The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-13
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
UNIvERsALITY OF DIVINE MERCY-sERMoN By
PEW HENRY WARD NEECurR.

PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
UN1vGRsALIrY OF DIVINE MEICY-sERMoN By
REV. HENRY WARD HEECHER.
Plymouth Church was crowded ut the morning
service and the congregation found some amusement
! before the delivery OF the sermon the intante
| cries OF one or two unruy children who, with from
/ twenty five to thirty others, baptized by Mr.
Beecher On the whole, the little ones were remark
ably well behaved and the few who showed DISPOSE
ton to disturb the solemn,ty of tho occasion were
| quoted by the familiar process Of huggng, shaking
and turning upside down. The impressive service
then continued without interruption and the preacher
having ascenocd the pulpit steps, offered prayer for
the children and the Church. and afterward delivered
an effective from the text-"Nay but, .
man. who art thou that replicst against Godf Shall
the thing formed say to him that formed IT, Why hast
thou made me thus?"-Romans, tx, 90 In the whole
history Of Interpretation, said Mr. Beecher there
has not been SO singular instance OF
metmaorphoses OF meaning as the intcrpreta-
ton given to this passage II Ia ploa
co tho Jews and from, Jewish standpoint for the
universally OF divine mercy. II has been made use
OF to prove God because He out OF the reach OF
human interference, can do whatever no chooses TO
do and that whatever he chooses to do right 10 IL
ustrao this point the speaker read several passages
from the Westminster Confessions setting forth the
doctrine OF predestinaton and election. This doc
that only the elect and foreordained are saved
by Christ that all the rest passed over 10 eternal
damnaion told IN the confession Is ito the
praise Gods glorious justice" and we arc also told
that 1t be handled with caution. such view OF
shall mako men glorfy God cannot conceive or
Few believe In this doctrine or preach IL, and
though It is an article OF the Caivinistic
faith. yet any intelligent Presbyterian preacher
OF the present day would be offended
II accused OF setting orwara the teaching OF his
flock The attempts that nave been made to explain
il in such u way as to withdraw It's among
the marvels OF industry and ingenuity and have led
the performance OF many feats OF logical iegerde-
II tg M Uurta ~ n
Christ and with his revelation OF God's character to
man. Tho ninth chapter oil Romans, from which this
argument is Drawn, IL ike OF tho sloughs de-
pressions the surface Of the earth filled with water.
when meets with on the PRAIRIE and goes around
or about in any way rather than 10 drive or walk
through them. Yet regard It as garden full OF
flowers and grecn branches hanging with fruit II
is charter OF universal liberty. Paul Is arguing to
the Jews from the jewish point OF view to
prove that though they were the covenant people OF
God that did not exempt tnom from The universal law
OF morally all the Gentics throughout the
world STOOD IN tho same relation TO Gods moral law
and person II Jew dsobeyed the command OF God be
be lost, and II Gentile obeyed he would have
he benehi OF obedience. He showed that the Genlcs
too In the same relation to God and had the same
sights as tho jews had. Ho enlarged the bounds,
| selection anu redemption beyond tho Jewish race,
showing God be the God Of all the earth and putting
| all men on an equal footing. Ii was snow that Gol
limited IN the OF mercy, but could so
outside o the Jews to show mercy and IN among Thorn
~ 1--WE udgmou Now TINT this an ould DO used as an
argument to show tho iniation OF Gods mercy Is ono
oil the marveis OF criticsn II Is corruption TO The
| very root
| QUESTIONING GODS WILL AND DEEDS.
The next 10 that which have taken for my
text IS this:-"Hath not the potter power over tho
and another unto dsnonorr' In answer 10 THIS l
would say, IL tue potter made piece OF clay into an
tue which he had Jade not golden goblet ito
smash to pieces would be an act OF hideous ipJus-
tice. Tue cay might say, why hast thou formed
me thus?p and tho potter would answer because a
mug had TO be made and he chose TO make II OF that
piece. There won d be no harm in tho inquiry, and
mug is not TO blame tor wanting 10 DO golden cup
but IL cannot the potter oil injustice. Man has
| perfect right TO exercise his healthy reason and
well trained moral seeking the OF Gods
| creative gus and Gods treatment oil him; he 10
| appealed TO and challenged TO do all
! through the Scriptures. and tho answer is
| not difllcults one-God provides II. 1t IL
| not tho inquiry which Is wrong but the answers
wegivo ourselves Gods VIII and works may be ques-
| toned by man, but they cannot be condemned. We
| might ask Why did not God create perfect race,
without the possibility OF sin and suaerings Why,
| We don't know that lie has done Because man
| Is not perfect no is say that q od
wisely or nweil in creating him. There are mynads
OF immortal bcIngs spotless and perfect about the
| throne OF God, and such we may hope 20 become.
! Tho earthenwarc cup Is not 70 condemn the
vase. An artist Is not TO be confined Ia
ono branch OF his art alone II he
prove himself Landsecr In painting animals, he will
DO more greatly admired II he proves himself like.
Turner painting indistIng ishnbic biotches
Of color, or a Reynolds In painting portraits. The
glory Of Michael Angelo was thai he was zine cl
IS we'll as a sculptor, and "a poet az well ms painter.
Man Is 10 be judged by n rsiative and not by pos
dty will DO taken into important consideration
| Tho deaf and DUMB are not TO be punished Tor not
speaking aud hearing, nor Is any man 10 BIO punished
| because he don't fly. There Will be no punish IN
Tor violating rsquision II there ~ no corresponds
| ing power Of obedience.
FIFTH AV. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
THE wID3w's soS SERMON NJ nv. DIR.
| JOHN HALL.
| A large audience listened TO Or. Halls sermon on
the raising OF the widows He took his
the seventh chapter Of Luke, beginning with the thir.
| teenin verse: And when tho Lord her he had
| compassion her, aud said unto her Weep not -
| Tho reverend gentleman began by remarking that in
90 large cong rcgation bis there must be In
tho condition Of the beroaved widow. Only on The
previous day funeral had been held In the church,
on the occasion of the death OF Alexander Van Rcnss
laer, and Monday many Of the congregation would
again assemble listen TO the last ceremonies over
the body OF departed friend. lie said tho text
appropriate. IL was boc,use Of these two bereavc-
msnts that no was present. for he had expected to be
in Richmond, Va, In behalf Of the American Bible
Society. and tho Rev. DR.. Adams had been Engaged TO
| speak IN his place. Bot owing to the two sorrowiul
events the journey was prevented IL would be seen
that the raising OF the WIDOWS son was one Of tho
three great events Cnrists missionary hic,
whcreiu lilo showed His power over doa,h. Aud the
order In which the events occurred was graduated ac-
coruing TO their importance, FIRST tue raising OF
the rulers 1aughter; second the raising oil the Wild
owls SON. third the resurrection Of Lazarus. In the
lrst case tbs daughter had just died. IN tho second
tho WIDOWS son was the way to tho grave; III o
third, Lazarus Dau aread been placed tho tomo
and was In decay. To the daughter lie simply ssid,
"Damse, say unto thee. msrise ~ 10 tho widow ~
but 20 Lazarus, who was long uead, he called with
| Iou1 voice, Lazarus, come forth" SO u Is ~ our
religious life, some arc just dead, some their
way 10 the grave Of sin, while others have long been
| lost in tho tomb Of thor iniqu,ty