New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-05
SUFFERING IND THE HUMAN RACE.


Mr.. Beecher preached yesterday to con-
gregaion winch did not III Plymouth Ciurch, upon the
influence of suffering aud pain upon AT the close
Of the service he no spoke OF the gnetness Win
which the National holiday, far he had Observed
had been celebrated. He had not heard hrecracker
even 10 Furmsn-st
In his ser1an. Mr.. Beecher said that pain and sur
ierng developed tIe higher qualities In men, Men VINO
are surrounded with and luxury degenerate. Men
who live in Abundance and have all their wants sup
Piled become enevatcd ard emascuated. One OF the
indispensable conditions OF happiness Il suffering MEN
spurred into action BY stimulation and attraction
Suffering Is no pOnaty. but OF dsciplining and
educating human nature.
The human race has been. and is, unfolding race.
The world is DEVELOPING 1t is gigantic lie, told win
mrch circums tlnality, that created upright
and then fell that Adam and Eve thu human race
fell all around. II began in fellow state, and the
world Is God meant It TO be. There was no trick
God did not make bad lob, and then paint IL
pretty and plaster 1t up. Such an idea is
not worthy OF Him. In tho chiid
hood OF thought such idegs might prevail; that they
continue in the manhood or the world s ptIable and
confoundIng The created imperfect The
family is an epome OF the ages. Continual develop
ment is the law created with potential powers through
days weeks months and years the child Is developed
So too, the world. God could have made men perfect
had He so desired
The origin OF evil is cob That mas been gDaWeu upon
for thousands Of years, but ever got a kerne
from il. II Is stil cob Ey is organs. created. uni
versal characteristic designed. 1t put IN In pur-
pose; malign spirit introduced it. It's purpose
was TO promote activity aud ply man on. Pain and suf
ferng belong to creation In God made laws to
be brOkcnhat Il lie knew that nasoent and Imperfect
beings would break them. The idea Is to be disclamed
and tramplcd undOr foot that men must do thus aud
thus he destroyed Gods way Is TO lit aid ana
synpathize with men.
We don'i throw away the Bible when say that the
system OF Old Testament is not the system for to-
day
/ don't hold the theory of the Atonement;
and | suppose you viii ask which theory. tor
| have at at least twenty theories of the
Atonemeut fully explained l hold that the Divine
Nature br0ods the human family everywhere ana
tendeIy to rise from lower 10 higher stage
of action There numberless questions easy 90 ask
about methods that | cannot answer The effect or
the Divine Nature Is TO perfect III man
what is like itself I reject the MOsnc economy
and take a larger view of Cnrist's work, 4 hold
grsnder theory universal sovereign and sublime
Than any of past. The truths OF the Bible are not
TO be swallowed hole but 10 BE- sfted. He who inter
prcis literally Will n tne records OF GOd's
work In the nfanule period OF the world are
pped 10 all will 20 But have no fears Tor the
Bible from pages siInc forth Gods care Tor men,
and His ways for uplifting aud drawing into
Himself the vagrant human race. Gods sympathy
bosom that Is hevcr dry. aud the lille or men may
ever draw rOml TIE BiOe VIII live, but II VIII XIII the
men who use and abuse IL. am afraid for the human
OF tue false interpretations OF that book