Year: 1872

hold IN my hand what is known
as


THE CAMBRIDGE CONFESSION,


and is the platform Of faith of the
New England Congregational
churches. 1t was the faith of our
fathers; it was the confession Of faith
which was accepted in Boston ten
years ago. Mr.. Beeches read sever
al clauses of this confession. The
first ended with the sentence, 'By
the decree OF God and for the mani
festation of His glory some men and
some angels are predestinated to
everlasting ruin and some are foreor-
dained to everlasting death. "That
is rather rough, is it not?" asked Mr.
Beecher. The second had this con
Guiding sentence. "Tbese angels
and men thus predostinated and
foreordained are fixed to an un-
changeable destiny; their number is
certain and defined, aud cannot be
increased OF diminished" "That is
what you may call rather tight fit, "
sid Mr. Bsecher. Laughter. The
next article read was that relating
to the DEGREES of God, in this regard
being in accordance with the un-
searchable counsel of God, in which
He saves whom He will, and passes
by those whom he passes by, and
ordains them to dishonor for their
sins or to His praise and glory.
Now, what is there III this but what,
if it were said Of an absolute monar-
chy, and that of the worst type,
would not arouse the suplomest in
dignation. If / were to be left to
choose between absolute inidelity
and atheism, and the acceptance Of
God who has preordained and
predestined an innumerable host of
His creatures to torments, to pains,
and to eternal death for His glory
why rather than accept such an in
fernal DeityI would be an atheist,
and I would glory therein. Sup
pressed applause. Mr.. Beecher
quoted q clause from sermon that
he said his ears had heard delivered
from that Plymouth pulpit, in which
DR.. Binney had said that there were
those sitting before him who in the
eternal ages would suffer more Of


THE ToRMENTs OF THE DAMNED


than had been suffered by those who
were already suffering, and this tor
ture would 60 on from that period,
the wall increasing and increasing,
the horrors intensifying and intensi-
flying. There was set before the
people such paralysis of despair by
that preacher that it was positively
sickening. Is it to a Being like this
we are to say "Our Father" Why,
if there was one soul that was pre-
destined to such hopeless inherit
ance of woe, l would say "Our
Friend" and not "Our Father" Is
this the God who sent His Son into
the world, by whom men are to be
saved2 Is this the God who is rep
resented in the parable of the prodi-
gal as not waiting for this son to
como to Him, but who goes forth to
meet, and who falls upon his neck
and kisses him2 My God is not a
butcher; He iys m Savior; He is not
q devourer, but an eternal Shepherd


To teach otherwise would be to turn
this world into vast penitentlary


Let MS see how this theory is us We
see it in human life. Take the
blushing, beauteous maiden, tc
whom life is one respondent joy
scattering, by the beauty of her ma


ture, Joy whereer she goes, receiving


the homage that is her due from all


By and by she becomes the sharer o


happiness with another. She livei


for him. By and by there comes ,


little child; the child falls sick; sh,


wathes it highland day; she looks il


the mirror; takes no note Of tho ro
ses that are leaving her cheks; n,
note Of the line Of care that is mar
ring her beauty forever; no note o
the Joys that are all around her fo
others; all her care, all the full
strong tension Of her being is on tn
care for the little one; and the chill
gets a turn for the better; she neve
leaves the cradle that she so gentl
rocks until that child is out of dan
GER. Then the Joy of her worl
J comes back again; life is one gran
anthem to her again; all is Joy, all j
Z gladness; her cup runneth over, an
her love knows no limits; all aroun