Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-08
EvOuUTlON IN THE CHURCH.
MI. Beecher Predicts Many Theology
cal Changes.

Mr.. Beecher finished his course of sermons
on Evolution and Religion" In Brooklyn last
Sunday He announced that 1t would be his
last Sunday with his congregation before the
fall, as next Sunday he would be with the 18TH
regiment, Of which he is chaplain, at the state
camp near Peekskill Mr.. Beecher considered
the subject of the church as affected by evoiu-
ton He smoke briefly at first of the evolu-
tionsts as divided among themselves - the
atheistic and theistic parties. Herbert Spencer
Mr.. Beecher thought one of the ablest of the
advanced evOutioni't thinkers. spencer
seemed to be passing beyond the Wlnter sol.
St1ce and reaching forward into the spring and
summer. He predicted mat IN time that phti-
osopher would become one of the ableSt defend
ers of the essentials of Christianity. The German
school, on the other hand seemed to want to
destroy everything and look with d1sdaln upon
any. thestic view. Either one must be
Christian in the twilight, they said, or re-
nouncer in the sunlight
'Suppose evolution be true" said Mr.. Beecher,
rs it going to affect the church f;aworaby or ia
favorably? Favorably, say. The church, he
said, was an association of men who by inter-
course with God and by mutually helping one
another were able to lit them selves to IL higher
life. The church undertook to regulate con-
duct and character, and it carried onward the
acknowledged signs OF civilization. Nothing
else could take the place of the church in this
respect. Newspapers were not qualified TO take
charge Of the character and conduct of mankind
as yet. They had advanced greatly nee their
first DAYS, but they had not reached to this
point The church followed men into business
life II 1t did its duty. The same principles OF
that it carried into the family governed thi,
lie. The church sought purity in the state and
world.
One change that revolution would effect Mr.
Beecher thought, was that even if it did not re-
duce wholly the eXternaiitieS of the church it
would place them in much different light in
relation to the church. The time was coming
when the eentra! element would be spirituality
In men. This had not been reached yet. pure
just and rignt man not adopted into Il church
Was considered an outsider. The time was
coming when spiritual character would domi-
nate everything else. "When that time comes
said Mr.. Beecher, IL do not expect that Univer-
saiist and Unitarian Sunday schools will be ex-
Guided from the childfen'S June parade. have
feeling almost of contempt for such miserable
squabbiing. Ii parents are afraid of their child
rem being infected with here y from marching
with these other little ones they had better keep
them at home"
The church was experiencing changes and
ameliorations, the preacher continued. There
was also growing tendency to unity. Unex-
pectedly the work of spiritual men outside the
church was growing inside: The temperance
work, the common feelings for the sufferer, by
earthquakes and floods and the coming to-
gether in associations to aid such Was uniting
men. The Protestant at such time found the
Catholic was not of hoof and horn, and the
Catholic was surprised to find there could be Il
cheerful, benevolent Christian outside his own
church. ASceticism was dying out. in the
churches. There were changes in the DISPOSE
ton of the orthodoxy of churches. The spirit
OF hope was creeping in. Theology was not so
dark as 1t was. Religion, indeed, was develop
ing the spirit of enjoyment. 1t was no longer
the business of the Christie TO be unhappy in
this world that he might be happy in the w,rld
to come. 81 have seen things on this PLATFORM -
said Mr.. Beecher,"th would make John Knox
throw up hi hands with horror" The church
should be the patron of amusement, to furnish
the children with healthy and pure joys ami
anu sement
Mr.. Beecher also predicted in the change
coming over the churches through their evolll-
ton there would be a unity between morality
and spirituality. The former was the starting
point OF the latter. They were one il different
stages. The old, hard doctrines were passing
away. The question of Generalization might
become beauti III an old castle, but 1t was
now uninhabited and grown over with ivy.
This was Ill owing to the spirit OF evolution in
the church.