The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-12-30
Sabbath Services.

courses as follows in reference TO SaDtatn
services, and the custom of having two ser
mons on that day. He SAYS: ...e..
In most churches, especially In cities, there
Is at the present time great amount Of relig.
ious dissipation-- style Of unsymmetrical pi-
ETY. that IA wise above the Scriptures, and ig.
norss the idea of rest as an element OF the
Christian Sabbath. Not long since. a young
lady employed rs q teacher In publicschool
was accustomed to hear two sermons every
Sabbath, and conduct the exercises OF two
Sabbath School Glasses In different parts OF
tho day. A friend advised her to give up one
of her s. s. classes, but she was very reluct.
ant to comply with the request. AZ the risk
of being thought heretical, he plainly told
her that no lady could teach q day school
during the week, and conduct two Sabbath
school exercises on the Sabbath, besides at
tending two ordinary religious services, with
out violating both tho fourth commandment
and tho sixth. however successful she might
be in teaching Others to observe them.
But there is an opposite evil which ID far
greater than this, and far more prevalent.
Tho greatest hindrance to the healthy growth
of piety In the Church, Is q lack OF active
personal effort. Christian have more passive
instruction than they need. and far more than
they can assimilate. They should be educa-
ted 10 feel that personal effort is essential to
their growth in grace and then they should
have frequent and regular opportunities to
put forth this effort Tho piety OF most
Christians suffers greatly for lack Of tho very
culture that would be gained by n frequent
regular attendance upon devotional meet
ings.
The conference meeting that is now held
one evening in the.week usually calls out less
than one. third of those who attend church
on the Sabbath. 10 the other two-thirds.
there Is no conference meeting. They attend
church, II may be, regularly on the Sabbath,
and nre always passive participants. but new
er dctipe. Now lot one or two regular Sab
bath services be changed 10 u meeting Of con.
ference and prayer, and let the churcl, he
carefully and thoroughly educated to regard
attendance upon this meeting, and active
participation in its exercises, essential to
their healthy growth in piety, ard let every
effort be made to secure tho attendance and
tho interest of those who are not enrolled as
members Of the church, and the real spiritu-
al benefit derived will be incomparably great.
er than that which would beg gained by hear
ing second formal discourse from the pull
pit. s.tI..
The monthly missionary concert. which il
second in Importance TO no ordinary Sabbath
service. IL, In many churches, langulshing
for lack of the very opportunity that would
be furnished by dispensing with one sermon
in month
There are few preachers who write two
sermons in week, and make them together
worth as much to their bearers as q single
sermon would be if It embodied the best
thoughts and efforts of the week. So also
with the hearers-one sermon in day IL as
much as most persons can hear with real
substantial profit. The truth Is. sermons are
now 30 common that o majority OF the hear
ers sit during the delivery without attempt
ing to give their fixed and earnest attention,
and hence derive comparatively little profit.
am not n clergyhan, and have no person.
nj interest in reducing the labor OF sermon.
writing but believe the time will arrive
when the prevailing practice. at least in cit
les, will be, to have sermon Sabbath morn |
ing and devote the afternoon 10 home and
mission. Sunday schools and religious instruc-
ton in the family, and tho evening to a pray. |
or and conference meeting.
rThc above remarks furnish food for prac.
tical thought for oil those who seek to ac.
complish the greatest good to the greatest
number. In addition to the idea advanced
regarding personal efforts on the part of
Christians, it nay be aquestion whether
more cannot be reached by u diversity OF
gifts than by one only. The s. School is
especially adapted to render those gifts avail.
able.
There is generally too much demanded OF
clergymen by way Of personal labor. Many
we know conduct two popular exercises on
the Sabbath, often preach again in the Sum.
mer ut the o'clock meeting, and then
preach again in the evening ut some school
house in the out-neighborhood, besides at
tending to their weekly meetings and other
exercises. What is the result? BY and by
the clergyinan's health begins to fail. or
some in the congregation remark that theS
sermons are not us interesting rs formerly,
and 10 be sure they are not, simply because
one man is required to do the'work Of half
dozen.
Some will doubtless object, because the
method is untried. As far as our knowledge
extends, where it has been adopted large
incSease Of interest and attendance has fol-
lowed us result, with, perhaps. few cxcep.
tIons. and there were doubtless local reasons
for these failures. OF course this plan will
fail, Us fail it ought, unless some active exer'
else shall take the place Of the general alter. |
noon service What that exercise ought to
he. 10 matter for each congregation to de-
eide. We did not intend to discuss this
subject, only TO call attention to it.-Ep.J