New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-11
LEN1vS FIRST SUNDAY.
sEAsoNADLE WORDS FROM PREACHERS

A SUBJECT FITTING TO THE DAV-sERMONs by No
BEEcHER. THE REV. DIR. BRiDGMAN, CHANCELLOR
CROSBY AND OTHERS-TwO CHURCHES OpEyyn
Most of the Catholic and Episcopal clergyman
yesterday. took the temptation Of the Savior as
fitting subject for discussion on the first Sunday in
Lent. Mr.. Bcocher spoke upon the functions "a
ministers, and the Rev. DIR. c. d. w Bridgman upou
Chrst's lasting work. The Church of the Holv
Spirit and the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church
were opened for worship. Thoughts from the pu
pits of other wel-knOwn churches given below
THE MODERN PREACHERS FUNCTIONS.
The Rev Henry Ward Be'e t,s at Plymouth Church tc0"s
Mr.. Beecher, yesterday morning, preached Ia
congre CATION that entirely filed Plymouth Church. II
WAS the Sunday appointed for contributions to the Amer
Home Mission. and this. as Mr. Beecher said led to
the selection Of his subcctthe functions Of Christi
ministers Choosing for his toxt l. Corinthians, II:
"For Christ not to baptze but to preach ths
Gospel" he said, in part
The preachers work Is Office that with Chris.
The scribes and other old Jewish leaders were MOI
preachers, but acknowledgements, doctrna teachers
Christ adopted many OF their customs in His work bur
His method was different. He spoke rs having
authority He took the great facts botomed nature
and gave them forth the utierances OF His tuner
life. He took the great truths which ally to God
and to each other, and endued them with the whoa
force Of living impulse, that men seemed to hear the
breathings of the very LIE OF the alker II the
rucnco OF personal power which gave His words such
commanding effect. This was the preaching that crx.t
instituted But in few centuries came a change. Tia
Church mighty organization. high eccleslast.
zeal empire. Men had much to do with mindlng tie
machinery OF tho church that they had tine
for preaching They became engineers. not preacher
This has been and Is the with the ministers Of Ito
Roman the Greek. the Anglican and oil highly organ.
lied churches. But another change has come In later
days. 1t took place when the common people were 50
ignorant as to be dependent upon their pastors for all
the knowledge they received They had no newspaper
no magazines few books, aud those sendcrly distrib
ued In the early days OF New-England history, the
whole range o, instruction depended upon the ministers
Now education general among the people that the
heads OF families are often quite competent 10 give
yiOus instruction as the minister. IL would be co-d.
cred an mpertinenee if preacher we're TO co. as in
those times from hon house. eaeehism in hand with
the idea that his instruction was needed.
While the duty Of the pulpit has been lowered that o.
the household has been eloyateL Bat this has been
ared 50 far the impression that the unc
tons the pulpit is passing away or mas ceased Has
it ceasedi Can 1t ever ceased There Is one ee9ehs be-
longing dstincyey TO the preachers WORK WHICH lie can
never lose and which never clange-tO bring h0me
10 men. living form. the lessons and truths that
have sprung out o. their own vital personal exDeenes
The sphere of the preacher and his distinctive value IL
not a. the teacher OF revelation, or Of doctrine, blt
u. Il
We'll known, such as men meet with IN their
daily converse with each other II Is ito
teaching how 10 carry themselves according to the
doctrines OF DlYne Ove: OnS % te Eea1 I1,staAes =,
clergymen just issuing from tie theological seminary u
to teach their congregations as they have been taught
III the Classroom: sensible preachers nnu mar Wy
have slough of this method CT doctrlnal teaching
before they can leach the proper cguioh loF sssr
mon All truths to be 80 handled by the preacher rs
To be brought down to the sphere or everyday life, 20
that the man who listens shall find himself from week
week moving in an atmosphere Of Divine love.
II this be 30, must discriminate between the
preacher and the mere administrator NO man Is true
preacher whose whole duties are taken mp IN church Or
gaDzaten and administrators Inc preacher is 81.
gester of truths II Is ms Tght nay more II = a., auy
to take the truth and gyei forte az the OutgiOWh OF us
own personality. The who Is educated Ia say THINGS
in the same way as other men 10 ue'etop ruin ~:
ing 10 a certain mould i nuisance No man has rs1t
TO stand aud say represent ~ mysen me T2 n
any more than one KIND o ut ~ tue ii's
OF nature Paul would have been kicked down the cor.
rdors of all tie theological seninaries III the united
Il he had dared TO say ms TO t.ein NevstGee
it stands true that no man ever }et vas Dut I5lgs
the whole Justice. We attedpt TO mould our ministers
In bullet mould Of doctrine ANA method OF eaching %
that when they come OUT OF the mould they roll any way
anG IL doesn't much matter which way Jast 30 iar -
the sermon does not represent 'e eonseionsaeSs .,
only give didactc teaching, inslnefpret; the gospel
his functions aud his Master Because OF this mlscon'
eeption 0f its unetion there has been species OF col
teinpt for the Christian ministry growing M III tbs
country. 1t is The nobles calling OF man. when Us
The preacher is tie builder he represent te high
es form OF education In this work lac muse ioo" III.
fellow men, wherever their labor or their thoughts lead
them Whatever science, whatever political ecOhomy,
art or craftsmanship bring lie should KNOW lie must
keep himself IN sympathy with the thoughts ol men ana
his teachings must boil with the fermeDtatI0s oI love:
This is ihe KIND Of teaching which We seek u Scnl
throughout land. Il Is peculiarly necessary 10 our
own country with wide extent aud under Odi eG'
pIicatod form OF government Nothing can cave on.
Government, complex Ia It's workings, unless yoi
,an educate and ufane the Religious spirit Of tie A.,
ton. That which man needs Il naDhOOd tue llaboi
that comes nom tie conscious union OF The nan VIA
lis creator ont OF that alone can come seli'cJbta
and honest government
Nh Ertcil,r made earnest appeal 90 benali OF tu'
Home Mission society and ther work Of sending pTeac.
els INTO lhe sYdrSeN settled states and territories u
were on my death-0cd," ne said, with deep feeling"
dJut tuluA nv mind would dwell 80 much upon ny no
here among upon that earlier experience WArse
among the rough men and rough wa! 0 Tue "1eIoss'
knew what common people know, ana Ielt the.f s'T
rows aud el de iXOTs'