The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-05
THE PLYMOUTH PREACHER.
The Immense Throng to Which Henry
WardBeecher Preached Last Evening.
lie Comes Unheralded, but the Gathering of
People Is So Large that Many Cannot
Gain Admittance to the Church
MIR. BEEcHER's SERMON.

Rev Henry Ward Beecher, who is on lectur-
ing tour, arrived in the city yesterday morning.
from Bloomington, Ind. whore he spoke on Sat
urday, and proceed to the Denison House,
where he will remain during his stay in In
iiianapolis Although his coming was unher-
aided his presence became widely known during
the day, and large number of his old friends
and acquaintance called upon him. At the in
Vitation of Rev. Oscar c. McCulloch, Mr..
Beecher consented to occupy the pulpit of
Plymouth Church last night, and although the
fact WAS not known until after noon, busy
tongues spread it far and wide the consequence
being that the church was thronged as it never
Was before, while hundreds failed to obtain ad-
mission. The crowd was great that after Mr..
Beecher began talking Mr. McCulloch was com
PEELED. in the interest of quiet and good order,
10 request those in the yestibule and out Of the
reach of Mr.. Bsecher's voice. TO return to their
homes. After this Mr. Beecher was listened to
with close attention. while for more than an
hour ne spoke of the meaning of true CONVEX
sion with rare eloquence and power. During the
Bervices Miss Emma Howe, of the DePauw
school of music sang aria from Creation"
and take My Yoke Upon You" The voluntary
was by the regular quartet OF Plymouth
Church-Miss Stott. Miss McQuiddy. Messrs.
Praise Thee, o God
Mr.. Beecher was seen and heard at Plymouth
Church last winter in his lecture, sAcross the
Continent" He has not changed apprecably
since then in his personal appearance. Some
what to the surpriseof the observing ones, Mr..
Beecher was able to read fine print with a rather
dim light without the aid Of spectacles The re-
cent pulpit utterances of the Plymouth preacher,
no doubt, stimulated the curiosity of many to
hear him, expecting that his heterodoxy would
be made prominent in his discourse. In the
course of his remarks Mr.. Beecher did animal
vert upon certain things in the church as it ex-
lists to day, but, on the whole, the sermon lacked
nothing to make it acceptable to a true, broad
minded churchman. In introducing him Mr.
McCulloch said: 'It is an unexpected pleasure
to you. and to me- to be able to introduce Mr.
Beecher here tonight Coming into the city as
he did at an early hour this morning, fatigued
by the WEAKNESS of travel he has sacrificed his
own personal comfort in accepting the invitation
to occupy this pulpit and preach to US to night
Mr.. Beecher said: 1.-THE third chapter of
Johns gospel and the fifth verse contains the
words which lay the foundation for the discourse
which propose to give: Nicodemus saith unto
him, how can a man be born when he is oldg
Can he enter the second time into his mothers
womb and be born2 Jesus answered, Verify
verify, say unto thee, except man be born
of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God 1t was a custom among
the Jews to initiate by baptism into their church
or other ecclesiastical relation, and as that be-
came mere sign and ran down to be a mere ex
ternal expression it is here fortified except
be born of water and of the spirit.
know Of nothing upon which so unworthy a
mistake has fastened itself upon the charac-
ter and disposition of Nicodemus for he was
truly one Of the bravest and noblest OF men.
The imputation oFtimidity that attached itself
to Joseph of Arimathea, because he came up in
the night, attaches itself also to Nicodemus.
Nicodemus was ruler of a great court, the San
hedrim. He came up in the night because he
was tlmidi Do you come here tonight because
you are towards, because it is more convenient?
No; because you have the leisure and quiet
necessary for spiritual development So he
came at night. The Savior was thronged all day
long in the temple, and in the streets, so much
so that sometimes he could not eat; so much so
that they could only bring person to him by
removing portion of building; SO much so
That he. fell asleep in short passage
across the sea of Galilee. Nicodemus
was so impressed with the dignity of
the Savior's teaching that he said, Il will wait
till the evening bushes, till the crowd has gone.
and can see him alone. Then there are things
would like to have answered. There are ques
lions of the soul that this man can solve. And
ne went at night, because he wanted a more
profound interview than the day could give. It
was not cowardism for he knew the Sanhedrim
had secretly doomed Christ to DEATH and had
sent officers to take him, who returned and said:
Never man spake like this man.. The wrath
ful rulers reproached him and said: These
people who know not the law are condemned,
which in this day would probably be
shortened by an oath, damn the people
Then Nicodemus lifted up his voice and said.
Doth our law condemn any man unheardf
And this was replied to by taunts. That he
stood up and opposed his associates was no. the
C aduct OF coward. When the great drama
had closed, and the body of Jesus was to be
buried, the lost cause called him out, and, with
Joseph of Arimathea, he assisted in taking him
down from the cross Is that the kind of q man
you choose to call timid or towards"
At this point there was such stir and noise
of conversation from the vestibule of the church,
from those unable to gain admittance. that Mr.
Beecher stopped talking, many in the church
being unable to hear him, by reason OF the con-
fusion. Mr.. McCulloch rose and said: II wish
1t were not necessary to ask those in the vesti-
bule to 60 home. / ask that those who are be
yond the door 60 to their own homes. This is
the house Of God Plymouth Church and audi
ence are assembled to hear Mr. Beecher He
Is entitled to their attention and Siney to hear
him. If that is not accomplished, will ask
somebody to step into the charity organization
room, where there is telephone, and notify
the police for protection The threat was suf
fcient, as the vestibule emptied, and Mr.
Beecher was able to proceed
sit was to this man whom single out as a
rare case Of bravery and spiritual hunger, dis
contented with the lower life and aspiring to the
higher life-it was to this man that Jesus said
Unless a man be born again he cannot see the
kingdom of God That this was not said to q
culprit. to vicious man. but to of the purest
and best men of the day, excites surprise. But
the kingdom the Savior spoke of was not an out
ward kingdom. 1t was that which indicates
something high and noble within ourselves. The
kingdom of heaven is within you 1t is the
nobler elements Of our nature which come into