New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-10-07
GETTING NEAR TO GODS KINGDOM.

GETTING NEAk ~ UODS n 'NpDOh'
TIE Rec. Henry Ward Bseehsr at Plymouth ChUreh.
Plymouth Church was not capaciOus enough
90 contain the great number Of people who Hooked 10
hear Mr. Beecher preach Yesterday morning for tue
first time since the close Of bis summer vacation nc
returned 20 Brooklyn saturday afternoon looking chee'
f and healthy despite the fact that since July nc mas
travelled ~ 600 miles through the West and lectured
many times During bis absence the chureh mas
heen thoroughly repaired aud painted. The organ
was taken apart and cleaned. for the nrst time
siuce Il was erected, sixteen or seventeen years
ago New cushions and carpets have been put H. ROW
crs were tsieiuy around aud In 'front.' OF the
pulpit yesterday. In his opening prayer MI Beeeher
yeerred "a hrs return In these words: 1--WE thank Thee
for our restoration greeting and rejoicing together
IN the Lord We pray for strength for duties YET 10 &c
done We pray for more aud more conservation; Tor
clearer insight into the Divine Word, and for more ana
more earnestnsss and power in declaring It, We thank
Thee for the that have come to US IN the Gays
OF Rbseuoe and separation"
Mr.. Beecner's teAt was Luke, K, 9: " And heal the
sick that are therein aud Say unto them The hngdom
of God Ia nigh unto you" This, he sad' IL part
OF the discourse which Christ gave unto his disciples
when they we're going forth 10 preach under His mns
traton They Jews In Jewry, and were 10 prcaeh
10 their own oounymen, and part OF their message as
tic approach Of the Kingdom Of God unto those VINO
heard them. Nothing moro striking than the sprtuai
instinct Of Lord, aud this peeuiarY IN the cast
of HIS thought arose from His looking at things ID
lustratvcly. lie pierced the husk ana the shen ana
Jaw the nbermost always. His assertions are to be
Iulorpr, ted according His spiritual insight "hat Is
insighti n penetration OF thought-the recognition
Of uuths that lie beyond the reach Of the senses
Faes OF truths there that Ony lie diseerned by
sneeia faculties The scientific man goes through the
and sees much that is not seen by tue iarner
The hunter or the Indian Tue scientific man sees the
same things the savage but he sees Jar DeyOi%u
IN N after the scientist Comes the artist VINO
bcn0lds the elements OF beauty ana inteipIets
iaeT n meaning and eact but his faculties are
higher than those OF tue scientist Men see uIl-
ses he s1ie"i, we saw has nss or further sight
Now, what Is spiritual insight with Tue poet II may
Inc perception Of developed aud perfect forms
OF morality aud religion as constituent tle,
rignt Dug than txsts ia human society, higher
conception OF purify, reeuiude love ana beauty gut
tnan the OF the average man. Justice, which was
ragged tue saws teeth or the mountains TOP 10 Hun
IN ideal He took His cODce ton OF life ana man
bat lie lad celestial conception. We see men as they
lie tneln with TIE shadow mist OF what ihey
an to be- behind them. lie saw double as one does
who came from eternal sphere, aud whose eye was
never distorted married by human imleriection He
lie as mist, aud The lie beyond as part ana to
Him men rose up as creatures that Should Outldst the
sun live forever He saw man, created finite, but
asO Infinite; here eyanescent ana Changing as the
tides-tn eternal Human nature WAS TO Him pro-
iected sphere where Go. Himself Oweils. He
saw meu weeping aud IN tie fearless lands weak and
pershin- aud eternal ms the throne Oh Goa He saw. ne
az W.
su cct TO human conditions He subject TO TIE
Alterations OF night ami shade He had Dus.s " nigher
10 His disoipless ieet, and again the heavens
opened aud lhe whole rolling aood Jf Divine con
IN tneir relations and possib Iiios. T1is Is
the higher AMI perfect state called the Kingdom OF God
TINS lie told HIS disciples TO preach as coming near
unto men what II 10 bring the Kingdom OF Heaven
near Wherever Influences tended to develop the ngher
nature aud carry forward ON the path OF perccublity
brinspS tRe Kingdom Of Heaven near to men
general religious Interest communities
bring this Kingdom near TO men. Tnese Things are |
facts am expouud or defend them; but there
are times when the o OF religious fcelidg In
mites aud spirit per'ades tue people IN re are
times when from Whatever quarter or whatever ciusa
uO.-the tides n spitItua feeling come beating IN
the community and whenever men come INTO a state OF
this knd-When the current OF Thought sets spiritually
there are mdludes OF whom II eau be said the King
dOm OF II is u a. unto them. ANY revelation 10
man OF the cODscousness OF his ing need OF
change, development. eXaatOn, anything that gives
his conscience discriminating power that he knows
good frum aud better from good, brings HIM to
the Kingdom Of Heaven Muutudes OF men do dis
emiuate tue uer shades Of virtue they take life
as they HAD u. Auythins that vltazes man ~ that
ne clear vision OF his sn-breeding appetites aud
sid that the Kingdom Of Heaven Is near him (;
not that be has yrt attained. not that he
nrst step the father Of the secoud aud they are the
Mhen man Is seized wth fever In New Orleans men do
NOS dawde; they do not discuss incidence They crS
are can lug them yaJ, and they cry out at once
How many influences OF this kind there ~ a mans
uiei Men know that thy are given over to The demon
IN giuttony THey know how they az wing away their
lc 10 the animal side OF their natures More les they
hide their life they adumbrate It, But In the hours
when they realize that they sacked ckrd
are not Tar the Kingdom Anything that taxes the
clouds out OF mans beaver anu brings his conscience
home 70 aim AS reality IS bringing him TO the border
of the Kingdom. Business men say that all are self
tai IL l. not safe Men who ngnt the doc.
trlne deprayty 10 the Churches hht on Wall
a. or Broadway. line church rs the broad way now
the straigut aud narrow is ID II. Ii Is fash
ionabe be gious. Men and 20 10 church as
~ cross 10 90 churchif the Sessions are weltmed
ana tne diseOurses not too long. Business say OF
that 10 10 not opportunities
of temptation TO him human nature about the
IN the cirsch as II Is outside, and church member Is
little than other men because he substitutes re-
ngOn for morality While men go down by scores and
hundreds In Wall-st, there are some who don't 20
down. and temptation splits them like an avalanche
All the influences t,t tend 20 lead man 10 act
dismterestedy esd him up All experiences OF the un.
"a bring TO the aud border the ngiom OF
tune. They confounded VIII N on the eve
OF being cast down from tber high bankruptcy
the wisdom Of The iniuncOn Lay 1p yourselves
treasure on the eSrth, where moth and rust cor
lay up Tor yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither
through steal; that where your treasure is there
may your heart be also" nun comes through
away from tine Kingdom. Any course of thought IN
Others winch opens ne possibility Of deyelopmeut in
light OF heaven breaks through and plays upon the
when there is an uurealzed longing for the heavenly
life Are not these lets itself down and
mixes tie atmosph re Of the other life with Gursi
have not come; no one but knows that mai
hood the thing chiefly neglected in this life.
things be6lnd his back It is possible for one to
be called by Joy an1 by sorrow by bereavement by
or to follow. For such reserved the simple aud
awful uttcranoe THE harvest is past, the Summer is
ended, and your soul is not saved"
THE GUIDANCE OF GODS SPIRIT.
TAs Rsr. c. D. W. Bridgiaan at ne Madison Avenue Bapta