New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-27
DIR. ABBOTT'S FAREWELL.
THE PASTOR OF PLYMOUTH breaches
HIS LAST SERMON.
A SUMMING Up OF HIS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

There were visible signs Of emotion in every part
OF the tg auditorium in Plymouth Church yester-
day when the Rev Dr. Lyman Abbott delivered
his last sermon as pastor Of tho church. over
which he has ministered for eleven years. There
was not an inch Of extra room In the church. and
yet not one OF the hundreds who stood left before
the close of the service. Dr. Abbott said that he
should never again resume pastoral work OF any
kind His sermon was summing up Of ali the
teachings which he has given since he became the
successor to Henry Ward Beecher. and which have
made his name so widely known His words of
farewell at the close brought tears to the eyes OF
every one and he himself was deeply affected
His text was from Acts xvii. 49, Whom there
fore without knowing him We worship. him declare
unto YOU" He said in part
This seems to me the gospel In epitome. this the
message OF the Christian mnister-to declare 10
men who do reverence God without knowing Him
the God whom they reverence. Twelve years ago
next month the former pastor Of this church died.
For eleven and a half years | have been you. you,
religious service, and IT has seemed TO me appro-
PIRATE to take this occasion to try 10 sum up the
message | have tried TO give you.
ALREADY CHILDREN OF GOD.
I have assumed through these years that you
and l belong to family not because we are
OF one Church or creed but because we are of one
Father; that you and | are children of God, not
that we can by some religious service become chill
dren OF God, but that are such. Within every
one OF us there IS sort Of witness 10 our
klnshp with Him. | have tried to AWAKEN thlS
witness within you. All religions seem TO me JUST
this: God seeking man and man seeking Eod' "od
coming to them through their incense and their
priests and their prophets through all the methous
that seem TO us low and inadequate taking 10
them in their vernacuar
II this were ALL might be a minister, but not
Christian minister. For ! believe that Goa mas
found man and man has found God. and that IN
the one incompatible historical revelation GOO ana
man have come together and Goo mas M" U, no
human life full Of Himself. and in the 'hrlSt SO
the God and in the Christ see the man. nave nave
not been and do not wish to be ape 10 ul .turs
nhilosophcal definitions Of Christ leave 10 others
10 determine what f. the relation Of Christ 70 me
Everlasting Father | do not know ana ! 90 no. no.
much care to know To me Christ Is less an object
of knowledge than OF simple reverence" ana IHHe.
If took the words Of the Old creeds ana tnc QUIZ
the intellectual laboratory. should nave TO aoun'
them. II take them as expressions OF an in''"S''
He eavs to me Follow me-" and His Apostle
says, ''8e you Ike him" believe Gan f9 9a
Him and dare believe shall be ne linn io ~
believe I am one Of Gods sons. and you are an
other. If began where the Ola th"oloay oce""i
should find great rerplexty to reconcile my ram
human nature as ii is 10 be.
HISTORY OF THE PASSION REPEATED.
II the whole world really wanted God, what an
easy message this would be- and what delightful
thing If would be to give - Was He crucihed be-
cause they did not understand Him? The better
they understood Him. the worse they hated HIM
All the history of that Passion Week has been re-
peated throughout the world. Men say, II Is
wrong 10 brlbe Legislatures. but rather than have
my CORPORATION suffer will bride them; that Is
plate Fcclesiastes says. 81 would like TO preach
the truth but 1t might undermine the church :
that Is Caaphas. officials say. Il don't IKE ms
but it is none Of my business; that is the cen
turion. ,., 7,
IS an armed host We belong to. SO see God IN
His world. not only calling men 10 i "lQ" NM ,hn
but also setting the divine forces against tlt
forces Of corruption insncerlty wee, pItpD. W.
men call vested maeant forces by sacrdce
canuot believe that member OF the Godheau
member. that men might be forgiven; ! cannot be-
iieve that Jesus Christ suffered ana died 70 Pro.
fbot 4 would not produce a moral impression on
me The fact that He did II for That purpose
would destroy the IMPRESSION
HISTORY FULL OF SACRIFICE.
No. Calvary Is no spectacular drama. enacted 10
bring tears to human eyes. Sacrifice runs through
all history II begins with the lowest germ that
cannot give birth to another without dividing
itself and runs up 20 motherhood Sacrifice IS not
the condition Of Gods forgiveness. but the way
I'm which He does forgive. Through this crevicc
in history ! look and see the heart Of God suf-
fering throughout eternity so long there IS
suffering and sin in the world. ! Theatre
exhibition / see no plan Of salvation. see no
scheme contrved ] the heart Of the Almighty.
eternally kind There is love that is not suffer
ing love. 50 long as the loved one suffers. Some
Of you have said. "Why can't you go on preach
ing Sunday mornings. and drop all pastoral care?'
Why do you suppose I could DO you think |
could preach 10 sorrowing ones II did not enter
into their sorrows-preach Ia doubling ana scepu-
cal ones II their doubts did not reawaken doubts
in me-? No pastor can preach who does not suIicr
with his people. Through my poor. little, fcfbie
experenGe look ana SEQ me g, rGaI ms {Tis
ignorant and unworthy children. and helping them
The religion then. that have tried 10 preach
to you has been certainly something more than
The Christian religion seems 10 me 10 he seeing
this Christ trying 10 follow Him. and trying to
eion is ifc ana life is love- and love is cod ana
the Christian religion is God in human life.
THE MEANING OF CHRISTIANITY.
And IT is not all individual; 1t IS social 1t is a
great human brotherhood Some OF my brethren
I'm the ministry say we must be grounded in our
creeds but in the New Testament find rooted
and grounded IN love" not creeds. ! am well
aware that II there IS any topic on which have
spoken IN this church WHICH some OF the mem
bers have dissented from my Views It is what are
known as social topics / have no oyerweening
confidence IN any method of socia! reform but
absolutely sure that we are coming INTO the
large knowledge more ana NOR INA w
means Christian brothcrhood II means thrlstiah
democracy IN this Nation Il means the reaching
out into international brotherhood me W0.rIn
will not be redeemed by a iarM or Dy IN" apoHuoh
Of tariff; # viii not be redeemed by property
tax. by having everything levied on and or having
nothing levied on land. II will only be redeemed
when We come TO understand that because we have
one Father in heaven we are all brethren ana the
rich viii i'm the poor q brother. The Chrlstlah
Church Will then do what Christ did. and say. not
~ Will care for the worthy poor" but "Giv" me
the unworthy poor What can | do for them"
For be Christian is to bear one anothers bur
dens. and fulfil the law Of Christ.
am sorry to leave Brooklyn. Il has been my
home for those ton years and more. am sun
more sorry 10 leave Plymouth Church. which has
filled me with It's love. inspired me with rs hope
and helped 10 clarity my vision with It's faith !
of "a
which / never expect to return. But hope. as
long as God gives me breath 10 speak and heart
10 feel 10 tell my felloW-m by pen and voice
what have tried TO tell you-that God Is love. and
love is fe. and Christ is the revelation Of fafth
And when the eyes dim and arc closed and
The lins stammcr and cease TO speak. and the
pulses stop their beating. siill ! hope from some
ntber sphcre unhampered by sin unhindcred by
the body 90 on in some other way as God shal
Give me grace to repeat that message. which then
-. I'd he u han l L.