Year: 1875

observation that It nothing that men could look
at that II was within them Ii is
a. CONDITION. or THE MIND,


the whole soul being included in the term mind The
text specifies this more particularly The Kingdom Of
600 Is an inward state Of the mind producing right v
ing JOY, peace. IL is soul Kingdom II Is called
kingdom because that name has to represent 10
men the idea Of felicity the old false notion having been
that king was the happiest man earth But there
is an0ther reason, and important one why it should
be called Kingdom namely that king in his Kingdom
dominates, controls, governs and IL mans soul Is one
that works itself out in righteousness and peace and ov
in the Holy Ghost then that the dominating influence
which controls his whole life


Here the preacher dwelt at considerable length upon
the discussion illustration and enforcement of the propo
son that the enjoyment Of men is in accordance with
their inward condition, and he declared that who
has the right state OF feeling and the right disposition
either finds happiness or makes it. Then he passed to
the further consideration of the meaning of the king
dom OF God, which he said was the moral character
OF mans dispositions. II is not simply get
ting rid OF ones SINS 1t is the ennobled
faculties The experiences OF awakening of con-
viction and Of conversion which men 90 through
right in their place but they essential in all
cases for there persons TO whom such expe-
rences by reason OF their education and circumstances
would be impossible Having pursued the subject thus
far, Mr.. Beecher made


AN APPLICATION


OF the definitions and explanations which he had given
He said that the Church test not enough that a
man might be az excellent church member, but poor
Christian. That the Kingdom of God, which
was such a condition Of the soul as issues
In rlght-dong must be in Nei-
thor was the sectaran test enough No man
was safe because other were in peril. No man
was sure OF going TO heaven because he belonged to any
particular sect because he worshped .any special
manner Every person who went 10 heaven would go
there because he had the Kingdom of God in him. Nor
was mans theology the all important thing Neither
philosophy nor organization, nor profound emotion
sufficient TO save man. They good in so far as
they influenced personal character and no further No
man was good for anything except TO the extent he had
nature


Alter calling attention to various descriptions Of reli-
gon which are found in the New Testament and which
represent 1T as unstormed, tranquil beautiful courteous
generous magnanimous, and particularly that which
Is found in the thirteenth chapter Of First Corinthians
and which he characterized the most perfect denea
ton OF real gentleman, MIR. Beecher closed the DIS
course OF the morning by cautionng his audience
against supposing that he had endeavored to make it
appear that the requirements religion were easy to be
fulfilled Said he:-


"My dearly beloved, just try to be what have been
describing true religion to be and you will find it hard
enough"


A prayer and hymn followed by tho benedicton con-
cludod the services of the morning


Interest in the daily devotional exercises conducted
by Mr.. Beecher here continues unabated