Morning journal and courier., 1885-04-03

THE LYMAN BEECHER COURSE.

II Il u
Rev. Dr. John Han Delivers the Clos
ing Address In His Series to the Di-
vfnity students.
Rev. Dr. John Hall, of New York city, de-
livered the closing lecture of the Lyman
Beecher course in the Marquand chapel yes
terday afternoon. He began with a reference
to his lectures last week and then continued
the discussion of the subject ''Forces that
have modified Christian work" That cir
cumstances affect doctrine and life has been
illustrated. Now we carry the general prin-
ciple of influencing circumstances into an
other department, that of Christian work.
God uses instruments to fulfill his purposes
and he prepares them in suitable ways for
the work they are to do. The true workers
are in sympathy with him who employs
them. Trained energies and faculties will be
more effective when adapted to particular
works than the larger and more natural ener-
gies that have not been trained. This is il
Illustrated in our everyday experience and
the value of training is realized all through
life- That we nave particular work and
must use the best forces in the ways in which
the most good can be done is an important
fact.
We find in the Old Testament many ex-
amples of the ways in which the Infinite God
studied the adaptation of agents to circum-
stances. He put his people in the land and
gave them the land with full power over it.
Therefore, every Hebrew had the greatest
reason to make the most of his piece of land,
since they felt that it belonged to them and
they could have the full benefit of it. God
showed his infinite wisdom in this arrange
ment We read about the troubles in Ire
land. One province is not affected like the
others, and this one is marked by the system
of the absolute tenure of land. It's prosperi-
ty has turned on the frmness with which the
people adhered to this principle. One of the
great elements of strength among the Puri-
tans was the great Importance attached to
the teachings of the Old Testament. They
considered that the divine principles were
the best for society and scorned human
devices in the light of these divine ways. In
this way the foundations Of Christianity and
wide civilization were laid in a continuity of
principles.
Because some things have changed people
say that this economy is obsolete, that the
dispensation has departed and is not worth
thinking about in this our nineteenth CEN
fury. Error lies under this conception and
mischief is attendant upon it. When there
is national education and tenure of land
how quickly are the social problems decided.
Repression of crime and dishonesty and
the other vices were settled in the Mosaic
economy by it's wise adaptation to circum-
stances. We in our nineteenth century in
the end will have to go back to the funda-
mental principles.
The way of the working of the Christian
church is illustrative of the same principle.
There is double work in the hands of Gods
servants preaching and teaching of the word
and the contemplation and adaptation of the
institutions lying around and about us. Min
listers must preach the gospel, lifting up
Christ as of the most Importance, and in the
second place make adaptations to the cir
cumstances. The gospel took hold of the
poor from the first. 1t exercised wisdom in
its relations with them and guided itself by
the principles of truth and of Christ. When
the apostles found that they could not take
care of circumstances themselves, a new sys-
tenn was adopted and deacons were appoint
ed. A new character was given to the ten
dency to help the poor. Those who call it
read between the lines, as it was
not communism, but a system based upon
large spirit of liberality, evoked by circum-
stances. In no there a destruction
OF tue FlgnIS OF property CHFlsClan WlSuoln
then as always saw the difficulty that had
arisen and addressed itself against it in the
best way that it knew how. AS the ivy
clings to the tree even after the tree has died
SO the states of practical errors and abuses
chung to and survived the institutions to
which they attached themselves and from
which they sprung.
Circumstances must determine the work to
be done. The word cannot be modified and
only the method of telling it must be adapt
ed. If we bring the conditions to bear upon
our own time we find that the old parochial
system is now singularly defective and inefi-
cient, though the most excellent and
useful for the conditions in which it
was first placed 1t is stupid folly to say we
will have the best home in the town or none;
that we will have the best this or that OF
have none at all. So if we were only as wise
God-ward as we are self-ward how many
particular dangers could be avoided. 1t is
duty and safety for people that they have a
homo on Gods day on the line with their
week day homes. They must labor and
strive for this in the same way. Ministers
need to be taught as much on this matter as
others, and be instructed to welk this prin-
ciple into the minds of their people. We are
making mistake in regard to the times in
which we live in not following this direction
more closely. can ounce of prevention is
worth pound of cure" and if the church is
applied to the use for which God meant it
society would gradually rise and vice be re-
pressed.
The word of God is clear, definite and
fixed aud must not be tempered with. But
we can work in the spirit which it illustrates
and enjoins, and try to make it palmer and
adapt its truths to conditions and circum-
stances. Thus we can save men from their
misery and lift them up to the light and
peace of the gospel. DR.. Hall closed his dis
course with his text, which he said was more
appropriate at the end-Ecelesiastes vii, 49,
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than
ten mighty men which are in the CITY," The
prayer after the lecture was very touching in
its illusions These lectures have been very
popular, as the chapel has been well filled
zach day.