New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-23
THE TRUE NATURE or MN.
The P.r BenrU Udrd BcecheT at plymouth Church COHgTt
-''@ N. BToOlLgu.

|
The Rer Henry Ward Becha At plymouth Church co"gfOa
! Mr.. Beecher addressed large audience IN
his church yesterday morning, speaking Of the nature
OF man. He took the ground that the educated refined
man is nearer true nature than the living ont OF
society IN savage simplicity. Taking for his text Ro-
mans H. H. For when the Genllles, which have not
the law do by nature the things contained in the law
these having not the law, law unto themselves"
| Mr.. BeeCher said in part:
There is much confusion OF ideas in regard TO nature
The one word covers a multitude OF IDEAS or moditca-
lions Of ideas. We say things are natural or unnatural
that a thing stands 10 nature that We must 90 back TO
nature and must learn OF nature. These phrases pass
current as If they were silver and gold coins with
| definite values. But the word has different
! signifcations Nature, IN one sense, should
| include the whole material world IL Is a
| synonym for world or creation. The God of Nature
is the God Of the whole organized globe In its generic
sense Nature takes In the scope and ORDER OF inc uni
| verse.
In an especal sense the word includes all the laws and
qualities OF material things the light. heat, the proper
ties Of solids the elemental forces and forms OF life All
! these are fixed, and We speak OF the constancy Of
atnre The forces of themselves IN their elemental
and primitive forms In still higher significance
nature includes the organs and functions Of plants ami
mails and Of mankind The heart IN It's thTobblngs the
lungs with breathing. the stomach with DIGESTION the
skin with perspiratioD the with sight the ear with
hearing, IN short. all primitive conditions OF
existence are inclnded IN nature They form
the whole self at the beginning are the
foundations upon which the other part OF
ia iut up and we speak Of these nature. Il Is what
is original and not dependent upon evolution In all
these of what Is called natural primary
and unfinished Growth Is needed So IN certain
sense we may speak Of the acorn as natural But not
when regard II the forerunnor OF something larger
the stOrindcfyng ana Uuytcldug oak
The oak shows the nature 81 the acorn The acorn has
these potential elements IN itself from us sploiting
| fIrnn rhW
oak He who goes back to the acorn for IT'S nature Is
fool See the morning glory that nost EXQUISITE noWer
Is sproutDg leaves. the growing vine and nnaY the
blossom give the whole nature OF tnc m4fhnsgIry or
c0nlzed whole In state OF completeness We must shit
point Of Ss sSs S II" n G nae N SI the DO
see the nature OF the bears not In the wheP thar OF the
lion. nor ip the babe that the In animals and
~ manknd nature IA not flna. Siultltudes
10 their true nature. They are as lar from l. as AROUND
| The globe and will reach themselves.
You NAV say This Ia rather interesting analysis, but
Of what profit III That Is what will tell you. The
Hrst IL that circumstances which are natural TO MS
are not those OF the primitive days Rousseau and others
by poeus and essays have pleaded that nature was a
Stale Innocence. bliss and simplicity and nave urged
men Ia get out OF society aud be alone on " some OF
ibem could be alone They have said should get rid
Of artificial conditions ana I'VE IN me
woods like Indians, and then one could see what
human nature would amount to. Now society Is
education with the uttermOst Accomplishment Is more
natural than the condition of plain men There Is a
general impression that blum, rough slnple,hearted
Kindly man, de.pisibg luxury and earning his living by
|
fiddle addles fashion, the sturdy specimen OF true
natural manhood. And that the man whose complex
Gned and whose faculties fully developed, II an
exotic worth less than the rude, uncutured man. This
one whose faculties are developed 10 the utmost In
harmonious manner. II Is reproach to modern go
rho sclence %. DUTY are scparahe Men used 20 think
that gaun and specaced minister was more angelic
m nnn is natural unless he is equally developed
| hagh / developed
out rounded up THIS IS manhood or righteousness
around. The body may be al rlght but the fall-bad
der, hut that destroys all. One tooth affected over
the yeuous arteria and the osteoogc systems
be in perfect condition just so In the intellectual,
moral and social siGes OF mans nature II one Is
MANNED there Is the same lack OF perfection as II loot
VI Artistic society, where the laws of health OBJ
served and moral qualities cultivated nearer ma
Iles are the bobeds Of society aud That our upper
ella sses are reared IN unbesh while IN the country
Now aver that simplicity ~ the law OF beginning, aud
that completely is the law ard symbol OF ipeness IN
anpetrce there IA first one twig aud IRON this there
grows IN time twgs innnneraole so In the nature of inc
! ,rnc man with every faculty develnped-canSaiiy.
perception form. colora needed In tue lie That row
o~intv Of ,nc refined aud elevated There he
universal mixture until all are ground down hncks
won't mix True nature Hes in the higher walks amid
the refined and educated aud not IL the under wallis
among the plain aud i0wly: You may ASK why so mary
noble ur,, are found outside city but say the
cty's iId,emce IL not crcmmscrlbed is boundaries
but includes the whole Of the surrounding country AS
from garden the wind carries the mingled swccs lHI
away, extends the influence at city. And III the
villages which tOnch each other III thick-sctt ed
countries Ike England had as much OF ua!ur aS III
| Flfth-ayc. or on the Heights.
In the second ace natural society never ex sted on
earth Time the age man, has not lasted l0ug n0ug
Itpen society ana bring 10 state o! uhtc inee
are refined and moral strata IN society, but the "soe
not like these But intellectual supremacy gives uo ore
right to withdraw out Of ns fellows ana o. 20 tplrt
Riches give tile 10 Withdrawing from the srucae o
mank anJ refusing to help others up This would bc
poeess dsints grafton. Society must be In cifCla
t6u and mixture. with stfatiiiculiOns there can never
he perfect society. II the electric circle al sympathy u
| broien there substitute Of~fe ed We s1e how
this sympathy exists IN the family Does II exist IN tht
The moment we gc good get bad circle X brokor
II we rise In above oar :elOw mon. uncsh we
carry tben up with II j. moi designed that The world
| should be always green. u VIII upen. Ih' iniimeh
| will come when men shall see that tho Whole Of society
| H. IN one circut-tOp, middle aud bottom. There
never will be lack OF gradntiJns OF puwcf wealth ant
but sympathy must run from tOp 60 bottom
when nan are made to feel thai all ascending ia,
| gradaiitns must be al evil
In PROCESSES OF reform b. b1lelil theories Tia
| authory do not the nature oi IL Is dts
played In the Gosprl Not by pulling down are e
| be broulht up; rot by revolution disorganZinF aus
! vague rlanS OF reorganization The secret vi perfec
and better society De discovered Fourier, Comic, tn
Socialists the Nihilsts have each aehcne In ever
one the fatal weaaness the lack OF consideration
: | human nature Sell must be put down le must bt
borI again. When the four natures oi man, phyelca
| social intellectual and moral are All completely nn'
haruouiously developed. The Divine predictions OF
: | millennium VIII come 10 pass