The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-03
BEECHER AND HIS CHURCH.
A Graphic Sketch of the Great Preachers
Manner and Method.
New York Tribune,

In 1916 John T. Howard, then a member of
Pilgrim Church, bought the First Presbyterian
Church property in Brooklyn, extending through
the block with frontage on Cranberry and Or
ange streets. This step was taken after con-
sultation with David Hale, then of the Taber-
nacle Society in Broadway, New York and liter
ally the fostering father of New England Con
gregationalism in this region. The first meeting
of those Immediately interested in the organiza-
ton of Plymouth Society was held at the house
of Henry c. Bowen, in May, 1647. Henry Ward
Beecher, pastor of church in Indianapolis,
was visiting New York during the
anniversary season, especially to deliver the an
nual address before the American Home Mis-
sionary Society. He oficiated in the new Ply
mouth Church at its opening on May 16, 1S47
The organization was formally made on Sunday
June b. with membership of twenty persons
The first trustees we're Henry C. Bowen, John
T. Howard and Daniel Burgess. call to the
paStorate was at once extended to the brilliant
Western evangelist whose tumultuous eloquence
had kndled the enthusiasm of the little society
to white heat. In August the invitation was
accepted and on October 10 Mr.. Beecher en-
tered upon his long and celebrated passionate.
and strained to its fullest capacity by eager con
gregatons, drawn from all quarters by the
sudden reputation of the stalwart preacher.
Upon the happy accident Of disastrous fire it
was determined to replace the damaged church
with new and capacious edifice, which
was completed and occupied on New Years day,
1850. Here was novelty indeed in church en-
terprlse, for with a new church having q seating
capacity of ?, 500, and an organ costing 500, 900,
the entire outlay scarcely exceeded 100000 and
this plant became exceedingly thrifty, bringing
in largess of pew rentals reaching from 81, 157
in 1858 to more than $50, 900 for 1872. The so
clety, however, did not confne its activities to
Plymouth Church. In 1856 it adopted the Bethel
mission, for which it had labored many years,
and has expended more than SIS 900 in the
purchase of the church buildings. In 1871 the
churchincreased its range Of religious work by
adopting the May Flower mission, providing
more than SO, 900 for its church building in Jay
street. 1t is at once seen that enormous reve-
nues found their way into the hands of the
trustees of Plymouth, so that not only was the
society early freed from debt, but it became the
generous almoner in many directions at home
and abroad.
Mr. Beecher, it is conceded, provided the
plans in substance for his church 1t represents
an idea and indeed the dominant and distinctive
idea of Congregatonalism, and that is the min
istratlon of an. evangelist preacher to as many
hearers as he can gather and hold by the vigor
ofhs personality the fascination of his oratory.
So Mr.. Beecher undertook to set the pulpit
directly among the people, who literally swarm
all around him, above and below, everywhere
that there might be a seat or foothold. The
pulpit then fills one of the foci of the great
square interior, a deep gallery with its
organ of enormous dimensions and great
chorus choir rising Immediately behind it and
sweeping quite around the interior, while a sec
ond gallery crosses the southern end over the
trance. Taking the pulpit as center, the pews
of the floor range in bold arcs that reach from
wall to wall, so that every sitting lies directly
a.Nff And 4ba
crowded up to the pulpit until it is almost
within arms length of the pew. So that Mr..
Beecher is literally hemmed in by the surging
masses that year after year crowd his church,
and he can look into their eyes, read their faces,
and catch the rebound of every thought or mes
sage he gives. Thus he is all the while rekind-
ling his own altar fires from the hearts of these
thousands, invigorating his own exuberant
thusasm from the intellectual glow and emo
tional ardor which set in toward him in radiat-
ing confluence from the vast congregation
There is no ritual. There is no Christian sym
boil. There is bare, chilly nakedness as if the
Lords house had been stripped Bare walls,
ceilings, windows-wood work almost rude in its
plainness, not concession to grace, beauty, art
religious association and suggestion. The
organ is the sole art product in the great room,
but this is purely conventional and secular in its
suggestion. So in Mr. Beechers ideal, the
preacher and the people and nothing else fill and
usurp the hour and the occasion of public wor
ship, and there is not chink left for the influx
of an ecclesiastical or art impulse. The sermon
is the business of the place 1t is the consum
mate blossom of the simple service which pre-
pares and rlpens the way for it.
The preacher enters with an eager pace and
flushed face at door under the organ gallery,
laws down his wraps and that in a business like
way, goes up the pulpit steps with firm tread,
holding tightly some loose sheets of note-paper
in one hand, lays them tidily down on the table
by his chair, sits down and gazes steadily about
peering into the faces of the incoming throng,
xyarv aft Ap II a
to make an important plea, or of thorough
paced lecturer taking the measure of a lyceum
audience. Mr.. Beecher is a good gazer and
plainly browses among the faces and physiog
Monies for hint, suggestion any chancewise
disclosure that tell-tale faces have in store for
him. 1t is not idle or eager
curiosity, nor is it the brassy vanity of
a little soul hungry for, notoriety. 1t
is steady quest after the latch strings that lay
open the minds and hearts of men. The preach
er's face gathers significance and purpose and a
deep gravity as the hospitable work of the busy
ushers subsidies into silence, and the brisk chat
ter Of social, friendly cheer which has filed the
place like hum of bees gives place to expectant
attention to the man whose genius has brought
them together The great organ winds up an
elaborate and suggestive voluntary, and at the
first notes of the anthem prelude the GLORIOUS
choir rises and delivers the finely written com
position with excellent discrimination and color
ing. Then the brief invocation follows, and then
hymn The hymns with tunes are in every
pew and one may hear a congregation of 5000
Joining with the spirit and the understanding in
perfect rhythm and faultless information, under
the leading of organ and choir The diapason of
such vast gathering tranSfgureS even the most
trivial tune into something unworthy, and
gives the first intimation Of supernaturaliSm
that reaches u.s. One is tempted to inquire
whether after all, the peoples singing at Plym-
outh is not almost as positive an element of
Congregational enthusiasm as the preachers
sermon The Scriptures are read in scraps and
FRAGMENTS and TO the Wonted ear clearly and