The New York Herald Newspaper, February 15, 1875, Page 3

THE PLYMOUTH. PASTOR, Mr. Beecher’s Church, Associations and Defence. EVIDENCES OF HIS GENIUS, Peculiar Characteristics of the . Corporation. THE POWER OF MONEY. Philosophical Reflections on the Great Trial, Every Sabbath makes Mr. Beeoher’e church greater superstition, The suls in which he is the Ge‘endant bas dragged on so cautiously and tedl- Qusly that the minds of men are diverted from the persons and principals to the whole institutions around which such strange and extreme people oluater, At Grst sight the visitor to Brooklyn ts dis. a@ppointed both with Plymouth church and the Douses in which its dignitaries reside, Columbia @treet, which runs along the parapet of Brooklyn Heights, leaving enougn space between it and the @carp of the East River for a row of houses and back yards, contatus the two residences of the famous pulpit orator, One of these houses is a painted frame, a sort of bright pink color, which has been Paised and enlarged since Mr. Beecher made it bis nome and study, There be lived tn the earlier years of hig ministration tn Brooklyn, when some of his children were babie: His present dweiling 4s a brown stone house, not particularly roomy or ornamental. The average good residence in Brooklyn is inferior to the New York house, A New Kngland cbaracter belongs to all Brooklyn. ‘The generally wide streets, lined with shade trees; the abundant whtte frame cottages and frame mansions, set at random, gable end to the Btreet, with porticocs and verandas, and green and white shutters, are very suggestive of life in New Haven, Hartford or Worcester. Even the brown stone house of Brooklyn has a minor, humbler look. In such a brown stone house Mr, Beecher nas his home. From the rear there 1s 4 NOBLE VIEW OF THE BAY, the East River, the profile of New Yor« Island and the shores of Jersey, extending far off to the soft ine of whe Orange Mountains. Probably no spot ip the world affords a scene, under generally clear skies, Of such vartety and strength. The granitic tints of American scenery abound in land aud water, The bay itself has something of the color of melted rock, Tne changing seasons variously affect this animated scene; in spring and summer bringing out the foliage, in outumn making this foliage gold and crimson and tn winter mantlng all the vista with snow. The street running be‘ore Beecher’s door 18 not an overrun thoroughiare and is generally very still. He can look down from bis windows on the incessant panorama of human activity and the shifting of the tides, and discover illustrations almost ine Qnite for bis sermons and writings. Only the whistling of the steamers, mellowed by distance, penetratés to his study. Heisas quiet on the Shores of the East River as Mr. Tennyson, his con- temporary, hidden away in his seacoast home on bhe Isle o1 Wight. A very short distance from this house on a transverse street is the celebrated Plymouto chureb. It is plain and almost iorbidding in ap- pearance. A slignt touch of satire might liken it to a warenouse ora brewery, Built of red brick, with a rather crouching roof, its great depth alone suggests the call upon its capacity, People in the neigndorhood say that it has raised the price of real estate Around it, and not the lease of tne peculiarities of this church and society is the ideatification of pecuniary and moral values. Tne income of the corporation or society 1s always re- lJerred to in the same breatu wita a eulogy upon the moral influence of tho preaching and praying there. “Plymouth church {s'@ power, sir,” exclaims the Brooklynite, ‘It is rich, sir. MR, BEECHER IS A WONDERFUL MAN, aut even without nim Plymouth churcn would get along. They can raise money in that congrega- taon for anything they please. Beecher only has to mention it, and ail the hands of bis hearers go to weir pockets. Tney built the Howard University, helped the Jubilee singers, raised an annuity for Herbert Spencer, and whenever ola Plymouta ieels 0 impulse she plants a seed.” Being without metropolitan institutions, saving ouly a navy yard and a graveyard, Brooklyn has become known to outer mankind principally by Mr. Beecher’s name. His ubiquity, spontaneity aud activity, imported, has approached, excepting, perhaps, Joon b. Gough, the temperance orator—and bis Jerulity with the pen, handing all classes of sub- jeccs, irom pdiemics to politics, and in @ great variety 01 puvlications, have established him as a marked American. He bas appeared to the world Bs the embodiment of American processes of nis position be1ore the lecture | lyceums—where be has @ fame no man, native or | thought and assertion, His tireiess expres- sion has grown more vivid aud brilliant with the coming of age, like a superd Sunset, such a8 we see ores the, Cnes- @peake or Albemarle Sound, where the duy draws to its close im @ richness of cloud-tints Which mocks all its pathway during the day. Consistency, too, has been the apparent uttrivute Ol ali toils expression, and the preacher, growing Bleadily more liberal, has omitted that poruon of age when, with the wearing out of the tissues aud the sense of infirmity, the most dauntless spirit is spt to repine and regard the buoyant visions of youth acd miadie age with scepticism. At sixty-iour so youthful is tnis man that ms enemy described him in court the other day as a “voyish person.” At sixty-four, in sight of his tree score and ten—the allotted period of man— he is still called @ gallant, Something in this Digh vitality and aoundance of learning and love Suggests tue poet’s fiction of Faust, transiated in | bis proiessor’s study irom age to youth and sally- dug forth under the spell of beauty, ‘The charge to which Mr. Beecher nas been sub- fected ior two years or more, and the portion of time antedating this exposure, when he was under the threat and apprehension of enormously stimulated nis sensibilities and the talents which give them expression, The extent O1 his culpability 1s not now under consideration, but he admits that in the entanglement and mis- Apprehension of that time he sufered keenly+ Moulton says he advised Mr. Beecher before this ycandal became public to seek reef by a more fevoted attention to his clerical work. There is little doubt that unis advice, whether given or not, ‘was adopted by the clergyman, and if his oungrega- tion are at this moment rallytug around him with @ spirit unequailed in commerciat society , It 1s be- Cause they have seen the past two or three years DEEPER PIETY AND AFFECTION In their pastor, springing from his anguish. His Myle of preaching, emotional and personal, rises or faiis in power according to tis own experi- ence. His literary faculties are imierior to his pulpet use of them, and notning that he has writ- it, have | where he jald the foundation of his great reput tion, be was much the same kind of man he co: tinues ro be, Mr. Joan D, Deirees, a:terwards Congressional Printer, Was then puvlisning a po- liticai bewspaper, und he requested Mr, Beecher to contrivute, ‘for a small salary, a rural and norticultural department, This was one ot the rst columas o1 t kind pub- shed in the West. In its preparation ‘he preacher was led toa cla haa veen ol the greatest service to mim sor the floral figures and fancies with wien he adorns bis discourses, It Was at [Ddianapois that tne oid negro lived fom Whom Mrs, Stowe ts said to have Gefived ber conception oF UNCLE TOM, That book was attriouted at the time of its pub- ication to Mr, Beacher, and to this day some of the Southern po.tical leaders noid Beecher re- of reading Whoh sponsib.e tor it The pudlisner oF that story, Dr. Gamuatel Bauey, more resem bled Mr, Beecher than any oo: his col- leagues iD tie untiesiavery work, Bailey conchilunng the Doiders, Wnose jostitution he compared, Mr. Beecher’s equai as a host, companivo teacher, and his supertor in real dejicac: curious to jolow ito ther sequei polit Boca, reformers Of tuis class. Ur. Bailey intros duced ro the ; ublic tn that one weexiy sheet the tWo most widely-read wuthors in awerica, Mrs. Stowe and Mrs, Southworth. When the latter bad accomplisned oer reputation witn Cnele Tom She took to another market her suvsequent story of “Dred; or the Dismal Swamp.’ the dra did Dot long survive its founder's deceas Its chief clerk, James Clepnane, has been a leading mem- ber Of What 18 caled the Washington Ring, and has become wealthy. Mrs, Balley and her Gaughters reside in Florence, ‘The oldest son 1s a prominent patent attorney at Washington, the: Baileys bave tnus been distributed back to Pialn commercial society tae Beechers are still On the pioneer line of real or supposed reforms, righting every imaginabie evil und crowding human nature up on the infinite, Henry Ward Beecher has insensibly precipitated the issile, Which had veen slowly gathering 1orce, of pure science Vs, severe orthodox reigion, En- urely irrespective of bis CULPABILITY IN THIS TRIAL, the event has hastened the conflict, He has been at the head of the eclectic schoot of theologians, who drew their texts from the Scriptures and their illustrations trom science. Ts divided Gliegiauce has been maintained with very con- sideraole success oy Mr. Beecher, hus overwhelming talent concealing Dis illogical posi- tion, In almost every city of the North a pulpit imirator has grown up on bis plan. In Chicago there are at least two. One of these, Rev. David Swing, has gone out of his denomination, perse- cuted OUL as some say by his orthouox colleagues, Anotner, Rev, Robert Collyer, has just been taken to task by u Universalist clergyman, Dr. Kyaer, for advising lis congregation to go to a beer hall on Sunday alternouns and hear the music, Mr, Beecher might have preached his eclecticism, or, rather, religious optimism, tu the end of bis days, and it would pot have provoked airect attack, except jor this scandal, But the scandal has oragned along so mysteriously and indecisively that more tnan half the people of this country have stopped inquiring into tae facts, and are engaged in overnauliag tne Brook. lyn religion, Just at this time, too, anspiciously Tor such an inquest, the cities are placarded with Dr. Draper's new book-**the Conmic. Between “science and Religion.” Whiie the scandal vas been developing Dr. Tyndall has startied the re- ligious world by putting furth the chalienge that hereafter religion must take 118 own side ol tle street, While science demands tne whole of the opposite pavement, THE POSITIVE, OR COMTE, SCHOOL is dissatistied with Mr. Beechen * ven more than the ultra-orthodox scnooi, He" ppears to have retreated into orthodoxy, and has in a formal letter recently resuvscribed his aduerence to the car- dinal texts o/ his tormer sect, while still obstinate | against revival preacning, human depravity and future punishment, ‘There is @ belie: in Brooklyn that the surround- ing orthodox churches will no longer exchange members on credeatiais with Plymouth, but this cannot be proved until an occasiun arises to test it. While very many clergymen have attended the trial, only Edward Beecher, his brother, and the assistsnt pastor (Waliday) have given the direct support of their clerical oitice to the de- fendant. The production in Court of the Storrs letter has given a sort of legal recognition to tue Nall smotheied disputes, or rather coldness, be- tween Storrs aud Keecher and their respective adnerents. More than thus, 1¢ 1s claimed ia Brouk- lyn that the Episcopal, Catholic aud Presoyterian churches are receiving irom the scandal acces- stons .of membership. While proceeding to the Courtone morning, adout & fortnight ago, the writer encountered one of the humbier rectors of an Episcopal congregation, and asked bim i he could perceive tnat the scandal trial bad any uite- pe religious Influence. He replied about as tvl- OWS — “I think that this scandal had in tne earlier Stages a very pernicious influence. For some time it seemed that Satan was loose in the word. Immoral literature, prints, anecdotes and every manuer of vileness received @ stimula ion irom it. But the later effects liave been rather encourag- ing to law and morals. The judictal strictness of tne trial icseif has compeited a eral respect tor While | | Is something of a young clergyman ta appear- co—% SLOULISN an, under the middie age, WIth | rather dull countenance. He aiso is ua author, | aod ne held avery intimate relation with the overnment during Mr. Lincoin’s presidency, He an old anu ciose friend o: Tilton, with waom he | good Oltices he probably owes the upportunity to oe inhavitant of the White House, Mis Vestimoay will be direct upon che subject matter | Of the scondai, confirming Tilton’s position, and | the effort wili be macs to overthrow his reputation | jor reliability as Weil as sagacity. Mrs, Carpenter, | his wire, may also be cated. | Mrs. Frank Mouiton nas made up her mind not | to evade (he witness Stand, as she ought have | done oy leaving the state lor her summer resi- | dence at Narragansett. She {3 uot, however, an ardent witne: ly ttle lad: joyment of iif the impertections of human nature. , and ts &@sweet-tempered, motn- | somewhat like ner husband iu en- and charitatie conside:ation for Her testi- mony is expected to relate to couversations with | Mr, Beecaer, in which he admitted tie culpability ana eolicited ber good office. | Mrs, Moulton was a inten of Mr. | Tilton’s wile, out there never was tne inti- | macy vi choice, Mrs. Moulton attended Plymouta chureh, but shared none of the religious Ol Mrs. Tilton, The One was ouoyant, ecstatic, Worship aud religion were Mrs. Tilton’s pane. Mrs, Mouitun admired Mr. Beecner, and | eard nim preach with interest. For some timo | she announced her determination not to testity, but alter Mr. Beeoner denounced Mr. Moulton as @ backmater, and bis whole status was | Involved in hig vindication, she wade up ber mind | to testify, During tnis trial her house has been | & sort 0: campus martius tor the reudezvous of | ‘Tilton’s jevees, but she had had little to say on the | subject in hand, mereiy tulfilliug her duties as bostess. The testimony of Mr. Carpenter and | Mrs. Mouiton, and provably of Mr. Kobinson, ‘Tilton’s partner and kinsman, will conclude the interest ou tne plaintutt’s side. YESTERDAY'S SERMON. © DEPARTURE FROM THE OLD PATHS OF CHRIS- TIANITY. Asearly as ten o'clock yesterday morning the tide of church-going Brooklynites set strongly in | the direction of Plymouth church, Fifteen min- utes before the hour of commencing service the seats and aisles were filled. Precisely at hali-past ten Mr. Beecher ascended the platiorm and took bis seat. He looked pale, but subsequently re- gained his wonted color under the warmth of en- | thusiasm with which be imbued his digcourse. The choir, Miss Lazar soprano, rencered the | “Praises of God’? and tne excellent chorus with fine effect, The pastor then offered the prayer, thanking God tor deliverance from fear and trouble, and asking that we be brought | to the realization of peace and happiness through the spirit of Christ, He prayed thatthe blessings of God might descend on all who were then present; that their services of Prayer and song might be acceptabie and their houses ve filled with gladness. He then read, with great feeling, Psalm Ixxtil, commencing, “Truly, God ts good to Israel,” &c, The 199th hymn was then sung with much vigour by the con- gregation, In the prayer which tollowed he prayed that there may be no more doubt among men as to the Knowledge of His divire law, but that they may be imbued with wisdom from on high; that all the churches im this great city may be enlightened, that they may draw men to them; that the preaching shall be trom on high, and that the biessed time shall come when there will be no more idols, no more superstition, no more ipjus, tice and no more oppression, but when all men shalt be filled with the Knowledge of God, and the world shall be filled with His glory. Mr, Beecher read tor his text Jeremiah vi., 16:— “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye on the ways, and see, and ask for the ola paihs, where is the good | way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls,” and Jeremiah xvill. 15:—“Because my people Rave forgotten m sacrificing in vain, and stumbling in their ways, in ancient paths, to walk by themina way not trodden.” The word “path,” as used in the Scrip- tures, is equal to our word “road,” with which we have been so familiar from childhood. The condi- | tion of society was indicated by the state of pres- | ervation in which the paths or roads were kept. | Well kept roads were then a mark of progress and | an indication of well regulated government. In Palestine still patns are traversed instead of roads. In ancient times it oiten happened that these paths were washed away by foods, i | | i} i | | authority. ‘Tnere is a hope and veel that woo- ever 13 the injurer in this contest will be punished | neglected and forgotten, and men went | Win rigor, Besides, the laxity oF reugivus teach | er 2 Be adel ri x whe epalun a | ng, partly arising out of over aiberal politics, | 3 ne | tas Phen “eurfocted. ‘Meads ot clam: | veFY easy of interpreting.” We find the Wor lies, wives and youpg men are beginning to want their reiigion strong aud ududulterated. Alter the triumph of the Union arms inthe war, everybody scemed to be golug crazy. Spiritua! ism, Women’s rights, children’s rizuts, even the rights ol draught auimais, Were brougut upon the rostrum, and we appeared to be ariving the Ri puolic intoa chaos of experiments, never at- tempted by apy great government sine the Revo- Jution of 1848 in Europe. I can see that our churches are attended by a quieter class ol parigh- loners, Hard times ln business 18 ago a great cor- rective o1 the looseness of the long flush times we Dave had.” TILTON AS A WITNESS, Mr. Theodore Tilton will probably quit the stand, tothe general relief of everybody inter- ested P, this case, about Wednesday rext. itis i1mpossfble to come to auy decision as to whether he has beiped or hurt his cause; but he has been au uninteresting witness, For the first day or two he was out of spirits, and looked the picture of afiiiction aud sensitiveness. Then he railed, and for twoor three Gays was arather strony, picturesque narrator of jacts ard phenomena generally. Ai'er that bis less attractive quuiities came lorth, and the ioterminavie cross-examina- tion he received Made him something of a bore. On the Whole he Was in a rather pitiabie situauon QS 1s OWN witness, und yetil Would be hard to settle upon the particular spot where he was Weak or confuse r THE CROSS-EXAMIN ATION, Mr, Evarts as a cross-examiner bas the same de- fect be showed us an orator. ‘there is no coup de grace 10 his proux inierrogation. It goes on and on With great 1udustry and pauence, but there are no dividing places in it, Everything in the do- main of human ooseryation 1s taken Up and ran- sacked, Sume of the attendant lawyers nave passed the criticism that Mr. Beecher’s delence Was not well enough digested beiore it began, so that it could be used on ‘Tiiten by a jew crusting strokes, laying bim open, eutangling mm, and then directing the jury to tue bollowness ot nimself and nis charges, Toward the Close of the week a singular piece of evidence was brought iorward by tue instrumen- tality of Mrs, Tilton. Theodure, in one of ais va- gurious meous, had found nothing vetrer to do tuan write a com) osition Calied the “Irae Story,”? and leaving this around 1b piaces nis Wie carried ofa part of it, ‘This Mr. Evaris produced, out beiore be had used it in its efficiency tue cod sbup came and the Court adjourned over trom ; Thursday to Monday. ‘Ths kind of documentary ten, save, peruans, some oi those toucwing and axonizing letters to Moulton, which seemed ex- haled from the Java of a soulin eruption, wil give au idea of the sae man pacing the Noor of his pulpit Whea completely aroused and throwing of @ torrent Of thougits, emotions, fancies and Mlustrations which mock any spiritual medt- um’s fuency. A strengtn, delicacy, aaring end = 8)mpathy ron together, narnessed to the rattling chariot of bis theme, He seems to bea Lv ing encyclopedia of tuman nature; his vocabulary is jull ries ali that be says ups Lears oO express something that We baye uncon: aciousiy lel, but needed tae art to grasp and en- | joy. W nen Mr. Beecher preached at Indianapolis, testimony is exceedingly vexatious to spectators, jor nobouy knows exactiy what reilance 18 to be placed on such w loquacious set of peopie, MR. BEECHER’S ANGUISH AND MR, TILTON’3 RO- MANCES are all said to be as figurative as the seven can- diesticks and tne pale horse in the Book of Reve- Jaton. One effect of this trial will be to greatly degrade the emotional school in the minus vi sensidie persons. Kveu Flank Moulton has got some of the simatier o! Lbis schoul, and to hear him learnediy reter to “the tripartite coves nant? ast tt were a thing of high antiquity and the common hetrloom of mankind 18 exceediugiv amusing. That sucha surewd business man as Mr. Bowen should be founa signing sentimental treatics, sviemuly sealed and delivered, gives great surprise to everybody out of Brooklyn. Ihe HERALD reporter endeavored last week to find Mr, Bowen and ascertain trom tim whetoer he expected to be catied as & wituess in this cause. He not only refused to ve interviewed, but reiused to admit tue reporter. Pro ound mys- tery covers his side of the case, but the growing belief is that he will be summoned by the deience, and that his testimony on the whole will be useiul to Mr. Beecner’s vindication. Last week oue of the HikaLp writers sounded Mr. Demas Barnes on this subject, Mr. Barnes Was the defendant tu a ttbel suit which Mr, Buwen brought against hun, and appeared to prosecute it with his sous grouped drouna him. Mr, Barnes suldi— BOWEN BADLY TREATED, “I donot think that Heary C. Bowen has been properly considered by the preas and people, Le has occupied im (O18 Case ab inoensive attitude toward both principals, and yet the pubic persists in beleving that he Das lain back bebind tus scandal abd incited it. That impression was tue dustriously dissemiaated trom Ulils city a8 an ol set to another sctudal, 1 which none of these parves ligurea. ihe awrucle Wiican appeared in aly paper aud aroused Air. Bowen's anger was an oversigit and an offen and lt him at ouce When he brought the suit iMot me (hat he was eutitied to a legal retraction and apology im court, and that id get it, aud — that, jurtuermore, | belleved that was all he wanted, “ido not Leleve,”’ continued Mr. Barnes, “that Mr. Bowen gad any mn y wnotives in’ brings Jug that suit, and br mire the man for scanding up ior the character or Ms amily, 10. Whom ae las earned a lige fortune, L under: | stand that tae /nuependent vewspaper, notwith- stanuing al) this contoversy, Is SUil as prosperous | as When Weecner und Lilron Were working On tt Of course there is a tystery surrounding M Bowen's r¢latiun to these people, but tuat rel ohave come avout naturally bes and to call tor theatrica: manager would tors got into .a domesuc scandal avout th one of them,” MOTUA ) NUMBER TWO, The artist Frank Carpenter, is expected to testily When Mr, Tiiton quits the stand, Varpenter Of God full of pata ways, aod the walks are equal to | social, moral and political belies, in the Oid | Tes'ament the term patns oiten refers to physical | hapits, such as works, Ognting, sieeping and with | all that the body does. It ulso reters to the estab- ligned rules and laws governing society; also to | the regulation and carriawe of man’s mental con- dition; of his thoughts, and specially to his works—to all habits, in tact, reguiated by laws and customs. It is in this view that he would point out the way to keep in the old ways, the Methoas which have proved benefictal to mankind aud which still stand strong for man's benefit, These ways, Which had been an incitement to our growtn and development, he would hod tast to. ‘These shouid not be cast off, Jor 18 there nothing analogous between the sowlug of the grain inthe ground and the reaping of the wheat in the harvest. Are we not to take into account a wise progiessiveness ? We are not in the world to hold oa to anything that retards; but we are here to retain that which has proved to ve beneficial until thet which is more veneficial has been found, There 1s something in our Yankee nation which breathes mucn ol contempt tor the = | IDEA OF CLINGING TO OLD THINGS. We waut that which ts new in all things. We have a new continent, anu we had no such institut.ons as are to be 1ound in old Rome or 10 the meaiwvalages, We are all new, it is neid, and stand out prominently in bright contrast to the imperfections of the nations and 1astitutions of the past. Yet we are not half as new or as per- fect as we think. We have imported many taeas irom Greece, trom Syria, trom Rome, aud our thoughts and experience, aijter all, are but the thoughts and experieaces of thou- sands olf years gone by. Our imsututions are not new, tuereiore, they are an adaptation, We are not bali so wise as we take ourselves to be. But suca is the spirit of American llie it will ot admit o1 the idea that tL nas borrowed irom the past. There are 60 many new theories and 80 many new processes and inventions and progress continuously revolving that we are apt to glorily ourselves with toe idea that we don’t belong to the vid ages. We too viten imagine that tue sun and moon should bow down and Worstip us, WE ARE PROUD OF OUR NEWSPAPERS and the progress which has been made during the last flty years im action, tu thinking, in art, in historic researca and the revelation of It in re- ligious !reedum ans activity in scientific dise ery. Those reveiations have set on fire the imag- inauuons of young men, who tell you that od things are pasiwg away. Tre young mau is doubting, then, the social anu moral resuit of the past exverience. There are those woo are doubtful of the wisdum or the old social usages, ‘They thirst jor a iarae: and a vetter Way. Imey would speak as if tne experi. ences ol ages were not ol benelit; as moug truth learned once is not learned jorever, it is this doubt and uncertainty wich leads thany ty throw general distrust on relion und 1s teach Ings, They bear so much doubt as to themoral power Of religion that distrust is engeudered in tuem, and distiust Is a dangervus as unvetiel. it you wtke away confidence in man you destroy the ;ower of religion, Lhe cuanges of religious beliefin the youn, effec’ the most tujurtous 1e- suits, becausé they have larger conceits than they have intelects, and as they Gon’t Know much about religion. or ‘anything else, they treat the Churen with induference. Rather than have tne Church go out ol their way they will go out of tts | way. Tuere 18 a tendency on tue partof thousanus to draw away trom the teachings ot religious sects. To teach that Which Is reilgiously adapted lor the civilization of man in moral relations and Vital to civilization is none the less authorized | because it May not ve an instituted revelation, Common schovis are Wise and indispensable, but he did not think tt Was essential to say they were commanded vy the Bible. ‘Tuiuys that are neces. sary are just as certainly ordaimeu of God as if they were laid down im the record. ‘Tne declara- tion of God in aaaptation of the trath of revela- tion 1s just as strong as in (he written word, But because men see changing relations tney Say that old trutns ure dylog out, and they are abandoning ail convictions, ali virtues, ail manhood. You will find that these views nave also their illustrations in the paths of literature. ‘Lhere is @ teudeucy to give up the old faith in art aud journalism, ‘the educated mind of Englana, Germany, Frauce and Awerica in literature, fis- tory and science 1s TENDING AWAY FROM OLD GROUNDS OF CHRISTIANITY. There is a departure trom tue old Caristianity taught and old custom without piiiosopnic grounding, Ibis the genius aud tegdency of the young and the rising generation. Men ijvse sight | of the fact that Curtstianity is the leaven given by | God to the ages. Witnout that men are driven out into that outer space. Mr. Beecher then aduded to the partisanship wiieh existed among sects, saying he Would not circumserive Carisiianity, but be Would call actention to tie moral aud social bearings of changes trom one sect to anotuer, You can teach a man much | more easily bow to dress and how to luroish a house (because that affects his material nacure) than you can teach vi to be just and instil in uim proper refinement anu seil-respect. It 18 lollowing in the steps ou Which you rose that you rise stil, higner, A child's primer, trom which he has learned His alphavet, may be turown away, but it does not jollow that its contents have been lost. ‘the tlphabet Was just as indispensable to Isuuc Newton at fitty years oi age as 16 was to him at five years, It i8 HOt sale Jor a man co step oat until he knows where he 1s avout to step. It is | better ior a heathen to haye the restraining tatu. | ' | than a dad Protesta: | what urges the owners of real estate to ence of {dol worship than to be leit without any God. Itis better to pelieve that THE CHURCH 13 THE POUNTAIN-HEAD of all authority than to have po faith im the Church. It is not sate to take away the faith of apy man until you can give him another and a better religion. A system of laity that has bee come ensirined in the love of its adgerents which 1s endeared by the memory of father, mother, Rister and brother. If you take that away and put none other tn ita place, how can ‘ou suppose you have done God aservicet You ave taken him oato! the garden and left him in the desert. Even transitions from the lower to the higher form 1s dangerous. Many persons bave ed out of the baroor of Popery and have been wrecked bdelore they got within the harbor of Protestantism, Many uch ventures have produced wrecks of Curis- uanity, “I would rather have a good Catholic » and} would rather have either than nothing at all. The change of Ch i8- tian. belief should aiways be from poor to better. itis not so very diMecult to convince him in his poverty of a better way, A poor man would have white bread than Diack orcad, but 1s better than no lea!, Given the better quulity, Jet hima taste of tts sweetness and he will readuy accept it. If Protestants go to convert Catholics they sbould use as efficacious means for the pioofs. If the Church would prove by ite gentieness, sweetness, love, obarity, courage, @ noble manhood, then tat is the Church that has got the living epistie that will cause men to seek It. He concluded his sermon by a reference tu the Worse Of Sclentists, as an auxiliary in the develop. ment Oi the things of nature that all might biend harmoniously in the greater giory of God. Tnere could or should be no conflict between the Churet and scientists, despite the affected price and con- | cett of mep who pretend to doubt the existence of God and scoff a: divine revelation. The conaict had alwass been between the flesh man and the spirit man, ani any human reasoning that attempted to obliterate the truths of that antagonism by ele- vating the material and belittling the divine spirit Which Was tmolanted in man was degraamg and dangerous to the foundation of society upon which elvillgation rests, TILTON’S COMMUNE FRIENDS. New Yor«, Feb, 13, 1875. To The EpiTor oF THe HERALD:— When Theodore Tilton testified that he marched arm-in-arm with his friend John Swinton, tn honor | of the Commune, on Sunday, in the streets of New York, did he purposely withhold the name of another “companton iu arms’ that marcied with them, or did it escape bis bad memory uninten- tionally? Being an eye-witness of that “grand procession” your correspondent saw three men, of Unequal sizes, mare ling pompousiy, arm-in-arm together, at the head of a motiey crowd, No looker-on couid help but smile at the sight they presented, “Three Friends in Council,” asking each otner:— When shail we three meet again, In thunder, lightuing or in rain? faije beneath that of Swinton, Tilton and Andrews marching together. Imagine, sir, that long-halred Tilton, the tallest of the three, in the middie; the spare-taired John Swinton, fully a ioot shorter, disguised witha huge pair of green goggles, on | the leit, and another, nearly as short in size, with | hair the color ot unbleached musiin, none other than the dialect humorist William S. Andrews, son of the notorious Stephen Pear! Andrews, on | the right, and you will have a taint idea o1 the | ludicrous picture of that trio as they marched in honor ot young Rossel’s ‘sweet memory.” As Til- ton mentioved Swinton, and as he 1s under oath to tell the truth, why did he Werder our? ANE Wi RAPID TRANSIT. THE BOULEVARD ROUTE COMMENDED, To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:— Asa property holder and resident of tne upper part of this city I, with many others, was much Pleased with the letter of Lawson N. Fuller, pub- lished some time since in your valuable journal, on the subject of rapid transit, believing itto be the only salvation from confiscation of our prop- erty in the northern portion of this island, Mr. Fuller says:—‘We want no more money spent for boulevards, parks or public diives until rapld transit Is an accomplished fact,” and in that estate fully agree, but do not understand that Mr. Fuller meant that the work on the roads anti parks, on which assessments have been laid and on and gives the toial cost at rising $31,000,000, and asks quite pertinently, “Isn't taat enough at present?” Every taxpayer seems to think so when he sees his tax bills; but a week or 80 ago “S. E. C.,” through your columns, attacks Ua mao has a poor way of looking at bis reilzion | collected, should not be accomplished. Mr. Fuller | | goes ‘The celebrated print representing | remurk tue major portion of the owners of real | Mr. Fuller, and says he misrepresents when he | gays the works have cost the city so much, and tueu proceeas to show that the whole tux 1s laid upon the taxpayers, and says:— Take, for example, the Boulevard—it illastrates ali the others, It has cost $6,000,Wv0. ne halt was assessed upon the adjoming property owners and the other half ($3,W00,0U) Upon the city at large, und constitutes @ part of its ‘permanent debt" The $210,000, and must be Raid by ta.. Who bays that tax? We wilsee, the Boulevard extends trom Fifty-ninth street to 155th street, a distance of ninsty-six bl ‘These blocks tor a’ distance of 400 feet on each sido of the Bouloyard, contain thirty-two lots cach, or a total of 6l4# lots ibeso lots, beiore the Boulevard was projected, wero assessed at an averauo tax Valuat on of $40 each, or $3,635,400, and produced @tax revenue to the city, at 24¢ per cent, ot $i2,10U, ‘These same lots are now assessed’ at un average valua- tion of $3,000 each. or $18,43.,L00, and the owners pay taxes upon thei, at 934 per cent, or $60,300, Licre ty an Increase of taxes ot $358,640, sullicient ty pay rot only the original 1ax revenue ‘ot ‘$92,190, but also ihe whol interest upon the city’s share of the debt, and then a clean surplus of $108,010 besides, Ail un rem is paid by these property owners, and yet Mr. tuailer some newspapers tik about the heavy demands 1 upon the city treasury sor uptown improvement: ought to hear less of it I say we ought to hear more of tt. jaterest on this sum Is That is just for rapid transit and just what Mr. fuller means when he says, “We waut no more money spent for boulevards, &¢., until rapid trausi¢ 18 AN accom. | plished lact.’? Just think of it, Beture ihe Boule. vard Was projected lots were worth $600. Now they are worth $3,000, Wiro believes it? Are iots samable to-day for a higner tgure than betore’ Ask any property owner, He wilt laugh at the fizures; but give us rapid transit and lois will be double the amount given above, and cottages and mansions Wil spring up all alung the live as if oy magic, Aud tne only drawback the writer can sec Lo rapid transit is the route for the road and the capital juisite lor building and equipping. No culmpany can afford to purchase a route, neither can tney build a road as designed by Giivert, even u the roadway should be yranted, and give us cheap rapid transit, and rapia transit wust be | cheap lo de at ail beveticiai to the resident of the city. Now, it appears to me the only plan is to douate a route to some company, to rou the curs at a stipulated price, say ten cents to uny distance, Tue pian of Mr. Fuller is certainly very feasible from Fhty-ninta street, ana there is no Olner ave: Bue so Well adapted lor the euterprise as Boulevard, 1% beimg 150 feet Wide anid com) finished 10 155un str ud ready at once ior tne su road, and by the time the superstracture Is completed the counecting road, wuichever Adopted, could be finished ‘oO Puty-nmth s¢ from beiow, and the whole road could be “an ace complished fact” within a vear, ws I clan that if one mile can be but in six months, five or six Miles cau be vuiit ta the Same time by te adal- tou vf the necessary capitai and jabor, and as ihe road (free Of cost of land) Gan be built for $500,000 13 t per mule the avauable capital will svon ve lorth. coming. Itmay ve said that tbe railroad will spoil the Boulevard for car e driving, &e.5 but sucu Will not be tne 1a There is no aviving on tne road, with lew exceptions, but tru gro- cers’ and express Wagons and such loads as can- not be driven through the Park, and it must ever Temain the same dusiness road of tue West side. Almost all private vehicies now } througa Cross streets to St. Nicholas avenue; thence direct to aud through the Purk to tae lower portion of the city. With raptd transit a fixed fact the Boulevard cry out | | with a charter, | Will soon be bulit upon, as iso the cross streets, | and much tewer parcels will be sold for a:rear- ages Of tax+s tuan have beea fur Some years past. A few years “& person coula pay three per cent on a Valuation of $600 ver lo’, even though be got litte or uo rent jor tis premises. but ee per cent on $3,000 per lot, with assesseents for grading, carting, &c. (oltenas high as $1,000 per lot), and vo accommodation lor iraveil:ing out vy Slage or horse cars, Is but One remove irom cou+ fiseacion, as remarked above, for no person, com: pelled Lo earn a livelinood or do business in the city can atfurd to spend two hours, worn and eve, going and returning from lavor, even though he should live rent tree; consequently our Bowlevard is outlt in vain, so far as we of tue northern end are concerued, unless some plat is adopted by Wich we can induce persons to reside among us. Give us rapid transit and that as specaily as possible. As to (he ratiroad being objectionable to the appearance of the Boulevard, a lite engineering Skill and Architectural art will renger ita very pleasing and attractive adjunct to the drive; tithe | track bé tnclosed and covered witn various climd- jug Vines We snali have a beautiful aanging gu den through the length of the Boulevard, which certainly will be a novelty aud well worth a day's Journey to see, Yours, JOHN C. GRAPE, Washington liewhts. ERIE TAXATION DD The exemption of the Erie Railway Company from taxation tn Jersey City will ve the subject of debate during the coming week in the Legisla- JERSEY, |THE BONAPARTE GAIN. | party, when their friends made a rush at them NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1i, 1875,—WITH SUPPLEMENT. THE CRISIS TN FRANCE. The Work of the Assembly in Attempting | to Arrange a Constitution. 3 THE ORLEANS PRINCES—CHANCES OF A RESTORA’ Shoulda the French people ever summon the House of Orleans once more to the throne they need trouble themselves hittie avout the contin gency of a iaiure of the royal line, for there ta something touching in the regularity with whicy princes and princesses of that tamily come into a wicked and republican world. The Com tesse de Paris’ last baby will be siyled Prince | Charies of Orleans, and by the time he has at- THE SENATE. BILL. MacMahon’s Septennate Becom- ing Exceedingly Unpopular. The Catholic Democracy Look- ing to the Republic. PARIS, Fob. 1, 1875, The progress made by the National Assembly in arranging a constitution, which may possibiy last six months, amounts to this:—On Friday last a first articie was agreed to, which declares that the legislative power of France is divided between | a Chambor of Representatives elected by univer- | sal suffrage, and a Sepate, to consist of members elected and nominated in proportions to be de- fined by subsequent legislation. To this article M. Laboulaye had moved an amendment to the effect that ‘the government of the couutry 1s com- posed of @ Senate, a Chamber of Deputies and a President of the Republic, chief of the executive power.’? THE AMENDMENT REJECTED BY A PARTY VOTE. The amendment was rejected after an excited de- bate by 359 votes to 335, The minority was composed of the whole Lett, with the exception of fourteen absentees. A characteristic French scene oc curred atthe moment of the aivision. M. Louis Biance and tour or five of his friends wish for a Re- public withouia President, and also deny the con- stituent nature of the present Assembiy. Hence they were about to vote against the bulk of their and implored them to waive for once their per- sonal crotchets end endeavor to promote the good cause they all had at heart. M. Peyrat, who started 1n life by being fined ard imprisoned for a political article, at length yielded and was led tothe urn, M. Marcon followed, then Edgar Quinet, one or the Deputies who reiused to vote the peace with Germany. M. Madier de Montjan next sprang toward the urn, whereuyon Colonel Langlois, in a transport Of joy, ell into his arms and kissed him, M. LOUIS BLANC. Last of all M, Louis Blanc, gesticulating wildly, was almost dragged along, and persuaded, in this oue instance, to act like &@ reasonable being. But the vonservatives were still victorious by a ma- jority of twenty-four, The Assembly had forma)ly rejected the Repuolic. Next day it tormally pro- claimed it. STRATEGY OF THE POLITICAL LEADERS. On the morning of Saturday Thiers, Dufaure and Casimtr-Pérler came toan understanding, and agreed to support the amendment o/ M. Wallon, to be discussed the sawe afternoon, That amend- | ment auded to the first articie of the constitution, already adopted, this clause:—‘‘rhe President of the Republic is eléctea on a pinrality of suffrages by tne Senate and Chamber of Deputies, unitedin @ Dational assembly. He 18 named for seven years, and 1s re-eligibie.”” M. Desjardins, Under Secretary of State tor Education, objected to M, Wallon’s proposal as reviving the quescien of the DURATION OF THE MARSHAL’S POWERS, which the Assembly had long since settled and which was now beyond discussion. M. Buffet, who imagines that he 1s placed by a thoughtiul Providenve in the position of Speaker to render assistance in debate to the conserva- tives, took an opportuvity to indorse the views of M. Desjardins, and pronounced any amendment which called in question the authority conferrea | on the President by the Assembly to be unconsti- tutional—a beautiful phrase, when itis remem- | bered that no constitution exists. M. Desjardin’s motion was to inseré before the Wallon clause the following words:—‘‘At the ex- Piration of the powers conierred on Marshal Mac- Manon by the law of the 20th of November, 1873, and if no step has been taken to revise the consti- tutional bills 1% shall pe the duty of the Assembly | to nominate the President.” After several speeches, including one by M. de Chesnelong, who distinguished himself fifteen months ago by trying to prove the Comte de Chambord @ liberal, the House divided on M. Desjardio’s counter-amenomeant. Its fate singularly illustrated the UNPOPULARITY OF THE SEPTENNATE, only 132 members voting ‘or it, against 542 who rejected 1t, Majority against the government, 410, THE DIVISION ON THE AMENDMENT, Now came the tug of war—the division on the main amendment of M. Wallon. Tue whole of the Left who were present supported it, as did seven- | teen deputies of tne Left Centre. These just sul- ficed to turn the scale in Javor of the Republic, which was found to have been adopted by impii- cation when tne result was made known, ‘The yeas were 353, the nays 352; MAJORITY FOR THE REPUBLIO, ONE. M. Thiers was disappointed av the victory, which he had hoped would nave been more com- piete. He had counted on a majority o: fourteen. ‘The vote, it may be necessary to explain, is of | hardly any significance whatever, the Assembly having ceased to reflect fne real opinion of the | nation, For example, it contains but thirty-lour Bonapartusts out of a chamber of 750, thouga nothing can be more certain than that il the As- sembiy represented the true preponderance of parties in France it would be avout equally divided between the adherents of the Repuviic and the advocates ofa third empire. Neverthe- jess the 30th of January will henceforth be marked With a white stone inthe French repubiican cal- eudar and will be considered as “the day which in- augurated @ new epoch,” &c, Frenchmen read no history but their own, and very littie of that. or they would know that the 30th of January did long since, to wit, Ima certain year 1649, mark the commencement of a very grim and earnest Republic, with a soidier-President, of whom MacMahon is a burlesque. I M. WALLON, | the hero of the hour, is @ peaceable Professor at | the Sorbonne anda member of the Academy of Inscriptions. He is also one of those rare Euro- pean individualittes who are at once stanch Catholics and republicans, The type will become mere common as the lurch of Rome begins to | find the bitterest foes o/ its liberty in Czar and Kaiser, in royalty and aristocracy. THE SITUATION remains uuchanged by tae event of Saturday, Marshal MacManon’s ministers philosophically re- gardisg @ minority of four or four hundred with equal resignation, As Jor ‘he President, he means to keep them in ofice tili the constitutional laws are settled and be can choose a Cabinet which will have no need to deal with “buromg’ topics of any sori. in fact, he uses MM, de Cissey & Co. a8 2 man may use AN OLD OVERCOAT toward the end of winter. He will throw it by When the fine weather comes; meanwhile tt can bear the brunt of the muddyeweather and save dis underciothing, The Marshal's summer suit | | | | will probably consist of the Duke de Broglie anda | select circle of generally disliked persons, But, as | Lhave already hinted, the shadow of an imperial ture. The committee, of which Mr, Sheeran is chairman, Will bold a meeting this evening in the | State House, at Trenton. According to the vaiu- ALON Of (he iTie Company the property assessavle Js $4,600,000, of Which $40,000 Were pald Im taxes tn 1874 NO taxes have been paid since, For Many years no taxes were paid vy the company, A large tract of real estate outside the ro and depot is owned by them, sword may aiready be seen, and any day it may be thrown with @ loud clash into tue balance ot | political power. THE ASSEMBLY UNCERTAIN IN TONE, Tshould add that the Assembly, which decided against 4 Republic on the 29th and in favor of it on the 20th, will in all probavility stuitty itself once dved | More in a tew days and undo the work of Its OWRD hands, | ters. tained to years discretion the Third Empire wili probably be drawing to its close, and the fusion will perhaps have been accompished by the operation not of reason but of the laws of nay ural history on the Comte de Chambord, BETS ON 4N IMPERIALIST RESTORATION within the year and even within the next three months are ireely offered, and 1 18 pretty certain that Prince Louis Napoleon's accession to the throne is only a question of time, as in like man- ner 1s bis witumate expulsion from it and the final establishment of a repudlic, tue only form of gov- ernment which can satisfy the intelligence o: modern times. THE SENATE EILI, ‘The bill for the creation of a Senate nas been read a second time by 512 votes to 188, the minority being made up of the extreme Right and the ex- treme Lett. M,.de ia Rocheloucauld-Bisaccta 18 hot very wise; but one would have thought that even he might have had the sense to guess that he was not eXactly furtherlog the cause of order by joining tue red radical, M. Barodet, tn vexing Ministers, THE TUG OF WAR Will only begin when the bill gets into committee, M. Dutaure and his friends, who, in this matter, may be considered to represent the whole of the Left ana a section of the moderate Right, are de- termined to oppose With all their might any Clause which shali vest im the President the rignt of paming the Members of the new Senate, or whieh shall confer on the President the power of dissolv+ ing the Assembly with the assent of the Senate. MACMAHON’S PERSONALITY, Meanwhile MacMahon adheres, or affects to ad- here, to his resolution, which is, In case he should be unable to command a majority in the Chamber, to lorm a Cabinet out of permanent oiflicials and oid soldiers who have no seats in the Assembly auc wiilnot attempt to obtain them, Neither will they present themselves at Versailles ta answer interpellations; in other words, if the army support bim the Marshal will execute A PEACEFUL COUP D’ETAT by establishing a personal government, which will take no notice whatever of the action of the Legislature. But, as I have beiore pointed out the assembiy might retuse to vote the supplies, and a crisis would supervene which would proba- bly terminate in a pronunciamtento, not for Mac. Mahon, bat for Napoleon 1V. On the other hand, should the Marshal obtain, in spite of the oppost- tion of M. Dufaure and bis following, the right ot dissolution, ue will be able to exercise 1t but once, and tne new®Chamber wii be either republican or Bonapartist—m no case will it be MacMahonist—so that it is hard to see how this power will benefit the President. He stul hopes, however, to torm a Cabinet out of the moderate Right and the Centres which shall come mand a majority of about eleven. Uniortunately nobody else abares this hope, and it 1s obvious that halfa dozen successive defeats at the polis, which wiil inevitably be sustained by the govern- Ment in as many months, would chauge the ma- jority into a minority of one. A good SPECIMEN OF INTERPELLATION | and its value was furnished by the debate in the Assembly yesterday. The Municipal Council of Marseilles has been recently suspended by a gov- ernmental decree, on the pretext that it had ex- ceeded its powers—in reality because it was republican and gave a conservative Mayor troucle. The question had agisen whether this gentleman should be permitted to spend the greater portion of a loan of $3,200,00g according to his own fancy. ‘he Council thought not, thus clearly proving themselves guilty of sedition and of inciting their felloty-citt- zens to hatrea and contempt of authority, Anni | hilated by a proclamation, they appeated to the Deputies of the city in the Assemovly to bring the case beiore the notice or the House. Here was a fine opportunity for ANOTHER STORMY SCENE, | and it was notlost. The Municipal Council of Mar- seilies and its wrongs were soon forgotten. M, Brisson “protested against insults to universal suffrage ;’’ whereupon the Speaker called him to oraer, M, Roavie (of the Left) declared that “he only wanted todo what was Just’—words which were received with shouts of taughter by the Right, the point of the joke, it may be necessary to indi cate to Americat readers, being the absurdity of a Tepublican pretending to speak with good faith. N. Lockroy, a8 his contribution to the devate, said that the journals had lately published a letter from the Minister of the Intertor to THE COUNTESS DE GASPARIN. In that missive the Minister stated that he could not allow acertain work written by that lady’s deceased busband, and inspiring, as it did, ele- vated ideas, to come in contact with the books authorized by the Committce of Hawking (du colportage). That theory the Minister had applied to municipal councils; for whenever he found a govud one he suppressed It, that it might not be in contact with the administration, This allusion also requires explanation, its wit apparently con sisung in likening the Ministry to obscene pub lications, The late Comte ae Gasparin was @ Protestant, and had written a book on the confessional. Now, Protestant treatises on the confessional are sel- dom repiete with tbat spirit of “sweet reason ableness’? which -Matthew Arnold considers the mark Oj true philosophy. When, therefore, the Count’s widow applied to the Minister of the In- terior for permission to have this pamphiet sold at the railway stations and hawked about all over France, THE MINISTER GROANED in spirit, for General de Chabaud-Latour is a Prots estant himself and a Frenchman into the bar- gain, 1m which double capacity it was paintul to him to reluse asimpie request to a lady and a co- religionist, Yet to grant her petition was quite out of the question, for such a concession would have been ioliowed by exactly ninety protesis from the ninety bishops of France and a remon- stunee irom the Marshal President on the impru- dence of arousing the hostility of the clergy. The old Gencrai (he was seventy-one last Monduy) ex. tricated lLimsel! out of the dificulty with consid- erable address. He wrote to Mine. de wasparin that the fact was HER HUSBAND'S BOOK WAS TOO GooD, too lofty in sentiment, to be hawked about like ~calchpenny tract or to lie on the shelves of rate way bookstalls in company with novels of doubt. jul propriety. He reaily could not think of suffer. ing such an indignity being offered to so fine a composition. Its proper place was in the grave libraries of students, VICTOR HUGO has just lost his brother-in-law, M. Paul Foucher, a well known French dramatist and writer of serials, He was buried yesterday, and itis char. acteristic O/ @ certain spirit of dignity and profes. sional pride on the partof the French press tat his irienes were much pained to find not more than 9 few hundred persons attending his funeral, The fact is indeed strange in France, where so much honor 1s usualiy paid by the people to let. It is more than haif a century, 1 may ob. serve, since Victor Hugo was rejused the nand of Mile. Foucher as being too poor. But in 1822 the Publication of his Odes and Ballads” made the parents of the young lady proud to recerve the | poet into their family. Yesterday he was the chiet | mourner at her brother’s funeral, For the rest | bam giad to say tiat he looks hale and hearty, and all bts old copversational power is 10 1s fail vigor, A CARD. To THE Epitor OF THE HRRALDi— | My attention has been directed to an advertise ment in to-day’s lekaLp announcing my name ip connection with an opera pall to take place at the Acauemy of Mustc, You wii confer a great favor by siatiig tat (he puDlication Is VuanthorzZed t | me and tuat | nave noting Whatever to do with that concern, MAX MARETCRY New York, Feo, 14, 1875.