New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-25
Yesterday Though the hotel has been open ly week
there arc already $50 guests there.
MIR. BEECHER'S BIRTHDAY.
CELEBRATION IN PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
HANDSOME FLORAL DECoRATIoNs-A SERMON ON
THE TRUE IDEA OF GOD"

HANDSOME FLORAL DECoRATIoNs-A SERMON ON
THE TRUE IDEA OF GOD"
Plymouth Church celebrated yesterday the
seventeen anniversary OF Mr. Beecher's birthday py
decorating the church in anornate and beautiful man
ner Such display Of flowers had not been seen there
any public service since the celebration OF the twenty
fifth anniversary of Mr.. Beecher's passionate In 1877
Along the front of this platform flowers placed and
back OF the pastors chair evereens extended to the
rail OF the organ gallery On brackets ut Intervals on
the side walls and the front of the gallery vases OF
flowers and wreaths OF smilax were plaoeo'
and Of flowers adorned the curves OF the gallery
front The clock artsticay adorned with wreaths
All the floral decorations in charge of committees
from the Plymouth Bethel and Mayfower Sunday
schools and their work was much praised.
Among the strangers present at the services were ME-
Harriet Beecher-Stowe, Mayor Low, eXDistrotAttor-
ney Wnsow and Pierce, OF the
Continental Guards OF Louisiana. The church was
every part Before the sermon Mr. Beecber
baptized several children He preached upon the true
idea OF God In the no said that 1t was true
though rreverenty said that the nobiest WORK Oh man
was God Every one" he said, must form for him.
self an idea OF God, the result OF thought,
winged by imagination. We must conceive OF
God by putting together divine qualities
To many lie is to large extent the God Of the Church
and OF good men. He is narrowed by mems sentiments
into lean gaunt, starTeling Creator, with virtue
shining and there Men selfsh about all other
things aud so they selfish about God and parcel Him
In sections In polytheisc nations each place has
its God.
"Tbs Jews would not share their God with the Gen.
tiles To-day with changed methods the spirit Is the
same. The orthodox will not share their God with the
Araus. They say Come to our God; without Him
there is no hope I'm the world The Roman Catholics
have a God they and will let out to all men
who will come into their church organization and dis
cpipe All Others are recusant and God has business
will damn
Church. with ali its benefits has narrow and sectarian
view of COD as-as some Protestans Belt tho two and
would be impossible to tell which had the greater
diameter. Among Professionals each sect claimed the
true God Lately the idea has been advanced that the
spirit Of missions depended upon the beHcf that the
heather have no TUE 10 Immortality, no hope OF
blessedness, except by the Protestant God one sect
carried out God OF CalviuHcayen hep Another
carried out the God OF ArIniniansin, the Methodist
idea another the Episcopal; another carried one
mixed OF uncertain colors. Is the pulpit
OF missionaries the uncovered rI hen hfo
which millions are pouring into pcrditioh Is
there in Brooklyn any orthodox church that believes the
Untarans have n right and title TO the orthodox God
and thai Their God is true one On Omdren gay
Unitarian children not allow cd 10 Walk win OithoboA
children Is it because there was fear they would steal
the orthodox Coo, or inocua,e tne otlers win tn Nv
Unitarian God These ideas must have been carried
do with any persons like himself lie never went
among thieves, harots lepers and snch These persons
/ must depend on the uncOyenautcd mercles OF God.
81 had rather depend on the uncoyenaned mercies OF
God than Oh the coYenanted ercles OF the orthodox
But / AIN not a Unitarian And am not UniyersaIIs,
! though Joseph Cook does Try TO crowd
me over there. Joseph r. COOK COCA
/
there aud expect he will be there though he will leave
more Joseph earth than Will suffice for him to
/ know his own Identity.
! Men originally combined all their noblest
conceptions IN their idea oil God, aad then was literal
zed and msnterpretcd The DRIFT Of the ages showed
that God carried from worse 10 better, and lie
would wait until lie could raise them 20 the proper level
Everything proceeded by stages from nothing 10 better
aud from bette best. God was the God OF the whole
| earth. Narrow idc - must be thrown away. He was
the God OF all the heather; missions musi 80 10 them
/ from moral impulse, not because tney were
| abandoned by God. The representation OF God
rs damnng uinctsentvcnteths OF IN race was not a
reprcs suatOn 81 Beng TO be called God. God was
eternal bounty, good, benefit, and love 10 men, ughng
wrong by pain ana penalty and 'tng men ron animal.
ism the God OF al sccs aud Of 40 scots or ali
men-Chrlstan and heather. He was nearest 10 those
| who needed Him most lie was the suctOTer OF men,
| longing to upbuild Them
| AIerthe sermon Mr.. Beecher congratulated
by many OF his congregation on h5robust health despite
| his gray hairs and seycuty years.
| An immense gathering Is expected 81 the celebration
o. the seventeen birthday OF Mr BccchCr IN the Brook
lyn Academy OF Music this evening. In order 10 get
seats an early arrival the door Will be necessary The
reserved but Is desired that al hodeTa
OF tickets be IN their places before the exercises begn
After the Rev Dr.. 9. H. Han has been made cIh fman
| OF the meeting, tie Rev. Dr. j. o. Peck VIII oncr
prayer Addresses. with Mr.. Bercher a the subject,
viii be made by the Rev. Dr. Armtagc Mayor Low, tho
Rev Robert CoIycr, and the Rev. DR. Fulton. General
Grant IS expected 10 be present Letters from pTOmi
nent persons unable be present VIII DO read BY tue
Rev. Dr. IugersoiL Mr.. Beecner will make the cIUsing
| address.