by
and by and by l shall understand all
these procuring causes which are now
nascent, when there shall be perfect
harmony, and star shall answer star,
and the whole universe thunder the
chorus; when there shall be no tear
below and nothing below or above but
God, and humanity transformed by
God.
"Then there is the mystery of the
future, the completion Of Gods uni
verse. / believe that part after part of
Gods scheme is being wrought out.
There is coming time when all the
discordant and dishevelled elements
shall be gathered up. l want to be
there to see 1t. l am willing to work
in the quarry and the mine, so that by
and by may see the outcome. And
at last shall see Him, and with Him
1 shall see my own. AT last l shall
join my father and see my mother.
Again in my arms l shall cradle my
babies. But high above all, chief
among ten thousand and altogether
lovely, shall be Jesus. my Saviour and
nay God. Then l will say: Not unto
me, not unto me. o Lord, but unto
Thy name be praise and glrry, forever
and nvar,'