The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-01-27

Ever after that was the personification
of everything that made living success to
the Kieths.
REVOLT, IN PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Excessive Admiration OF the PASTOR Plain
Talk from the Brethren.
From the New York Herald.
The prayer meeting in Plymouth church
last evening was signalized by an outbreak
Of freedom of speech that has not been
equaled since the days of the scandal. For
a long time it has been known to the initiated
that among the leading members there has
been feeling of dissatisfaction with the
spiritual condition of the church. 1t has
been unexpressed except in private. Last
night it found vent. After the usual ex-
ercises MIR. Beecher commenced his talk by
saying it was not his habit to make COM
plants. He generally sought remedies in
another way. If he had reason to believe
that he was preaching month after
month, without building up men in
to better life he would indeed
have reason to complain. That that was
not so was made manifest to him by many,
many testimonials. Plymouth was, however,
more of a congregation than church. more
an assemblage than family. It was hard
for a modest man like him to say it, but the
strength ofthe pulpit tended toaward weak
ness in the church. But if there could be
produced feeling in the congregation as to
a needed growth of the church they might
depend upon it it's vitality and that of each
individual would be promoted and better re-
suits would be seen than were made manifest
now. The glory of church was found in
it's social meetings. The danger of Ply
mouth Church lay in it's Indifference to
these meetings and to the great receptive
powers of it's members. The Friday night
prayer meeting was in the nature of spirit
ual picnic, where everybody was expected
to bring something for the common enter
talnment. The church had nine deacons,
but it was regarded as lucky thing if three
of them were present at a prayer meeting.
There were six or eight members of the Ex-
amining Committee. There were three of
these present generally, and those were
Beecher, Halliday, and somebody else. The
entire responsibility of the prayer meeting
was thrown upon himself, and if he did not
happen to be in good vein it asssthought
to he failure No man could always be
in good vein, especially after thirty four
years of giving out. After setting forth
what ought to be the motive that prompted
persons to come to a prayer meeting he in :
vited the brethren to give their sviews on
this matter, and they would probably throw
another shade of light upon it.
Assistant Pastor Halliday thought that
many persons were prevented from talking
at the meeting because they were afraid of
the pastors criticisms, and concluded by
urging the seeking by the members of a
deeper spiritual life.
Mr.. Blair SAID he was no doubt one of
the persons referred to by the pastor who
came in late, sat at the back of the meeting
or hid himself behind one of the broad
shoulders of some brother, so that Mr.
Beecher should not see him and call upon
him to pray. He had the feeling that he
knew other brethren had, that anywhere
else they could get up and talk, but they
feared to do it in Plymouth Church. He
had tried to overcome, but he could not do
as to how to do it
Mr.. Hill said he had no difficulty about
praying or speaking there, but he felt that
the time was largely occupied by the pastor
and that when he had spoken on subject
to attempt to amend it by additional remarks
was like spelling thing of beauty.
Dr. White thought there was too much of
Mr.. Beecher in their meetings. He sug-
gcsted that the pastor let the brethren do
all the preliminary talking, and that he (Mr.
Beecher) should come in and round it off
with his rich experience, and suggested
that a fixed subject should be selected for
each evening, and that the talk should be
confined to that.
Mr.. Rossiter Raymond thought the young
men of the church might be make fluent
and useful at prayer meeting by going in
to kind of primary school for that pur-
pose, and thus be prepared for the public
Mr.. Richardson said the evil was in too
much admiration of Mr.. Beecher; he be-
lieved that when Mr.. Beecher died, Ply
mouth church would scatter to the winds.
Mr.. Beecher-No, it will not.
MIR. Richardson said that there was feel
ing of too much dependence upon the pas
tor by all the members. They were willing
to receive, but there was no disposition to
impart. Unless that feeling was checked
and the life of the church turned less to
personal glorifcation and more to personal
piety, very serious decay would set in
that would be greatly deplored, and get,
perhaps, past remedy. He thought DR..
Whites suggestion was good one.
Mr.. Beecher said in reply to these re-
marks:
'When I was boy used to light the
IRE III the klCCueu, duu HUI W use SOOu
deal of red oak. When tried to make a
fire with green red oak and few live Goals,
with pair of bellows to assist 4ne. I never
could succeed. I wanted more fire. So do
we here. You are not in dead earnest.
You come into the prayer meeting languidly,
with thousand things in your head, and
not the slightest idea Of Gods presence in
your mind. The good Lord of Heaven, is
He not here, and what am when He is
present? It seems to me that you try to make
me Godfather, Son, and Holy Ghost
whereas I am nothing but what I am.
I am willing to take half the blame
of the present condition Of things; but
if you will take the other half and
distribute it among yourselves there is
more than you can afford to have. What I