Year: 1869

Sermon by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher-SsLet


Love be Without Discrimination"


The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher preached to q very
large congregation yesterday, taxing for his text
the twelfth chapter and ninth of Paus Epistle
to the Romans:-"Let love be without dissimula-
ton. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that
which is good" The reverend gentleman said that
these words were some of the nobest ever uttered
by the apostle, who knew how much needed his
counsel and eXhortatlon in this respect was. They
were, in fact, applicable to the higher circles
of society than to the lower. The love Of the poor
for one another had, as general thing, more un-
seshness in it than tnat OF the better and weather.
classes. Paul well knew when he indIted the
epistle from which the text was taken that love
dssimulated. And 1t always does when the lips
speak more Of love than the heart feels. Love
then speaks interestedly and for some object pur
pose. Love dissimu!ates when it departs from the
strict lines OF truth. Perhaps nowhere more
than in the domestic circle is the exhorta-
tion of the apostle needed. Love speaks and
looks love when the heart is seeking selfish end.
Words OF endearment and affection are often words
OF deceit. OF frauds, OF seltshpess 1t is the hand
OF ESau, but the voice Is the voice OF Jacob. 1t is
because that love and the tones of affection SO
beautiful that they are much counterfelted The
wife, anxious to stay and soften the anger of the
husband, emuates q love sne does not ieel at the
time. she would subdue his obstlnacy, throwing
around and about him the aroma OF sweet caresses.
She has purpose to serve-to change her husband g
willard she thus has an object to gam and her
tokens and expressions OF love are dissimuauon.
When woman desires to unlock the garden OF pleas
ure TO revel in scenes OF enjoyment, the shrewdsh
tongue can speak words Of love, and the most viX-
enisn eye can look love. This Is dssImulatlon o
barerng and a counterIeting OF the highest quality
oil mans nature. II man or woman desires to bar
ter anything, to tra1ic in some OF the qualities Of
the miIfd, he would charge them not TO barter the
noblest quality of all, but let their love be without
dssimulation without guile Let the heart feel
yhaf nffar ,nl m ks fG ann oh tnA
upon all His creatures alike. Tue serpent warns
Itself in the same rays III which Is baskng the inno
cent lamb. Be ye therefore perfect according TO the
Divine perfection. II was not necessary 10 be truth
ful to 60 nto society aud tell every man what you
IL is but proper to give the honest man
and the good ana noble man words Of compliment
nothing more than the expression Of your compla
cency, with noble seifsacriclng actions, that
fects credit upon human nature. so long as praise
Is measured by truth and justice 1t is not worng,
but may be made to serve good purpose. BY CON-
pacency is meant incidental praise When by nice
term figure or phrase, some unexpected, elegant
sentence, you praise person, you call that COM
as a praise 70 confirm oae IN some
admiration and affection is wrong. Flattery Is
distinct from praise. One is right and becomes the
utterer the other is sort OF ndiscrmnate praise for
sinister purpose, alike degrading and offensive to
the pralser and the party praised. Fattery is the
meanest vice that man can fall into. Let your love,
therefore, be without disslmuaton. A coquette OF
either sex ia desplcable. There are loathsome
parasites ameng men as there are parasites
in the animal and vegetable world Insects feed
insects, and vegetables feed on vegetables There
is term Of reproach more loathsome than the
name OF toady. The despicable business OF the
toady Is to 1--we by 1attery, by contemplate sub
mssiveness to superiorS by Discrimination and by
fraud pretending friendship he does not feel for
some rich patron on whose gulblity he exists. The
man who toadies to another sacrifices every ele-
ment OF independence and manhood. Love, properly
compounded, Is the most active and potent agency
OF society but love- simulated, Is the most monstrous
perverson Of mind. 1t is the bribery the sale ana
barter of the best part OF nature In every grade
OF life 1t is more or less practsed. The incurabe
fever Of candidacy Is the great nursery OF attery


IL then becomes contemplate and loathsome.
Words clothed with the spirit Of love, ap-
pearance OF attachment and regard Is put on
for the purpose OF hunting up. vote. Then
the candidate before election day Is lull Of
promises. The most begrimed laborer, the
drtiest collier, Is the dear friend OF the candidae
every worKingman Is brother and every woman
sister If she only had vote. This is hypocrisy OF
the worst kind. There are nshers OF men who cut
and lacerate their own hearts us bats to catch u
vote. Every man should be jealous of his affections
Let his love be honest let his love be pure and
assembling. In the words OF the text, "Let love be
without discrimination. Abhor that which Is evil;
cleave to that which IL good"