The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
THE KINGDOM OF GoD-sERMoN BY REV. HENRY
WARD BEEcHER.

THE KINGDOM OF GoD-sERMoN By REV. HENRY
WARD BEEcHER.
Prom that time many Of his disciples went back
and walked no more with him, said Mr. Beecher. at
Plymouth Church. yesterday morning. quoting from
John vi. S. What that time asked the preacher
evidently the result of disappointment among
those who had believed in the coming OF the Lord
They looked for temporal kingdom. 1t was the re-
suit of the perfect unfolding of the genius and
spirit Of religion He came to teach it, 1t was the
unfolding of the spiritual kingdom that stood in the
way Of ecclesiastical formation. They disap-
pointed and walked more with Him. ut is the
spirit that quickcncth.' continued the preacher.
reading from the text .thc flesh profteth nothing;
the words that speak unto You they are spirit and
they life. But there OF you that believe
not. Therefore said 1 unto you, that no
man can come unto except it were given
unto him Of my father" 1t was this
declaration that discouraged and offended many
Of them. They had expected temporal
prince, and were offended that He did not with
outward show. The kingdom Of heaven is not
without; II is not of the world; it is within. II is
dark and Is not seen. Like the 1cavcn that put
in the cakes of meal il works silently and IL known
by it, works The kingdom Of heaven exists in 5
consciousness and dispositions. The whole scope Of
Chrsts teachings and the teachings of His apostles
have uniformly been that the kingdom of heaven
exists in mems consciousness and dispositions.
The universal want of and IL to
have something to see and handle. Something tan
gibe desired ana after the years of the ponder
ous systems Of science and superstition the people
were disappointed. When men hocked and saw
Christ not king attempting to establish
a kingdom: not establishing churches or systems Of
belief Of generic character but trying to make men
better-and that is the foundation II happiness
they were offended and turned away. He
made by elevation. reconstruction
and inspiration They. the discontinued ones, did
not want Christ around Jerusalem because He did
not 20 about with worldly magnihcence. They did
not want 10 give something for nothing; they must
have an equivalent He preached and taught les.
Of love. aud they therefore abandoned him
visionary.
rnr INFLUENCE or CHURCH SYSTEMS.
The same things taking place to-day Religion
exists in many Instances more by its institutions and
systems than by it's spiritual kingdom. Many
Of these prouder OF their tools than
Of their grain fruit. There are the great sects.
The Koman. like huge SNOWFALL rolling over in
moist snow and growing bigger at each roll, with
officers attendants aud parade the Greek with the
things and the other sects in their turn. Mr..
Bcrcher did not dispute the usefulness OF external
organization. but thought that there more EN-
phas- put upon IL than right All these external
parsdcs and organizations are merely auxiliary
they are in themselves nothing. except as they
produce something else- Sfhey are not necessary In
any 10 the Kingdom of God That In within each
man, and when once there cannot BE- taken from him.
Christ and his apostles undertook the reorganization
Of cparacter He created new man, who had within
himself the kingdom Of God That Christianity.
II T. not Christianity to-day. for when religion Is
talked Of men think Of churches, Bibles doctrines
and matters Of that sort aud do not think that 10 ~ an
! inward spiritual grace. What does christ say in
the sermon on the Mount2 IL IL the poor in
spirit who shall inherit the kingdom Of heaven.
Murder. adultery. covetousncss portion OF the
catalogue " the animal faculties that possess in
common with animals Christ rccreated the man
aud substituted love for the bad faculties Nothing
i seen IN the bcatitudes about sunday, churches.
doctrines or beliefs. II IL disposition. The kingdom
OF God is within. As AZ present the external has
alloys been fun Of revolutions aud disturbances but
tlS internal has never been disputed or brought in