Year: 1875




The attendance at Plymouth prayer meeting
even smaller last evening than the evening previous
not more than seventy five persons being present


MR. BEEcHER's REMARKS.


After the usual exercises Mr.. Beecher sad:-I want
to call your attention few passages in the ministry
OF Christ, and in order to come to IT, let 60 back
little. II you imagine person more sensitive 70
the effect OF and wrongdoing upon men
than abstract notion of the wrong ITSELF
imagine person who feels toward his fellow
men as a mother feels toward her children, who have
become sick by just doing what she has forbidden them
to do The mother feels sort Of latent indignation,
sort OF feeling that 1t the child rght but then
comes the feeling 'It is my child and must take
Of itn l cannot better imagine the central Divine
sentiment than by that description There no plan
or arrangement by which man can be saved-no con-
ception TO my mind, like this compassion Of a great
soul for those who have brought upon themselves
trouble to say nothing Of the troubles do bring
upon ourselves


Send man out with that spirit educated in the old
theology with preponderance OF tenderness and
compassion trying to help men than make the
ology, and you will have my life. | undertook 70
preach standard theology, but | made that the
sense of humanity ana compassion and sorrow Tor man
was ever the stirring motive that propelled my min
istrv When came here first everything that did not
accord to that theme handled awkwardly In a COM
munity where you cannot do any better these ground
tones las you might call them, these alternative
truths TO be used, but there may be time when
YOU should attempt to influence people by the social
influence of large body Of men brought to bear IT,


Mr. Beecher here illustrated Chrst's manner of
preaching by reading part Of the ninth chapter Of
ha;thew-the miracle of curing the boy possessed OF
the devil, who was also dumb Said Mr. Beecher, 30
that in these days possessed OF the devil were
only dumbln He sumed:-lnstruction went with
practical help in His ministry. His miracles meant
mercy not marvel His not ascetic ministry.
The results OF His ministry were joy and gadness. He
drAg thn Ia went
have the cooperation OF churches and by the per-
sstcnt sweetness OF His teaching, created this
want OF Him In the heart Of man. memorable
instance of this Is shown when He, exhausted with
work. left Gailce and went north for vacation; but
He could not be hid and they followed Him, and He
found HIS work increasing on His hands there He came
back the Sea of Galee and took ship there to the
northeast OF the sea, but the people went after
Him. and instead OF resting He sat down and talked
with them. He had compassion them and, there
FORE the first time He performed the miracle of increas
ing the bread they llled with such zeal that
Him King of Israel 1t was the turning point; 1t was
His home life among them, His knowing that they
were hungry; he felt sorry for their bellies we'll as
their hearts III He had let them make Him king they
would have done anything for Him, but when He would
not they said, "He has not the courage


He left Galiee after and began His journey TO
Jerusalem, where He died. IL was the apex Of His
ministry. Now, what want to say Is this, That while
do not say there Is way or working in revvas OF
religion do say the method OF ministry ought to fol-
low some principle. Now you have been educated in
one way and will be as long as | am alive and your
pastor | could not address myself to fear and con-
science have such sense OF the power Of the other
elements of the Gospel


There are two ways TO preach-one is to preach how
bad are; the other to preach how good they may
be. Religion is not yoke, bondage; IL Is an aug
mentation. DO you not believe that men may be
reached in this way who cannot be reached in any
other and may IL not be to this thing called
May II not be for all OF us TO undertake to bring
men together with increasing earnestnesss will now
leave the meeting TO you.


There followed short addresses by brothers Hin
and White and another brother asked Mr.. Beecher
If bearing fruit not of the evidences OF Chris
tianity and expressed his longing to bear some kind
OF fruit Mr. Beecher replied that 1--WE don't let young
trees bear much fruitn Alter few more remarks the
meeting was closed