Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-06-24
Installation of Rev. M. w.
Willis.

On Wednesday, 18th inst, the Rev. M. w.
as pastor of the Unitarian Church and Society
in this city. Mr.. Willis has preached here
some six or eight months, and has given per-
feet satisfaction endearing himself 10 his own
society, as well as to our citizens generally
We extract from the Mirror some account of
the services.
The music on the occasion was under the
direction of J. S. Berry, leader of The VIM
ter Street choir, assisted by Miss. j. M.
Tallman, 0rganIst, and the principal voices
connected with the choir above. This part
of the exercises was excellent, and highly
complimentary 10 parties concerned.
The anthem by the choir was sung very
finely indeed, and added much 10 the solem-
nifty of the occasion. After an appropriate
prayer, by Rev. c. PaIlrey, and the reading
of wel-chosen selections Of scripture, by
Rev. S. Judd the following beautiful original
hymn was sung o appropriate music :
Great Soul of Beauty and of Love,
Rich Fount of Spirit and of Power,
o! breathe upon from above,
Aud guide us in this holy hour:
And grant our brother may lmpart
Thy glorious truth with earnest heart.
May visions of eternal life,
And aid from spirits bright and pure,
Dispel the gloom of earthly strife,
And help him rear the temple sure,
And with the life of Jesus filled,
That inner temple may we build.
And when. O God, our day is DER,
And the last tie of earth is riven,
Rest We, with angels evermore,
The loving and the loved of Heaven,
Where falls no tear, where comes shade,
Where spring the joys which never fade.
Next in order was the sermon, by Rev. S.
K. Lothrop. The reverend gentleman chose
for his text, AS we have borne the image of
earthly, we shall also bear the inage ot the
heavenly.'-U Il. Cor. XIV. 49) He argued,
first, the infinite capacity of the human soul
for improvement, which position he sus-
tanned by reference TO the general nature OF
man; instancing the instructive impulse to
discriminate between right and wrong
The speaker said, that it was true the IN
huence Of bad education, or vicious asso-
Citations, might foster errors, and cause
man 10 call good, evil, and evil good; but
the discriminating impulse was there never
theless. The SECOND portion Of the discourse
weni 10 show the peculiar adaptation of the
Gospel to the work of elevating and improg-
ing The soul and this we thought The best
portion of the discourse. Some parts were
eloquent; all earnest. He said that the teach
ings of the Gospel operated upon the soul
AS the first ray of the rising sun struck the
statue of Memnon drawing from that heart
of stone, delicious music The discourse
was concluded by some general remarks
upon the relations of pastor and people, which
were very appropriate. Whatever differ
ences of opinion may exist upon the con-
illusions drawn, there can hardly he bur one
opinion as to the ability OF the sermon itself,
That which took the strongest hold upon
our feelings was The presence of the Rev
erend and venerable DR.. Nichols, who made
The installing prayer. He stood there, to
our eyes, connecting link between the
past and present, overlooking both. We
scarcely heard his prayer: he was living,
breathing sermon 10 US. Our thoughts in
voluntarily wandered we thought of his
youth, his malurer years,-tll now, in a
green old age, he sees without fear the grave
opening before him, and, as the mists of
earthly passions 4sfissipate, his Frightening
vision compartments the infinite unknown.-'