The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-05-15
4 SERMON WORTH READING.
4 LESSON ON PERSONAL INFLU-
ENCE.
Mr. Beecher Tells Us from the Pulpit How We
Can Make Our Lives Sublime:
From the New York Herald.l


There never was city since the
world began, SAID Henry Ward
Beacher in his Sunday sermon, just
proceeding the taking up of the
collection, that had more need of
Christian sympathy and succor than
this city Of Brooklyn. When 1
came to Brooklyn, thirty-seven
years ago, there was less than 5O,-
600 people here. To-day there are
more than 100000 and l suppose
before the FIVE years census is TAX
en- in Brooklyn the city will have
very near a million inhabitants. 1t
is the one city of the future on this
continent. Manhattan is a bottle
island-when it's full, it's full; but
Brooklyn has all Long Island to
spread out on. There are but five
cities in all Europe that are equal
in population to Brooklyn-London
Paris, Berlin, Vienna and St. Peters.
burg. Besides these, Brooklyn
surpasses every city on the CONT
nent of Europe. We are giving a
very close chase to New York it.
self. We are growing faster than
New York-a good deal faster than
New York-and for obvious reas-
ors; and there is no measuring
what will be the rapidity Of its
growth in the future. New York
in 1888 issued $4,000 permits for
building. Brooklyn in 1883 issued
26,0S8. The difference is very
great on our side. In that part Of
the year that is now elapsed-eight
or nine montbs-the permits issued
are in still larger proportion Of gain
over building. We are surprising
New York mall the industries that
require the water edge, having here
o shore line of more than twenty
five miles. Now. while there are
in this great city nearly 100000
people, there are only 265 churches,
chapels and houses of worship, which
gives one church to every 1924 in
habitants. In the outlying wards,
with a population of 100000 peo-
pie, there is church seating for only
about $4,000, leaving about 400,-
600 people in those outlying
wards who have no churches,
no Sabbath, no moral teaching.
And yet of the 265 churches that
exist in the city on the average
they are not half filled, and where
they are not half filled it is because
there is nothing there that draws or
that meets the wants of the great in
dustrial populations lying around
about them. Under these circumstan-
ces what shall we do? I am going to
make a plea for church building,
although l am glad to see churches
going up. But the churches are
not going to educate our popula-
ton. We have got to have a
wandering ministry; we have got
to have ministers who go from
house to house, as the apostles
did, and that preach to men
in their sorrows, in their sick
nesses. We want missionary men
and women who will 60 into places
of vice. l don't think we have
half proved the power of the Cos
pei of Jesus Christ.
The influences that men throw
out to those around about them in
the world was the subject of Mr..
Beecher's sermon, his text being
Romans, XIV, Is. The following
passages are picked out here and
there from the discourse -
I'VE are particularly acting as if
we were Photographic instruments.
We are throwing pictures; We arc
throwing shadows; we are throwing
light upon one, ten, scores, hun
dreds. Every time we come into
the presence Of men somethinr or
other happens to them, for men are
as sensitive to influence as we are
powerful in developing influence
"a person whose life is just as
regular as checker board-oh of
all the melancholy singing that l
ever heard was that of a bullfnch
in q cage that had been taught a
little operate air-(aud Mr.. Beech
er showed how the bullfnch whist.
led)-and then over and over and
over again, until I wanted to wiring
it's neck"
"All real education brings men
to men, and whenever you see men
by the force of education separat
ing themselves from living above
their fellow men, you may be sure
they are educated and vulgar
just in that degree, for the essen
tial spirit of deyolvement toward
the good in man is the Christian
like spirit
The command to be orthodox is
not to be found in the New Testa-
ment. Organized beliefs are all
very well-among other things;
but organization is not the sum OF
religion, nor even the need Of re-
ligion."
Il don't object to elective af6ni-
ties; I don't object that men who
are alike Intellectually should fel-
low together; but they must not
build up wall between themselves
ond tboir kind -