Year: 1872

The Finy-Th0usand-D0ll Memorial


Fund To BE Raised Next Sunday


Sermon by Mr.. Beecher on Glorifying


God, with illustrations from the Bos.


ton Fire.


Prior to the singing OF the hymn that precedes
the sermon Mr.. Beecher announced that next sun
day morning a collection and promised subscrip-
tion would be taken up for the Plymouth Church
Memorial Fund, which is proposed to be raised.
The sum asked for is $5O,OO0, and it Is to be in
vested as permanent fund for the future support
of the Bethel and the Navy Missions, now es-
tabished in connection with Plymouth church.
Mr. Beecher's text was, "Whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God" slight refer
ence to the outward religious 0bservances
OF the Jews formed the preface TO the SER
mon, and this part Of it was closed by summary
of the rationale of this observance, In which 1t
was stated that to large extent the conscience
was more powerfully alfected by an observance
that appealed to the senses than by one that ap.
pealed entirely to the intellect The text was how
ever not designed to bind the conscience, but to
loose it, and to augment and enlarge the sphere
iOr its reduction to practice. In glOriying God
man could do no more than unfold His glory, and
Him. This consists in Knowing the laws presented
by Him and following after them. Thus goriiyng
God was TO lulfl his known commands. This may
be illustrated by the instructions that are given by


THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT


to their Ambassadors. When Minister Is sent to
the Court OF ST. James there are several leading
subjects on which he Is instructed definitely; but
as to the rest his own Judgment must guide him,
always keeping in mind that In all things he must
preserve the honor and interests Of the country he
represents. That would lead him the preacher)
to consider the supreme question in the considera-
tion of this subject-namely, motives. Motives are
always faculties. That which supplies hope in the
faculty OF desire Is only external and objective.
We say that gold Is the motive which inspires the
miser, but IL Is not so 1t is gold that makes up the
feeling OF avarce, but 1t IS not the gold that
prompts this, but the desire Of acquisition.
The doctrine Of the action OF the faculties
is so intimately connected with the whole scheme
OF Christian casuistry that IL would be wise to say
few words about 1t. Even IN the Staying OF
man the motive that prompted 1t viii greay mod


y the guilt. In one case there may b, great grati
fcation and commentator, and If the Staying
was committed in Boston ii would probably take a
month to decide on which side the Staying was.
But II the Staying was committed in New YORK 1t
would probably be sixteen years or generation
before the question would be settled judicially.
Many OF the faculties act In cooperation, or In alb
normal conditions, as motives. Almost invariably
the faculties act In platOOns and with leader SO
wondrously varied and diverse is this Characters
tic OF this action Of the faculties, that If man
could carry piece OF sensitive paper IN his hat
and 1t was possible by some Photographic process
that the thoughts Of the brain should photograph
themselves on this paper, one hours working OF that
brain would record aJOurnals so diverse that would
take him two days to read 1t. Thus the power that
man obtains in the activity OF his faculty Is in COM
nation, and not In singleness OF faculty. Thus, in
the profession OF the preacher, the power OF SER
mon Is in the diversity OF faculty that Is put In 1t.
Thus, If a preacher takes his sermon and weeds
out OF IL ali personal feeling, takes from 1t all
imagination, shuts out all that Is In II except pure
intellect and so reduces 1t to an


ABSTRACT FACULTY


that only allows the slightest train OF life to enter
IL, he presents to those who hear IL poor, miser
able sermon that is good as an intelection, but Is
nothing as q sermon. IL Ia the business OF
the preacher, and nothing else, TO clothe GOd's
truth with such personality that all the faculties