New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-23
SERMONS WORTH KEEPING.
DR. LYMAN ABBoTr IN PLYMOUTH CHURCH
THE UNWILLING OF TIE T,BLLT OF MR..
BEEcuEI MADE TIE SUBJECT OF
A DISCU.SIO

IN.
I'm, took occasion last week discuss the spirit
OF Henry Ward B,echcr AM Ply mouth Church, wha
1t Is and ought be- taking FOR his text PaUl's words
TO the Corinthians: Ind aMieh faith hope
love. these three but the greatest e these Is love
Or. Abbott referred 10 the unvchng OF the Becchel
basreief in the veStbue Of the church and said that
while this fact in the history Of the church furnished
him a text. he did not propose 10 give criticism
an analy sis n eulOsy Of NJ Boechcr. You have
heard the ciitlcisn often enough he said: lyon
have heard the ANALYSIS more than once. and you
write the eulogy in your own hearts; but seel
10 interpret 10 you for your benefit ami for mine
his ministry; TO ask you consider what that face
shall mean 10 you as from sabbath 70 sabbath you
enter these doors TO consider what spirit there must
be In this church II II IS to be worthy, will not
saw Of its Divine Master but Of is earthly and human
prophet" Continuing he said in part
Christianity itself is more the teaching OF Jesus
Christ; far Of Jesus Christ. 1t
is the life which jesus Christ put world and
life will bring TINT lie OF iaith that life OF hope
lie Of love. whether 1t appears IN The HE OF Oai'
whist Armenian, whether it flashes upon the WORD
fom q Roman Catholic pulpit or a ProcstIht pulpit,
whether 10 shows Itself In medieval forms OF modern
FORMS still It Is lie Christianity. Chrsts the lie Of
Christ.
Now believe that Mr.. Beecher added something TO
the worlds thought. But after all he Is not to be
MEASURED by what he added the worlds thought He IS
TO be measured by what he added to the word ;
life; he Is To be measured by tho new I'M
life Of God life Of faith, the lie o; hope, tho lie Of
love lie was a preacher Of faith not Of noraliueS
not Of ethical relations not Of primary duties which man
owes 10 his fellow man; he was above everything else
the preacher OF God, and God whom man could Know
and the who had manifested himself in history and
n God who had dwelt In human life, and God who was
holding life 70 his will she brought eternity 10 bear
on all tho problems OF human action he was preacher
of hope his elways set toward the fuure even
an tho smaller things of church life looked TO the
future rather than the past he sought To give the woro
better theology he sought to give Tho woli aIsc'
liberty; he sought 70 give oven to the 'huch
better instrumentaity he was preacher OF love- inc
love Of sod the love OF maa to his fellow man
moro than preacher of hope, more than preacher
OF faith, the preacher OF love-centra fundamental
n. nclusive To another audience. or at another time
and another place might be fitting that should u'h
N Mr. Beechcrs own sermons emphasize ana lustrae
this simple statement, but here it is quite neea'sss
Father on this occasion wish speak to you what us
Church must be II 1t is to continue IN Me sp-h INV
spirit OF It's human founder
NEED Og AN EVANGELICAL CHURCH
I'm thu lrst place then this society for ehica
culture. / do like party names o"d phrases ont
sometimes they be used. This is distinctly anu en-
phatcaliy evangelical church, and it, present p&'o
as its former pastor stood for the faith once deNeeu 10
the saints like old Pauline phrase In spite oil inc
meaning which has been impaired to III IN spite OF "0
cant that has grown up round it, 1t snhu' h0' ior
series Of dogmas brought forth by the saints but o
the sprtua life impaired by God to the holy in all times
and I'm all ages That was Paus meaning; and thai was
Mr. Beechers. What the world wants is not new fues
fer living a power to live We know WI
enough what truth is the difficulty is TO tell the truth
when by society by business you are tempted TO depart
fr., H. You know well enough what love Is inc uinl'
Guy 10 keep loving when you are tempted TO selfish
ness TO pride ambition. This what the world wants
q theory Of living, not ne" fic vi ins' o"'
new power 70 live. .
have often quoted it, do not know that 1t woud
DO much harm If quoted 1t every Sunday as In some
churches the Ten Commandments quoted every sun
- aIiOiOp
whence 'The life OF God in the soul of man" mot Is
what the world wan;s-God in It's own heart or uaV
other definition scientific. and yet THINK hoO
quite so true perception of the manifestation Of
the Infinite makes difference in the moral character
OF man.. That is the word wants. bringing OF
God before perception and then the perception oil oa
so that the shall be transfused tansormed upted
inspired by ndwelling Of living God' MI Beechcf
has sometimes been accused Of iIreverence Ana lor
forms and robes candles and eitas and cfeeds anu
pupits and materalsymbo religion nc was not reveret
perhaps considering whus human nature u.s. perhaps hos
reverent enough But whoever sat In one oil these "s
IN Plymouth Church and heard his prayer and did hos
feein heart Of that prayer and behind the words OF
that prayer tbs spirit Of great hai reverence or
Father close at handl All my friends you d'a
not come TO Plymouth Church TO be pleesed by
tmasnston or thrilled by human emotion or stirred by
earthly eloquence only you came here year after year.
and year sfuer year. because through this great prophet
you received great gifts Of God Himself and went io'h
with q conception, nay. with new reception OF "od
and a new life OF God in your own soul
This is what Is meant by evangelical faith IL Is the
Gospel Of g. God that is among men, working out fght-
.ousness In history working righteousness In ndNd
uals and long Plymouth Church stands faithfully
70 its earthly pastor, long as 10 stands faithfully Will
not say TO textbook will not say to its Christ so long
Is it standSfahiuy 70 its earthly and human founder
tts first and fundamental mankind VIII be
this: You are living eternal e Immortality is here,
and now God is among men, and what The woild ueeos
IN the light OF immortality Its mortal living Is the
power Of God in human hearts What the world needs
hava q will hft
our hearts snd reach out our hands 70 receive 1t Is
present living God.
"A CHURCH FULL OF HOPE.
In the second place, we are faithful TO the spirit OF
Mr. Beecher's preaching, this church Will be church
full Of, hope Hope merely matter OF tempera-
uent hope IS not merely looking the bright side OF
things hope ia not merely Pladness and oyousness Mr.
Beecher not hopeful man because he was physaAy
we'll though have contributed TO IL. lie tod
me once himself words which sank 50 deep into my
memory that think quote them almost word for word
my father" no said 'alwsys wrote his sermons with
the angel Of hope looking his shoulder but Lover
expected 70 succeed In anything undertook Now per-
baps that did express the permanent temperament
hut only the tuperapept the moment which changed
As you know time 10 time. and vet beieveit Is
practically true that Mr.. BeecheS hopeIu1nese WIS ue
product Of his faith
Mr. Neecher looked upon the country enslaved. the
black mans manacled. the Northern mans lips
radlocked and he entered into the ba.e OF slavery with
great hope and faith and expectation that somehow
because he believed that God was righteousness and
righteousness with God behind him stronger than in
stitutons than all governments than all powers put TO-
Gather You know with what hope he batted for that
better civilization. lie looked out upon the Church and
he saw no, the love God and the result OF that life
in Jesus Christ a, the hear; Of the Church. al a.t
not 40 q. the o. that love pulssted through
the minds OF men. and he WORKED for the love Of God
and for tho liberty OF child OF God. with
great hole that that should be reached which he
s,d in part live TO see. II We arc to be a Church
worthy OF him we must be Church OF hopefulness.
Look out on tho country to-day with its
.trikes and its loclouts. paupcrism cities
increasing with its criminal classes Increasing. with its
corruption IN municipal government. corruption
at the polls with the vital Nation Slapped