The New York herald., 1879-02-03
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.

THE Low TONE OF MORALITY IN RELIGION
CHURCHES IN NEED OF CoNsCIENCE-sERMoN
by MR.. BEEcHER.
"And whatsoever ye do" read Mr.. Beecher yester-
day. from Colossians. ill.,. %. do it heartily. to
the Lord and not unto men," Let mon say what
they will, said he, in the light Of their philosophy
as to anthropomorphism, the universal experience
shows that for religion to be practical, influential
and comforting. mankind must think of God as
under human conditions; otherwise the tendency of
the rehnemcnts of logic and materiasm is to drive
men into the extreme of atheism. A conscience
formed under the eye of God the indispensa-
BILE condition of the highest condition of man; it
was the essential foundation of order and happiness
and less than this would support the crush
ing weight of human society. The question now
to be discussed whether the acting Christianity
Of the churches has formed and is sustaining in
the various parts of society this dvinely purified
conscience First the conscience of the Church
itself formed under the eye OF the pure. equable and
truth loving God? II seemed that there grow
fng disproportion between religion and morality.
give, said Mr. Beecher. superior position to morality
over mere worship, not that the two should ever DO
disjoined. but if we are to lose either of them,
morality must remain and the other must 90. In
this am in the spirit of both the Old and the New
Testament. because although the morality OF religion
may be crude and unripe, there can be upper
development of religious sentiment which does not
spring from basis of absolute morality.
RELIGION WITHOUT MORALITY.
II was the prevalent tendency OF the churches to
inspire righteousness more than vigorous morality
Q conscience toward God more than conscience
toward man. The efforts of the High Church party TO
enhance the fervor of sectaranism in the Buise OF
devotion were phases OF this tendency, as on the
other hand were the ''revivals OF religion the
nestness everybody into the Church. rather than
TO educate those who are already in. Tho
desire to souls was great deal more
talked about than desire to make souls
honest. The consequence that the Christian
religion had very largely failed 10 make able 10
bear the temptations To- which the times subject
them. Stll the Church was ncomparably superior
10 all other moral influences, and IT, incomplete 10
ts 1t should now sink the whole country would have
cause TO put ON mourning. IL was true the men who
squandercd their money. who defalcated ran away,
gambled other mems funds, robbed banks and desc
lated widows and orphans had largely been members
OF churches and this fact had lowered public opinion
of the benefits of Church religion. IL a sad day
when men not malignant or bitterly critical could
say that man s mombership o. aChurch afforded no
presumption that hc trustworthy.
THE ABoMfSATIoS CHURCH DEBTS.
Where churches had brought themselves under
pecuniary obligations which they could not dis
charge they had set up efectual bar 10 the prog
ress OF the Gospel. IL their conscience was not
not prevent them from rcsortng 10 sharp practice In
throwing IL OF: nor would II prevent the devil from
taking possession of IL himsels. church that
extravagantly shingled with mortgages and tried TO
esteemed dishonesty in q merchant would never
have the blessing OF God. IL was worse In the
case OF Church than IL was In that of merchant IL
was expected of the latter that he should give aud
take risks, that he should be both borrower and
lender. The church was not commercial insti-
tuition. IL avowcdy institution To teach men
good morals. IL stood perpctualy, as IL were, be-
fore judgment seat. For such an institution to