New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-27
PULPIT SKETCHES.
HENRY WARD BEECHER AND PLYMOUTH
CHURCH.

erty in brooklyn, extending thfouSh the Dlo'A VII"
frontage Cranberry and Orange SITS This step was
taken after consultation with David Hale then OF
the Tabernacle Society in Broadway New-York. and
literally the fostering father Of New-Engand Congrc-
gaonalism in this region The first meeting Of those
mcdiately the organization Of Plymouth
Society was held at the house Of Henry {. Bowen IN
May, 1s47. Henry Ward Beecher pastor Of church
| in indianapolis visiting New-lork during the
anniversary season, especially to deliver the annual
address before the American Home Missionary Society
He ofhcatcd in the Plymouth Church at its open
ing on May 16 1si7. The organization was formally
made Sunday, June 10, with membership OF
twenty persons he first trustees were Henry I;
Bowen John f. Howard and Daniel Burgess. cal
70 the pastorate at extended ~ the brilliant
Western ngciist whose tumultnou@ eloquence mao
klnGled the enthusiasm OF the little society 10 "'
heat. In August the invitation accepted, ana on
October 10 Mr. Beecher entered upon hi, long ana
celebrated pastOrate.
The old church at the outset stretched and
strained TO it, fullest capacity by cations
drawn from all quarters by the sudden reputation Of
the stalwart preacher Under the happy accident of
disastrous tire IN was determined 30 replace the dam
AGED church with new and capacious cdifce which
was completed and occupied on New ears Day, 1901
Here novelty indeed IN church enter ilse lof
with a new church having seating capacity OF Z9uV
and an organ costing go 200. the entire outlay
scarcely exceeded $40 900 and this plant became ex-
cecdngy thrifty. bringing in a largcss OF pew rentals
reaching frOu ell,l37 IN 1893 To more than e6o"O
for 1872. The society. however, did not cohlh' ts
activities to Plymouth Church. In $500 II adoi ted
the Bethel Mission. for which II Lad labored many
wears and has expended more tnth H4p,VVV III lhr
purchase of the church buildings. In 1871 thc church
increased It.. range of religious work By adopting the
Nav Flower Mission providing more than S2JOOo tor
it, church building Jay-t. II l. 1T once seen tha
enormous revenues found their way into the had- Oh
the trustees # Plymouth that rot only was the 30
cetv early freed from debt but It became the generous
I almoner in many directions at home and abroad
THE RULING IDEA OF coNGEE0ATGoNALIsM
Mr.. Beecher it is conceded provided the plans IN
substance for his church. 1t represents idea, aud
indeed the dominant and distinctive idea OF Co1-rcga
tonaii.nl aud that i, the minstIaon of an evangelist
or preacher many hearers he can gather ana
hold by the yizor Of his personality the fascination
of his oratory. SO Ar Beecher undertook 20 -et the
pulpit directly among the people, who literally swarm
all around him, above and below, everywhere that
there might be- seat or a foothod. The pulpit then
I'LL, one of the foci Of the great square interior deep
gallery with IL, organ of en- DfmIls dimensions aud
rent choru. choir rising Immediately behind it AMI
sweeping quite around the Interior, while second
gallery crosses the southern end over the entrance
Taking the pulpit a centre the pews Oh the moor
range in bold alcs that reach from wall To wall 80 tna
every -ltIng mes directly under the eye 81 'Ie
preacher And the people crowded mp 10 the pu.-
pit. until IL il almost within arm length OF te pew
30 that Mr. Bcecher l. literally hemmed IN hY the
sUrng masses that year after year crowd ms chnroh
and he look into their read their faces, and
catch the rebound OF every tho ght or message ne
gives Thus he l. all the while rebuilding his altar
fires from the hearts # these thousands. inygorang
his own exuberant enthusiasm from the intellectual
]
radiating confluence from the vast congregation
There 10 ritual There is no Christian .ynboL
There l. bare chilly nakedneSs a. n the Lord house
/ had been stripped Bare walls cei mgs Windows
wood work almost rude IN it, plainneS-, not con
ces-ion grace, beauty, art or religious association
and suggestion The organ L. the sole arr produ't IN
! the great ROOM but that Is purely conventional ana
secular IN ito suggestion 80 IN Mr Beecler > de'i:
the preacher and the people and nothing elSe MI ana
usurp the hour and the occasion OF public worship,
and there not chnk left for the influx Of an ecce'
asca or art impulse The sermon IL the business Of
Il fba ulu of
/ service which prepares and rpens the way Tor H.
WHAT CONES BEFORE THE SERMON.
The preacher enters with eager pace and flushed
face at a door under the organ gallery, lays down his
wraps and that in busnessike way goes up the pull
pit steps with a firm tread holding tightly some loose
sheets of note paper hand lays them tdily down
on the table by his chair sits down and gazc steadily
about peering into the faces Of the incoming hrong
very much after the of lawyer about TO make
an important plea of Thoroughbred lecturer
taking the measure of lyceum audience. Mr. Beecher
is good gazer and plainly browses among the faces
and phy-iognomieN for hint suggestion, any chance
disclosure that telaIe faces nave III store LOT
him II i. not idle or eager curiosity, nor IS II the
braSsy vanity Of little soul hungry for notorety. II
l. q steady uuest after the late hstrngs thar lay open
the minds and hearts of men. The preachers face
gathers significance and purpose and deep gravity,
the hospable work of he busy usherS subsidies INTO
silence and the brisk chatter OF social friendly cheer
which has filed the place like the hum OF bees gives
place 10 cxpectant attention to the whose genius
ha, brought them together Inc great organ Wlnds
mp elaborate and suggestive voluntary, and at the
first Of the anthem prelude the chorus choir rises
and delivers the finely written composition with ex
Cclent discrimination and cOorlag lheu the DiltI ID
vocation follows, and then hymn. The hymns with
tunes in every pew and one NAV hear Gongrega-
ZION of 3 900 Joining with the spirit and the under
stahng in perfect rhythm aud faultles information.
under the leading of organ and choir. The dapa,On
of such a vast gathering transhgures even the most
trivial tune into something unworldy, ana gives the
hr.. intimation of supernaturaism that reaches
One tempted to inquire whether after all the peoples
singing Plymouth Is not almost a. positive an eie
ment of Congregational enthusiasm a. the Prea' her.
sermon. The scriptures are read III scraps ana rag
mcuts and to the v0nted clearly and even toFclDly
The sermon i hot and fresh from the mint, for the
preacher ha. straight from bis study, where he
mas hastily summarized the points since breakfast
marked out h- plan looked out his Scripture refer
ence@ and settled down into the mood and temper Of
bs discourse These loose sheets the results OF the
morning but the subject matter has been under lively
incubation during the week, and the delivery which
supplies pattern and color to the warp viii unfold the
man Piled personality, the uXurlant imagination the
di-ractug wealth of which at times seem 10
| belttlc and cheaper all cOutemporaneous oratory.
THE FoRMAuvE YEARS OF THE PREACHER
And who is this wizard Of speech who for nearly
forty wears has made the of whole generation %.
Engli,h-speakng people Jingle and their hearts leap
and burn, now with patriotic devotion, now with re-
lgiou. enthusiasm. and then with d-ma, and drest
,pisgivinrs9 Born in 1913 in Litchteld Conn that
prolific centre of commanding intelligence; son Of
Dr. Lyman Bcccher. a rugged intrepid pioneer not
only in social reform but in ecclesiastical ratiocnaton
eapins full tilt with eager aacrty against every doe
r,ne and prc.criptyc usage which Jared against hs
own drtcrlnnatons-at an irresistible evangelist
and merry icOnOcia-t; touched with Boston ne iof
four or tive year, and seasoned with salt before he
mo-t in a stretch OF sailor lite brawuy aut 1.-THE Re
backwoodsman. his heroic physical constitution i'm
rrpruabr A. against labor and dl,ea graduating al
Amherst without serious suspicion of much ,choar-h p
and then transpanted To Lane seminary. ONO under
the theological training OF lis president. ms most un-
theological father, ne enters Hig 20 Id,A. 'PyH-
taneou- lie Of that early prac world almost before the
I,urh hnh rlren the mncca,In The kalher Oi