Year: 1875

ia full abstract Of the speech delivered
by Mr.. Beecher to his congregation last
night:


Plymouth Church leCture.rOom was
crowded to oyerhOwing last evening by
a crowd that was evidently composed to a
large extent OF curiosity seekers, drawn
by the expectation, which proved to be
correct, that the discourse Of the evening
would have reference to the well.knOwn
suit now approaching the end. Mr.
BeeCher began by saying: "Things are
Judged by the way which they stand
tests. To test the qualities OF thorough.
bred horse, lie Is ridden across plowed
fields. A ride over turnpike does not
show his wind or bottom like ride over
plowed ground. You can build bridge
that may seem US good bridge as ever
was built till II Is tied by heavy weights,
and which proves worth nothing when q
train OF cars paSes over Il. The Seventh
Regiment Is magnificent one, but
what II IL is not to be known by Its
parade on Broadway, or In the procession
In Boston, when the men are on show,
but by its performance when II Is sent to
march with Sherman to The sea. A fan-
lily Of children may grow up under good,
pious training, and may experience re-
liglon when they are twelve or fifteen
years old, II ii please God that they 80
through life as they begin II, there will
be no foreground or preparation for the
deeper experiences Of religion. They
want knowledge-they are not tried. The
daughter when about twenty-five gets
married. As the years go by children
come, and the trials Of life come. The
husband falls away from the condition
he was In when married, and goes
through the fluctuations that come with
experience. A blight comes on the
married life Of the couple; poverty dis.
tracts them with la cares the poor woman
goes from the apex to the very bottom.
Various dissenting elements come be.
tween her and her husband. Now tho
test Of her religion. Did II enable her TO
bear burdens herself that others might
60 free? Did Il fortify her In the prac-
tice Of paLience2 This is the test Of reli.
gion. Docs II take away the snarls and
the troubles Of life, and enable person
to bear up under the insults Of men II
Is the tested men who show what religion
IL. How does man carry himself In
times Of darkness and dCsOlatiOn2 When
he Is troubled beyond description, when
distracted, when overwhelmed and car.
riel To the very porch Of deatl2 How
does he carry himself in times Of trouble? ?
Not other folks trOnblc-I mean by that
things that are troubles 10 other people
but things that are troubles to himself.


have gone through M many troubles
In the last five years rs ordinarily fall to
the lot Of any one man, and they have
been The most adapted to annoy me.
Without the resources Of religion | would
have been overwhelmed and smOLhered
by them. AM the leading brother and
the pastor Of this church. | have gone
through great trials, and must have
the opportunity to say TO you, a9 | would
like 10 say privately and conildenLially,
that Col has tried ME sorely; and al.
though | have gone under the wave and
have been almost overcome, God has
sustained ME, and my life IL for the
main part one Of peace. My heart
Ia not embittered against any living
person, nor Ia Il sodred In any way
nor turned against any one. Nor
Ia there a person In the world the latchetS
Of whose shoes would not rejoice 10 I'm.
loose In the way Of my duty. Applatise.


have no particle OF bitterness In my
heart toward any one. A word more. II
has been the aim Of my life to be man.
ly fellow | have gone through these
trials and have come out with forgiveness
In my heart, and, whether go up or
down, AM victorious, for God Is my
power, my strength, my deliverer, my
strong fortress, and He cares more than
man can care for me. have therefore
the right TO say that II Is not In vain to
follow Christ, and that religion Is more
than a sentiment or fhapsody-that II
IL good to live by, 10 die by, and TO live
hereafter by. And when preach 10
young men and maidens the Christian re.
ligioh I know that II is true.


Mr. Beecher then rose from the chair in
which he had been sitting, and, drawing
himself lip to his full heighth, said, In
his most emphatic tones: And now, by
the Grace Of liod, / am going 10 say one
or two more things. And first, look
with respect upon what this Church has
done during and III respect to The troubles
I have spoken ni. But want TO say that
I fully end entirely accord TO every one
the same liberty Of opinion that am ac-
customed 10 exercise myself, Thatevery
one Is at perfect liberty TO think what he
likes about me. Secondly, what ever you
may think, or whatever any one in the
world may think, this world Is so large,
and there are 80 many chances in II that
Il docs not lie with you to determine my
future. That Il something which lies be.
tween my God and me, and nobody else
has any vote Ia II. 1dont propose to be
put down by anybody on the lace oil the
earth. [Applause.l l don't propose to