The sun., 1897-05-17
PLYMOUTH JUBILEE DAYS.
TEE REV. DIR. ABBOTT CONTRA SITS
Old AND NEW PURITANISM

The "Hereayn OF the Bcechers-Dr. Abbott,
Avownl OF Faith In Christ-Me Is Surprised
That isis Tendencies Have Been Thought "a
ne Unitarian-some Things He Repudinteu.
Tho celebration OF the golden jubilee of Plym.
outh Church was continued yesterday, which
was exactly the fftioth anniversary Of Henry
| Ward Beecher'a nrst appearance In Plymouth
pulpit vast congregation filled the old
church ut tho morning services, tho feature OF
| which was q characteristic sermon by the Rev,
DR. Lyman Abbott on tho topic "The Church
and the Preacher" in which he made an en-.
phatic reteration Of tho doctrinal views which
recently provoked widespread criticism. This
| Is part Of the discourse:
"A generation has grown UP who do not
| know the past who do not know out Of what
| tho Church of Christ has como into its present
light and life and liberty, and who are not thore-
foro, able TO discern the tendencies of to-day bo-
cause they do not understand tho history of yos-
| terday. John Calvin declared that man had lost
| his freedom in the fall. Jonathan Edwards
| gave philosophio expositions to tho dogmatic
declarations OF Calvin. Tho power which Chrys-
| ostom afilrms in the will to choose the good or
the evil, Jonathan Edwards explicitly and in
terms denies. Man was no longer able
to choose tho right and eschew tho wrong;
he could not repent; hc could not do
virtuous deeds. But God was pleased by
miraculous act of grace to select some men and
take them out Of their bondage, this life of SER
vitude. The grace that summoned some men
was an irresistible grace; they could not help
but come, and they could not come without It.
Thus u system of fatalism had grown up. Old
Puritanism, fatalistic in every essence of It, of
course regarded religion as something un-
natural. 1t was something outside Of and be.
yond reason. Religion wholly contra
natural and dcpravity was wholly natural.
Truth was wholly the result Of supernatural
revelation.
"Ths fatalistic religion did not accomplish
what has been claimed for the old Puritanism.
In the beginning Of the present century intcm-
perance was universal, not only outside but in
side tho Church. According to the testimony Of
DR.. Lyman Beecher, at ordination services tho
sideboards of the pastor looked like the bar OF
hotel, and the room smeit like a bar. And he
adds Il do not quote his exact words): 'Whilc I
will not say that ministers ever became intoxi-
Gated. their tongues were loosened by what they
drank
Slavery was extending like a black cloud
over half the continent, and the Church at the
beginning of the century was silent. There
were no missionary organizations home or for
eign. But the old Puritanism had created re-
action. seen in blatant. irreverent, blasphe-
nous infidelity. Paines Age of Reason which
is now repudiated By all unbelievers. unless
most popular book IN the United States %he1 h
President Dwight took the Presidency of Yale
Christians In the whole university. There were,
It is said. two. Tom Paine societies, and popu-
leading seniors had dropped their ' own names Da r
and taken those of leading French infidels.
ost sSS9n @SeS e e sh
swept across the Atlantic Ocean and the colo
nies. The third reaction was Unitarianism, of
sophie reaction in England led by Coleridge and
meated Puritanism and brought about the last
great reaction. one within tho Church itself. 1t
x eh
all OF whom were accused of heresy.
In ls47 temperance movement had been
its incentive in that hereto, Lyman Beecher.
also beginning to feel its responsibility for the
sin q American slavery.
preacher OF Christ, and II fills me with wonder
that he ever could have been accused Of being q
Unitarian; / am also equally surprised. Il I
pastor could have, been thought to be a
Unitarian in his tendencies. l am glad to take
But What holds this Church sfHf tosether IS ts
Puritan, and still We do not close the door on
MIN. some OF our members believe IN
universal salvation and some in conditional
Immortality, and some in endless punishment.
Some are liberal and progressive and some are
gether is this: We all love Christ as our Saviour
acknowledge Him as our Master and bow down
to Him with absolute allegiance as our Lord. |
We are accused of discarding supernatural re-
ltRton. II 1t is meant that we do affirm that |
religion in all Its phases Ia most natural, then
We accept the charge. We believe in rational |
religion. The old distinction between the secu.
religion in emotion excited and life loft impov.
erished no religion In ecstatic prayer and mean |
living; or to quote Mr.. Beecher: We can't pray
cream and live skim milk
"1put the old Puritanism and the new Puritan |
ism side by side and ask you to Judge them by |
their fruits. 1ntemperance still exists but not |
In the Church OF Christ. We have seen slavery |
abolished and every chain broken, and the men |
that broke the chains were the same men that |
you would find 1t hard to find a single Adolf |
ZIONIST of the old school. Then not church with |
O mission school; now no church without one. |
Then no foreign missionary or home mission |
ary organization; to day BOTH"
In the evening tho Rev. DIR. Amory Bradford |
Of Montclair spoke on Pilgrims Principles and
Plymouth Pulpit"
place until October, on the fftieth anniversary
OF Mr. Beecher's first installation as pastor
DR.. Bradfords discourse was pitched in a high |
iconOcastic and bewailing tone. He expressed a |
regret that a Cromwell could not arise to drive
the bribe takers from the legislative halls and |
suggested that Russian influence may have
been at work to defeat the arbitration treaty
with Great Britain. He had also considerable |
to say about the undue influence of corporations