New-York tribune., 1880-03-01

., the Prodical Son and was interrupted by
drunkeu prodigal DR.. o. H. Tiffany last night con-
.,dered some aspects of the labor problem ana inc
pov Carlos Martyn made plea fol kindness TO
animals
THE TRUE WORK OF THE CHURCH.
NH p., genrv Ward Beecher at Plymouth Church (COnaTe0a
ttondO Brooklyn
In a powerful and characteristic sermon yes
tcrday morning Mr. Beecbor discussed the WORK OF tue
Church and applied his conclusions particularly ~
plymouth Church He gave some personal history ana
snake M his work as almost His statement 'na'
tho Monpolian snonld have equal right 10 TINS country
with other foreigners received Win hanu'c'apins
Applause was also caused by his statement 'na' MS S
orv shonld lie taxed as much that OF soank preSl
dent The text the discourse was Ma'the" ' i' ~
IL beginning aye are tue salt OF the carth
One light lights all OF the house, sad MT beecheI'
nrovdea there ia only one room. But often as the
family grows and the increase thcre is no au''
tona light or the of the house ana u is III udiA
noes Thus often is in the life OF CHRISTIAN men "n"
of Christian churches The object OF the chufeh " INC
conservation Of morals aud increase in spriua NC
ouiremeDs The church which only taxes care o i'so'
defeats the end Ct It's existence We ma TWO 'e"uo"
clos a, life one progressive and the other conservative
Churches are as much under these as individuals are
These phrases have come TO be nseu WIN niuCh III
defniteness; but all men are under the nnnehce OF
Progressive tendencies when youh and health aDouhu
WI Is
the Young man who conservative We are born 10 I've
The engineers OF the future II normal condition Of
men 10 exert progressive influence To think, 10 fee
70 execute But when get past the meridian OF lie
another force becomes more powerful itis then the
law 10 care what have got So in socot ty ana III
all organized institutions Men bold III beginnings
aud lay foundations with enterprise ana progressive
spirit. But as their WORKS gamer age ucS oe0o"o 0
seryatlve in tendency.
Now propose to speak OF OF the dangers which
beset individuals and churches undergoing the action OF
this law A church has ordinarily humble beginning
There are few earnest men among the common masses
men of feeling emotional usually Of moderate mrans
not of highest class measured by worldly standard
These begin new Christian work. II usually starts IN
n Sunday-schO0l IN hall somewhere where there Is
nothing to tempt men but souls. In time. OJ ndelV'
success comes the hall ehows preaching Ia secured
and larger pl~e Is needed. BY setdenying effort
money is raised and the foundation laid ov more et
fort the church s reared and at last completed and ont
OF debt Then the church begins TO die As soon rs II Is
finished respectable families come in and Satan among
them The moment a church begins 10 take care OF
Itself only the devil has got IT, II wants nno singing and
more fashionable preacher. IL Is ashamed
Of ITS poor members. and no longer seNs
through the cotton or hOmespHD tho man bepcaih
spontaneity win give place to regularity and order
the emotions viii be kept under and fastd'ousness VIII
result 1t win become subject to rules and regular
orders All expansibility and eductbilty are lost.
Order doctrine crceds and orthodox views are in
sisted upon. Don't believe IN doctrines and crceds
Yes Ido Bnt doctrines and creeds were once a part
Of politics ard a mans belief determined his life and
liberty. Exact statements then put into creeds
and these came down to MS But mans adherence to
The doctrine Trinity does not AFFECT his suffrage
Or his freedom now and 1t wOud he Just absurd TO
insist now upon creeds and doctrines OF hundreds OF
years ago as to 1.-Two now In forts and castles
and wear steel armor because then DID
and chO1a
grows on the outside only back to Egypt It gets
ont OF the light and becomes crustaceous.
The second danger in the change OF ideas, and In
the end existence The church becomes m assoca
ton prosperous families to educate their families for
heaven Why don't go 10 churchi Because they
don't want TO- They don't find there what they need
Churches learn To care for their members and no
pthers They have n few pews offered to strangers,
rving them, as It were. the Kitchen and woodshcd
But church caring most for Itself which is doing
most for others; that Is the best growth
have had particularly In mind this clinrch and the
perod at which ii has arrived with Its pastor officers
and members This church Is tlirtythr years
Did period set down 10y life Insurance tables as one
generation II is that time since twenty-five men and
women stood where he lecture room COW is and or
ganized new church The pastor was called rom
sWesiern wilderness There he had been laboring with
sme. as revival pastor lie came TO be settled over
new church He was asked even II 1t Wera
best for hi0 leave the West If II were wise 10 settle
In Brooklyn. when there were - many promising fields
In NeW-YOrk and to taKe church abandoned by bIil
ant preacher because he could gain 70 congregation
lie was young, iuexrerenccd and i'apulsvc But he
was told wha ie tnought with proper respect for
popular sentiment to beware OF committing hiisri On
Questions apt 10 divide his people cn slavery and moral
reform; TO take are OF bis mhaenre aad &c leh come
10 be a man Of note All this end more he
was Told Dv Of the fathers Of The ministry Bat in
his rt sermon least the rst SUNDAY evening hc
blew the trumpet He told tfose who desired liberty
for the slave hitor those who were u earnest
in Temperance WORK 10 come hitber those who wished
the Gospel to rrs ched out to come hhcr and hear
here thcse things presched SO iCr TN or htcen years
mp at auction every year. A party spirit was
aroused against him to induce MIN TO i9Teit MS ann
nraed 10 roll him in the Dirt and take away his bread 10
s n he ould hold forth his sentiments SO boldly Bu
his u.ere necved "a him and soul, and The
church grew Ii held the sane spirit IN Oh The great
conflicts believe its seadfastncss in time OF tria kept
mauy patriot heart firm during the dark days OF the
war dreadful than any words have ever told ana
tsose perous DAYS. In all distractions that fol
lowed ntained its Integrity Wit hear right on
all subjects And when the 1ay GENES iiai lheG Is more
care the church Than Tor principle when Tie pcw$
become SnS win bs Il, dry rot it Viii be iet to
dartuess aud destruction, and all that can be done is to
W. are ~ danger rs INTO smoother times. To
he sure we VIII have the qosdrenDt caldron, heated by
viii soon be over. These ere the open ques-
tions 20 he settled: The u1iuc6ton OF society the
establishmeuU OF temperance; the showing that
liberty exists here IN the same rght OF me MonG0lan 70
SC; foot upon our sl1sc t. Ibe r,st of r
10 the Dallo their bOOdbpust rights; aud the rights
Of MAJ, a. Iaid down by God ara Christ. When mis-
church dos stand ny for these 4 goes out and
q light gone. These things are not be decided
to-day tomorrow. You must be willing -
live without thinsmg OF the opinion Of The world
dong your work ana Ewing nseiG ife have litte t.
gs for self i Is not IN ts power Of sc'ptrcd hai d.
or of the hand which v.eds the more powerful
,han the sceptre, 10 touch harm | ana ucaIIy
seventy years OLD. aud what have behind me
sorfen away from ] have had ~ the
Sevil and have Int hin many times. But II
Ia not for myself. but for this church
which next cd live aud care for That ain ajax Gus
nrsy tlat may never go down and IFS light sc5 dark
ness -, -, -. -, o... -. ..,t,, ,.,. a..
a.,nosrhere hen-;he spirit OF love 10 and sympa
thy for them. This church mas grown up ~ mat sprt
Ia creed ls love Cos and love 10 men, Men feel th
when they come In here. The attraction is not at th
"a INT IL IL I'M Inc whole church. YOu make IT, Thcrt