New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-29
HAPPINESS AND SORROW.
The Rec Henry Beeeher at Plymouth Church (Congre
CdttOHdL)

gdtOHnL)
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher preached
yesterday before a large congregation in Plymouth
Church. Hc took his text, from Palm e., verse 80
Thou op ncst Thy hand; they filled with good"
To heathful and hopeful said the speaker all the
world seems bright, and JOY predomnates To the
broken and sorrOwn all the world seems sad and under
eclipse Our speech aud literature are full OF mOurnfu
sentences the unsatisfactory nature or human life
the fugitive AID visionary joys. Life is called vale OF
tears and Is believed that pain and sorrow vastly
happiness. Will fair survey of facts bear
out this sweeping OF the prepOnderance Of
IN this worldi My own impression Is that happi-
ness TO u very great extent. IL the tendency
OF creation and that very great extent that tendency
accOnplishc- It's end. II is not small thing that pleas
ure Is the normal result Of all vital organization aud
pain the Alternative. Nothing has been created whose
primary normal result Is pain. Suffering comes In on
the departure from right law. Could creation be bound
10 right lines t is not hazardous to that there
wonld be o suffering But pain ana sorrow come
from carriage OF created beings contrary to their
conditions and the complexy Of eudowments and the
difficulty Of Adjusting them to tho law Of condition in
crease a. creatures 20 up the scale, so II will be
found that tue complaints or unhappness come chiefly
from the IA CHER ranks Of e II should be remembered
that the highly developed IN the series have an
advantage IN that they give expression TO their
feelings while the under classes incompatible III
numbers are without record and dumb. Ne shave
10 believe that while there is vast amount Of expressed
.ut.rng, the uncLprcsscd happiness Is inmeasurably
in excess u pain aud suffering throughout creation
Pani lie has srn,.by with no Consciousness. II is
different with animal life Conscious enjoyment Is the
nli-takabe law through all the animal kingdom.
IT,, tone may be low, termination may be violent
u the very substance OF the life Of the lower created
animals Is enjoyment. IL is vain to say that the Inferior
Great on culTOucd with enemies; that insects are aprcy
10 each Otncr BIRDS To mem that wholesa slaughter
1. going on nccs,anty. suppose brilliant fly is
hatcncd at 10 In the forenoon, and IL caught upon
ut . IN tue altrrhoonL,hc are seven hours 0i
Happiness 70 two minutes OF dying. But insect death
has no Fremont DRY icis no ncuaglc or ieOrle pains
aud Is rule, lnetdhtincnu1 Ihc'e IN no ltdrLuI
ioreuukiug ana no bdcEw4rdlOOkug regrets or yearn
iu-s nave often, SImmer afternoon watched tue
pa,turng Of birds. Birds have their sphere Of feeding
DISTRICTS ana limited, rs are the tettltores
the ar aud only there; some on the ground ana only
there some IN tnickcts, upon rocks ANA walls. Every
tree a. least thrcr pastures Iherc are
of insects hidden the clrfs OF the bark. But the JOY
ful Vreo sweetest soustcr OF june LAY be seen search
slugugu snatch OF melody AZ every mouthfu Ol FOOD
Last of ALL the Fycatcncr si;s upon some top Drch or
hover about Now how happy are theSe birds IN
ticir several WAYS. They are clohed Without Iai.Ors
tn,y are housed without architects No making up OF
beds sweeping and dustng no rubbing or POLISHING
no washing OF disnes aud breaking o exquisite emma
But what OF worm aud insect iach Dlld snaps up
uuDrrrss forms OF happy life. But this Is not ques-
ton pleasure aud paul for there Is no pam ordinarily
II ~ only question Of longer or shorter happiness
since the Darwiuian era mud myse Tar more syInpa-
thec with inferior nfe than used 10 be- on my way
these creatures / took on my way I Did ever whirl
with these gauLy sprtcs. delye with these pet en-
gurcrs or 20 cut with bees for honey, or tram with
those wasps who, like critics put their "hOle stIehgh
in slngi am not ashamed OF my country iI ;
lives INA am deyOutly glad when, turning IRON the
umhappiness OF my own kind perceive sucn universal
and Incompai able happiness III locks ana herds III
worm aud Insect Cheerful views Of the order aud sxpe-
rieuce OF creation are not only more phllosopncah
but Will contuce to our happiness aud graft,
tude TO God. the nyer or every, soOa
and perfect gut. Men have the mOrMu view.
they iudye the condition OF the universe eaeh by
his own sensations and experience For my part ca
moi conceive of Creator Ruler who enemy c0nle-
plates the human race end OF these more especl ny tue
cIyIhzd aud OF the cvzed the religious ana oi THESE
The elect and OF elect the tOpmOst ahu nhest 10
back heartily the old Hebrew conception OF you
iolcng IT, the whole creation The tendency oI ucstny
il upward The genius Of creation II from less 10 more,
from inferior to superior EXccs or might DC Tue motto
of creation Mean he strive, yearh aha suner lor
"a hlgner neY enpment.