New-York tribune., 1879-12-22
THE RENovAToR OF THE WORLD.
The Rer Henrv Ward Beeessr at Plymouth Church tcongr
gationoii.

gae Rsr HENRY Ward Bsecser at Plymouth Church congre
0atfonap.
At Plymouth Church yesterday morning.
Mr. Bcecher asked for collection for church In Ess
beth. n. ]. He said: This church has been assessed
by tue City OF Elizabeth 500. Now 500 Is more 10
them than $4,000 would he 10 you. The membership
of church 100 and the congregation
Is 40 The earnings OF The members are
sS n week, and they contribute an average OF l.l2
cents to the church weekly the lowest neiug cents
and the highest TO cents. They are ironworkers and
MECHANICS. hoDes' hardworgng men-iuSt the kind OF
msn. And the Rev. Mr.. Haywood is just the kind
Of a for the pastor of such church
He lives ON what ne aud makes mp the him.
SELF lIaughtcTl lie Is good reporter and also has
quite an idea mechanics Recently he begged steam
heating apparatus and then nut IN himself. so that
the whole thing only 5000 ana there is steam
pipe under every seat-twcnty times as good as yon
have got II is for lagglrd church that ask aid
It's pastor Is doing more work than one minister IN
thousand assessed $500 hut il buy the
bonds o. the city for $500 which the city IS bound TO
take 1t honestly pay 500 with $500. That *
motive which will address itself 10 some OF you with
more power than all the OF tho Gospel put c-
gether. [Laughte,.l
Mr. Beecher took for his text Luke xiv, 2s 30. Has
Christianity as a system, he said, more power than
simply 10 make abcginnng in this world Has IL power
10 meet all the changes wrought by CIVILIZATION ana
vaOus progress IsE able TO carry out the great ends
which IL puts before 1t and complete them until the
whole world shall be- suborned To the Lord Jesus Christ
You will hs struck, examination OF the Old Tesla
and the New, how much more there is Of glow and
enthusiasm in regard TO the remote future IN The former
In the Gospels there Is little OF IT, Compared with
Isaiah they ara homely-not In the offensive sense Of
that word There bold figure in Christs lite; they
are almost all domestic Ii is the eagle the cliff.
the gathering her chickens under her wings For
tie Iamping lion the reeds OF the Jordon there no
room in His discourse, as in the Apocalypse ana the
prophecies OF tie Old Testament lie spoke Of dOwers
,pthn -4p1u nd vi q ross
wine and bread leaven and the ordinary things OF
life and don't remember Outburst OF pyrOtcchnc
imagery II the Gospels. Christ, SO TO speak devoted
His life rendering practical what had been gorseousy
described-how human nature is exalted in all tho
stages up TO the perfect man.
We claim that Christianity has a true view Of man
and OF his wants I that man. by his nature,
position and development, is SO low as TO need Divine
succor and inspiration When praise human nature
1t il only human elevated by God that would
render snch praise appropriate. Christianity has the
power change the emphasis of fc-to put II on the
spirit and not the body. We are taught TO live by
faith and not by sight Seek yc first the King
dom OF God and HIS righteousness, and all these things
stall be added YOU" is the profound economic
maxim of Christ. Ii has power to reclaim men
from evil and the desperate condition OF evil and al
though 1t is not myineible universal the rccaimng
power OF Christianity 10 OF the signal marks of its
Divinity. What there in the lore of the ancient
gods that could reclaim given to violence
are hi gher than those any of religion 1t
also has the power 10 build single men up 10
great nObleness and powers. Ii Is true tnat
among Zoroastrians the Buddhsts and the disciples
OF COnfucus there have been many excellent men. IL
would be folly TO deny that; where have there
ever been such multitudes of men forming into
associations for the propagation Of the high
est forms Of spiritual life : AS leaven Christianity
has great power In fashioning the community, In inu-
encing laws etc has laid the foundations Of trans
formed communal fe and many OF the present agita-
iions. which regard with fear and hope.
ars hut that leaven working by which
by-and-by better society will be evolved That it has
breathed a spirit the whole world-a spirit OF
lumaniiy-is undeniable. In the last hundred years
literature has been undergoing change, and public
sentiment has been undergoing change and the sense
OF communal life, the Christian democratic idea, the
unity Of men, the brotherhood OF men. the fellowship or
men with men. the duty of the strong TO the weak
these great thoughts have risen up and are breaking ont
IN every This Is of the recognition OF the
enthusiasm Of humanity. and 1t is clearly traccabie to
Christianity.
The world is not Iti full OF turmoil and
darkness and trouble. But the foundations are laid Is
the architect able fush the work1 There are two
views regard TO thiseither that there Is Divine
efficiency 70 propagate Christianity, that IN addition
tohs requires auxliaIies all natural and permanent
irAnences-alI atural laws and instrnmcntaes OF
human thought expression and will. II the former is
accepted asked Has the history OF Christianity
been consopaut with any such theory Eighteen hun
dred years, and not one-eghth OF the globe even
touched by the light OF Christian knowledge! or the
120OoOOOOO people on the earth. 1000 100000
are 20 all intenss and purposes as beathen
as in the days when Christ was on earth;
and If You saw Christianity is impelcd directly by
the Spirit of God the conclusion Ia Irresistible that the
Spirit Of God s no powerful the influence OF ordi
nary affairs II the second theory Is taken-tat Chrs
ianity is wide the globe and the universe. and in
cludes in itself everything which God manages
nnlates In the universo-then natural science and all
natural laws TO be regarded as In the scope Oh Chrs
tianity. ,.,., -, ,,,,,,.,,.r -o,,-
on n we take the and partial view there Is no
need of the latter theory Ii Is held py some tnat ior
reasnns undi Scn.ed tue major part OF the human family
10 damned that salvation only Tor the elect ana
that not single grain OF soui can pe svr sSeV nov h mS
number fixed from all eternity THIS Is called tne gh
Cayinstic view There two forms OF This abomina-
tion-ths supraspssrian ana the sIoSpSa',a aren, S
class Of men come to me same , ISsnl'u',ae :, ,S
second Adyentists They believe that preaching ia OF
lile consequence and that nothing can DC cone i INC
world uns Christ comes and reigns and ciis on me
wicked This comes to rhe pointthat the genius
of Christianity not 10 evolve perfect race but That
OF the passengers as aud let the crew 10 be
bottom IT they hold that Tie design Is to save
and bnild up spiritual kingdom by the
power Of God in heaven and on earth, they are nor
responsible for the long delays and the barDanc cono
The universal reconstruction th0orv of and soci
sty A. constantly implied In the New Testament ana was
aimed al by the Apostles The DAY will come when from
the rising OF sun until tho going down thereof ne
tn household the state The Nation, potcs political
economy. peasa,c wealth philosophy ,ne Crs, %n1ae
ike. and the globe viii swing round the
Throne With chant o. l"yes PIC "a ana wn"' hn o X the
hld the Prov Is always toward the hfigh nilieI-
iy o Corsfianity the sane thoughts TO business aud
affairs l. Christianity able TO meet ana wrestle Win
and destroy the great hindrances TO II IL Is quite lui-
ocstb