Year: 1879

CHRIST T-sERMoN BY Mr.. BEECHER.


Mr.. Beecher preached yesterday from the text
Romans. l., 16-"For am not ashamed of the
Gospel OF Christ" II Paul, said he, had
the wonderful growth Of the Church since the
time these words were written how much more
reason would he have to say he was not ashamed of
the Church! Mr.. Beecher spoke of the Church not
with regard to its doctrines or its divisions, but
looking at 1t as an organized. living body in the
world, performing immense work. exerting enor-
nous influence and governing the whole social life
of the civilized world. Looking even at the Catho
lie Church. said he. from which we
separated. and which started at . very diff
ferent period. what wonderful power 1t
has been Paul could have seen the
glorious structures erected for the service OF the
Church-though the cathedral of mon was more
wonderful than the most gorgeous structure Of
marble-if he could have seen the pomp of their
worship. tho pomp and beauty Of their architecture
which is inspired and created by spirit Of Chris
tianity the beautiful basicas of Rome the glorious
Gothic cathedrals. tho splendid marbles erected
around the name of Jesus. how much more reason
would he have had to say he not ashamed The
very music. the glowing pictures. the windows.
which themselves wonders of art, with their
figures of saints-even these would give him no
for shame. Whatever criticism may be justi-


fed to the sincerity of the men. these things
striking evidences of the growth OF the Church.
Then the literature and learning inspired by Chris
tianity. the sacred songs. the poetry. philosophy.
history and science inspired by the spirit
Of religion all wonderful memorials of the power
and influence Of the Gospel. If he could have seen
how 1t has evoked the enthusiasm Of humanity,
crept into its laws, got possession Of its spirit soft
ened and sweetened the intercourse between men,
controlled their whole social llfe how he would have
in he hav hOfth tha
spirit Of charity. the innumerable hospitals and
asylums where the sick and the afflicted cared for
could he have the rich spreading out their good
things before the poor and softening their hard lot
then indeed, he might have said he was not ashamed
The most wonderful thing in Christian charity is its
organization; our organized charities would be i'm
possible but for the predominance of Christianity
and its influence social life. 1t has been said
that outside Of Christianity there had existed
single benevolent institution he believed there was
one exception and that was q hospital in Constan.
tinople tor sick horses. Charity springs from the
spirit Of Christianity and exist apart from it.


DIsCERNING MUCH FROM LITTLE.


Paul had seen none or these things and yet he was
not ashamed He had the peculiar art Of discerning
in sending His Son to q sinful people
to him than the spendors of marble temples. With
termined to know nothing alrsng them but Christ
crucifed And looking ut Christ's whole life from
meTe point on ysw judging ona ny COM
pect that men would recognize God in Him?
The son OF poor country carpenter to all
overshadowed by the Holy Spirit would strike
man of that period as simply evidence that He was
illegitimate. II he asked what had this God
done to show His power he would be told
that He had worked At His reputed fathers trade in
an obscure village. had preached for three years and
was put to death with the consent Of the Roman
government for breaking the laws of His people,
Yet Paul was not ashamed of Him. and saw in His
life only testimony of Gods mercy and goodness
to world sunk in iniquty. II he had lived in the
times OF the Covenshters, when prosecuted men
with heroic spirit braved every danger to worship
God according to their consciences, when they as
sembled to hear their beloved ministers. he would
have been among them-yes. he would have been q
leader among them. There is nothing more heroic
than the carriage Of noble men under persecution
than their willingness to lay down their lives for the
truth.


If Paul could have wandered to our own land, the
preacher said IL he could have the little groups
of five ten wanderers gathered together under the
shelter of few forest logs rudely put together


cabin. with the cold winds whistling through the
chnks, dreary solitude around aud comfort
but one dilapidated old book how he would have
wondered at the strength Of the Christian spirit
among us! II he could have seen them when some
poor, stray preacher would come along--these men
and with wild forest he would have had reason
to be ashamed. There is nothing striking than
this hunger OF souls amid the woods. There at
these little gatherings, assembled for prayer, you
will soc hard men whose lives have not been perhaps
strictly moral softened by the influence of the
and shedding penttential tears. Look ut that pale
faced sickly woman with lines of suffering on her
face how to her eye and her heart melts
as she is reminded OF her dead child or father or
mother, the old home far away. The purhcation
and exaltation of the domestic lite is one of
the best OF Christianity Can anything in the
world surpass the cultivated New England house
hold with its pure, cultured woman, full of humil.
ity and charity, whose eyes are beaming with light
and whose lips discourse music? One such would
be enough to show the effects of the Christian spirit
but they dotted over the land from end to end
II Paul could have come among us he would have
hadp IN