The New York herald., 1878-11-11
RLYMOTTH CHURCH.
THR RELATIONS ASD DUTIES OF CHRISTIANS TO
THE CHURCH AND 70 SOCIETY SERMON BY


THR RELATIONS ASD DUTIES OF CHRISTIANS TO
THE CHURCH AND 70 SOCIETY SERMON BY
REV HENRY WARD BEEcHER.
Paul's remark to the corinthsn Chrstisns--..Now
y the body Of Christ and members particular
formed the text Of Mr.. Beecher's discourse yester
day This remark. he said, applied 10 Gentle life in
the most brilliant and corrupt city Of antiquity
The Christian Church sprang from the Jewish, and
Tor forty years after Christ there Christian
Church distinguished from the Jewish organiza-
Jon. The Christian Church occupied the rela-
.ion t. the Jewish that the Wesleyan Epscopacy did
to the Episcopal Church in England long
Wesley ana hs followers belonged to the great Eng
sh Church When the apostles went outside Of Palcs
tine they reconstructed the synagogue, and there has
been great dispute whether they reconstructed Il
man hierarchy. an epscopacy or congregational
body. Mr. Beeoher himself questioned whether it
any Of these. IL supposed the Church
true to itself and adapted TO the age and the people
and was therefore unlike any before or since
Churches ~ necessarily change they would perish
Pauls idea u Christian church any body Of
gathered together IN order to help one another
and the world al large, ~ better view ~ christ and
this was stan the true idea of Christian Church.
livery thing else Wa relative.
IlE rHrHcHs WORK.
The object ~ - church first. the perfection of
its individual members. and second through their
influence the ctiuration 1T the race. Collectively the
members became IN organic power acting upon the
whole Commuutys tor the power Of divine life is
great. aud one holy life viii break first or last ia
ten thousand improved liyes ct the organization Of
church there we're two cUuceptionA-one, following
the methOdea language of the Scripture, regards the
church a. Il kingdom aud the other regards IL a. a
household. The first untenable except by a forIn
" tLeocracy which swallowed mp every occupation
aud industrial pursuit. and made the Church take
sare ~ thu whole community. This the first or
Jewish idea. and that there stat outside Of
the church. This form failed although tried under
most favorable circumstance and could never be
uewed Howe YER this idea Of old theOcr~,y still
exists.
EXTENT rHE CHunrus INFLUENCE.
II Mas Dr. Afnold's idea that the time would come
vhep Tho Church would swallow up within itself
eycry other form of external organization Some ap
prnach "a this idea was made when Church and state
wer, united Many think that mems lives should lie
formed inside the church, but this was falacy Tor
ninety nine parts out of hundred of meme lives
we're formed outside of the Church lly the thousand
and one Influences in the household and the world ut
large The formation Of ones entire life inside the
Church was only possible In monastery or a con-
vent Many good Inen refused 10 act outside Of the
Church aud replied when asked 60 Join ia any
charitable undertaking. This u work for the
sLurrh the church should DO this" Mr.. Bcerher
said this was entirely contrary ~ the spirit uf the
New Testament. aud God snufs at it--laughs at
IL church, lie continued, cannot provide fof the