Year: 1878

Every seat in Plymouth Church was
filed yesterday morning long before the
Pastor arrived. The streets adjoining the
church were blocked with stylish equipa
ges, and the vestibule was filled with
strangers desirous of gaining admission.
As the hour for service approached the
vestibule and gallery stairs were not large
enough to hold the crowds OF strangers
and line was formed on the outside ex
tending far out upon the sidewalk lt
was a larger congregation than Plymouth
Church could by any possibility hold, and
many were unable to get inside the doors
Mr. Beecher t-ok his text from Romans
viii: 20, 81, 22: For the creature was
subject to vanity, not willingly, but by
reason of Him who hath subjected the
same in hope; because the creature itself
also shall be delivered from the bondage
Of corruption into the glorious liberty OF
the children OF God. For we know that
the whole creation groaneth and travail
ethsin pain together until now"


The attempt has often been made, but
unsuccesiully, Mr.. Beecher said' to feed
the soil in which certain plants are raised
with Just the elements required by the
plants for nourishment. The husband
man is more successful in feeding his





how to feed to produce the greatest guam
tity OF bone, or OF fat, or of flesh, or wool
There are physical elements. partially
understood, and, on the whole, simple,
by which these results may be attained
But very little has ever been attempted
in the direction of animal intelligence
and disposition. In regard to man there
is not, and never has been, any attempt
to gain scientific symmetry in develop
ment The development OF bodily con-
ditions without regard to mental has
sometimes been attempted, not altogeth-
er uusuccesslully. OF mind, disposition,
soul-in short in that that We have in dis
tinction from animals-no attempt has
ever been made to do more than to edu-
cate what happened to be in man. No
provision has ever been made for secur-
ing better race stock. The principle OF
heredity has long been understood and
recognized, but no advantage has been
taken of the knowledge, although the
principle was recognized as early as the
time OF Moses. Neither in the schools oi
religion nor in the State, nor in the
| schools Of science, has any available el-
| fort been made TO improve the race stock
/ a5 inito. Something has been written on
/ this subject now and then, and some very
poor and insufficient theories have been
/ set on foot but they have amounted to
nothing


After this brief introduction, Of which
1 the foregoing contains the leading points.
/ Mr. Beecher leaned over the desk and
| looked upon the congregation with the
/ look that always betOkens that he has
something important to say. The pro
logue promised well for the opening Of a
new train of thought, and the audience
were as still as death "All that has been
done Mr. Beecher continued, "has been
to take men as they came into the world


in their endless variations. and strive to
educate them to virtue and religion


This is a noble effort, but il is Intellectual


If party Of men should conclude that


the waters that flow over Niagara are i'm


pure, and that they should be cleansed


and should stand at the foot Of the fall.


with strainers and other percolating yes


sells how long would they have to work
while the mighty torrent kept on stir


ring the great mass 1t the top, and carry


ing over the rocks and its mud See


against what a stream of tendencies the


gospel work as gone on Education ha,


been personal, not generic We have IL
these diseased, deiOImed souls come intC


the world without protest, and then hav,
set patiently about educating aud inn


proving them IL has been practically
; held that nothing more was needed thai


To preach To- aud guide the individual


the operative forces which largely Il,


termine mems nature aud disposition
= have hardly been touched Consider y ha


multitudes Of men have come into life


and what huge dispToportions OF organ