The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1883-08-03

- New and F0rcIbie Exposition of|
the Views Or r. y mouths Famous
Pastor His DOctrins u Love on
Earth Lecture It Centenary.
From the Chis4go Ssws-
The Rev. Henry Ward Beocher step
ped lightly upon the platform at the
Centenary Church, . few minutes past n
O'Clock last evening. 70 deliver his fa-|
nous and familiar lecture, entitled The
Reign Of the Common People," Before
Ibim sat large, educated. aud well Dress
ed audience. They seemed impatient ID
hear the great pulpit orator begin many
bad doubtless never heard him BEFORE
and. seeing that be has reached his three
score and ten" instinctivcIy felt that the
opportunity might never be presented inl
Chicago again. Many ladies were mong)
the audience.
Mr.. Beccher had not eone far in his
lecture until omcns Of exhaustion III his
Iold time Dire and vigor were most palpa-
bic. Time has begun 10 triumph over
all bic ferv0r. Frequently be hesiiates
|tu gather breath. Though still ruddyl
of cheek, bis figure bee grown noticcablyl
|&iouter, with that dropeical suggestion
hich follows the swallowing or vast
Quantities of rich food. He had the
|closest, and Il might be said. almost rev
|ercnlial attention from bic auditors
throughout the two hours Of bic lecture.
On last Sunday the Rev. Dr.. Spen-
cer Keppsrd, of the Fourth Baptist
Church, preached . sermon reviewing
Beecher's theology. lie asseverntcd that
Beccber's teachings bad grown lax and
dangerous. though be had not lost faith
liz him "a : man and 3 Christian; that
Ihie definition of Christianity om;is tl,r
cr0se. and that the religion of Christ Il
nDt III dccrepit stale a. he declares.
NJ. Beecher make the following char
scteristic reply:
CHICAGO. July 23. lse3. .-RRy. J. Srrx-
IcKR kKxNARD Dear Sir: have read
Your reported sermon delivered yester-
|dsy, with great interest. have 70 thank
I,on for your kindness OF feeling mani
llested. and the absence Of the rigor Of Or
|thodoxy, which seems 70 be but cover
form OF saying sdasnn you" But Am
'iuot saying this - an expression Of sur
'lprise one would have expected this cx-
lcellent spirit 81 You. Hut The point 81
imy qualification u that the time has
|comc for an honest discussion OF the
views or the old and new theology. II
conducted in = Christian spirit, good can
lnot but come out of Il. II u hardly 70
lie expected that either side will have .
whole victory, but another generation
Twill fInd itself upon higher level. AL
low me 10 say Of my own position, that
II know that / am orthodox and evan
|geiicaI as 70 the facts and substance of
the Christian religion but equally well
II know that am not orthodox as 20 the
PHILOSOPHY which has hitherto been ap-
Iplied 70 those facts. ] am 3 cordial
IChristisn cvolutionIst-
/ do not agree, BY any means, with I'll
|of Spencer, his agnossicism, nor all Of
Huxley. Tyndall, and their school they
larc agnostic-I am NOT, emphatically, but
Il am % evolutionist. Evolution strikes
III the root or al medieval and orthodox
modern theology; the fall Of man IN
Adam, and the Inheritance by bis pos
i|tcrity OF bis guilt, and b. consequence
Isny such view or atonencnt g has been
|constructod 10 meet the fabulous disaster
!, Men have not fallen q race, men have
come Up. No great dIsastor met the race
III The start The creation dccr6e Of God
lwas fulfilled. Any theory Of atoncmcnl
Imust b one which shall meet the facl
THAT man was created q the loves
Ipoint, and q believe 4, y 20 his phys
Heal being, evolved from tbo animal racl
s|beIow him; but, - 70 bic moral end
'|opIritual nature, u son of God, : new
|oIement having como up II the grea
movement Of evolution q the point Q
|man's appearance.
Man d universally sinful; not BY na
|ture, but b. voluntary violation o
known laws. II other words, the mi
|mal passions OF man have proved 20 b