The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-28
MIR. BEECAER ON REPORTERS.

He CALLS ATTENTION TO THE ART OF CON.
DENsING sERMoNs-HIs REASONS FOR DOING
Before preaching yesterday morning. Mr.. Bcccher
advanced to the front OF the platform and sai:--I
wish TO say tho subject OF the reports
made of my sermons from week to week. Twco
WITHIN year the land has rung with excitement,
furious anger and criticism account of reports Of
my sermons that grossly wrong-what may be
called "the bread and water sermon" Tor QUO, and
wha. may be called "the abolition OF he'll" sermon
Tor another.
do not believe any one ever Intentionally
misrepresents. The gentlemen who as
reporters here are-so fur as l have had
the pleasure Of their neutrality-suspicious.;
and am under obligations 10 them, the Christian
community, in very many respects. Some OF them
know and l esteem very higuly their acquaintance.
Nevertheless there have been several instances in
which, II they had designed TO msreprcsent totally,
they could not more successfully have done It Allow
me to say that my sermons that worth any crti-
cism urge selected by the editor OF the Carisam
linton and generally printed without any revision and
generally without my knowing which OF the two
sunday is to be printed nave not time TO revise
consider them and If should to do IL should
SIMPLY try TO writo better one all the time, ana TALL
between two stools, dong neither leave them,
therefore, to reporters and the managing editors
other, which sermon Is to be printed. The casos arc
very rare In which think It necessary to look
sermon.
DIFFICULTY OF coNDENsISG SERMONS.
Now. ordinary sermon upon some moral or
ethical question may be reported in outline or con-
densed very successfully, because the reporters are
gentlemen not merely oi education but in many in-
stances college men, and therefore, within their
realm familiar thinking aud reading and observa-
ton, competent But when sermons involve large
amount doctrinal discussion Of nco distinction,
where they large ground with intricate details,
the training OF tho gentlemen that report nos
been such 10 make them adequate TO this
work OF condensing an hours sermon into a
pass which may be read IN hve or ten minutes.
IouQeusiug Is In itself the weghtiest OF
literary tasks, but to condense iarly what has been
spoken IN The intense enthusiast OF the hour Is
sun more dincult task ana 10 condense that which
rs stii substance dependent Tor It's acc
upon the very phrase used or the very collocaon
simply Impossible under the circumstances 1t may
be taken down verbatim, but 10 be taken down hero
and there with Signs and sketches and condensed by
turous ignt fcar to undertake. Some OF the gente-
who report here pick out certain sentences only,
They stick IN their thumb and they pull out plum.
1t there is figure mat IN It's setting Is entirely
proper they viii pull 1t out and let It
From all these causes como scattering reports. aud
the shorter they are aud tho more punecnt the
snort snaiches of queer things, or Of odd phrases
OF ludlcrous images. These naturally sought aud
INTO newspapers scnt hUIOau all over the
country.
Now, | dont object 10 II for myself 1 would just
Iie hcy would continue to do H. so far as my own
personal feeling IS concerned Only this, know that
II Professor Pierce had IN his lifetime undertaken
give hours discussion upon one OF the most OBJ
strusc Subjects no man on earth would have tried to
give 1t in the space OF three mnutes II Professor
AgassIz had spoken on some scientific subject
requiring exact terms no man would have done
1t with him. If tho reporters wanted nm exact
statement they would have Como TO him or else
omitted II altogether. SO IT. Is IN all professions cx-
cept that OF the preacher The reporters, mauy OF
them belong to the university OF letters and they
accomplished, personally and materially. IN literary
matters but my Impression is that the writer's Tor tho
New York ''daiies" nave not had strict rehgh
Gus education. tSmes.) There two papers IN
New York that are so anxious ON the subject OF Chris
liun dspost that they give their whole influence
to 1t from danger; but In general think may
say that the training of tho gentlemen who conduct
that paper has not been theological daughter l
would not mind the misrepresentation TOR myself,
but they disturb great many good men.
they disturb particularly Tho editors OF religious
newspapers They take them up and moan and
| lament the defects and heresies ana other pulpit
| troubles when aflict Plymouth Church Now am
KIND ana good hearted man and cannot bear to
give these good men Distress aud think this uncou-
scous wrong done by the to the iesings OF
rehgio editors ougut to stop Then this misrepre-
sentaton has another enect--it lays me under the
imputation OF hedging may make a statements
which will be perfectly correct and winch am will
ing 10 stand up TO- Jut IL viii come out IN the news
papers IN manner which Is very surprifiug 10 mo
7 indeed When sec II don't know my own offspring.
| II viii 30 al! over the land II II Is danty done
wecx or ten days aiter Tue sermon will come out
that" 'No," says another, 'theres olnine In that
An he has just corrected that; he did dare stand
to IT," Thus am charged witn insinceriy ana with
want oil courage aud with hodgiDg.
AFRAID Bland
Now. have "a great many faults, but the want OF
courage to say what THINK is not one OF them--(a
puzz oil applauseJand the indsposition to stand up
against ali creation wnen have taken position IS
not anolner OF them. Whatever things seem to mo
to hsve relation TO your development aud education
shall say. | don't profess to represent any school
! o theology. am IN much nearer aud sympathetic
relations 10 the whole asscmpiage OF Congregational
than with any other scnemc OF government,
though recognize the utility aud excolonce OF many
other schemes l am not CavinIst; oil thai am sure.
! There are now hsh or extreme CaIvanism aud mod
crate or Low Calvauism. IL IN so Low" that John
Calvin would not know II. tLaugh,er.) Nevertheless
mold the prevailing doctrines taught by Dr. Taylor.
! OF New Haven. Dr. Woods, oil Andovor, aud nov by
Dr. Parks, whose Dame Is eminent and Ia time to
Will be more emuent substantially am III agree
mcnt Win Their views and 30 Tar hold them. But
nobody Is represented by me. | utterly discalm
! speaking Tor ANY body but myself II my views
| right they right OF themselves, ana II they
wrong aud only |, am TO be criticised. stand as q
Tree Christian man on an open platform, with tho iib
as respects doctrine aud morality, and say u upon
| my own personal responsibility.
! DEEciER DIscLAiMs rms TITLE OF TlEoLoGIAS.
LIDO not LOOK for reward here so far as God gives
me the power TO elevate tncu rejoice IN that; but
never n, nv Widest dreams. set up Tor a theologian
TO represent right views OF thinking every
subject never sol up Tor ihat; therefore everybody
may his heart ana say "He don't represent
mel" Every church In the land might say that IL
would not do any hurt except 10 cxoncrate them. IL
would hurt my feelings or my influence, TOR what
nave has been gwen To me, aud whenever
man Is OF God, the truth gwen TO him with right
hcartcdncss, he need not ask any BODY In Tree COM
munity thor influence for thor good opinion
Cause produces elect and man--even u his talent
be slcuder-wlth tue enthusiasm OF rIghthcartcdEess
Will MAKE himself ieit
have SAID these things not Tor the sake OF asking
the gentlemen TO DO moro careful 4 ask nothing az
MI; am quite content TO leave tho reports OF my
sermons TO that general equity aua honorablcness
wncn believe pcrvades tnosc VINO are not Ia tho
profession OF reporters But to the community At
large, to persons who are not here aud 40 not know
these thugs, have SAID these tnDgs tor their under
standing and Tor tho guidance ol tncir SPIRIT Now
we will have No. 500.
Ana Mr. B.euoer gavs out tho opening verso Of tho
hymn aAd resumed MS seat