The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-11-26
Sunday Evening Lectures.

Sunday Evening Lectures.
10 tAs Editor oftAe Press:
Now that the long winter evenings are APP
proaching, we beg leave to use little space
in your valuable columns to make sugges-
tion to the various clergymen of our city,
without respect of denomination, in regard to
instituting series Of Lectures to be deliver
ed on successive Sunday evenings at their va
rious churches.
The Vesper services at the First Parish
Church have been regularly and fully attend
ed during the past summer and autumn and
have drawn in very large number Of young
people OF both sexes as well as many strang-
ers who have been temporarily stopping in
the city. THESE services have consisted to .
considerable extent Of such exercises % do
not tax the energies Of minister after having
held previous services in the day. They are
for the most part readings of Psalms and Sc
lections from the Scriptures, prayers, singing
of anthems hymns and sentences from the
best musical authors, and a short sermon or
exhortation by the Pastor. Now why may
not these, or similar services be carried on by
all the Pastors of the city in their respective
churches. What . multiplicity OF subjects
might be presented to attract and instruct the
young. Biographical Lectures (none are more
interesting or more easy to prepare -illustra-
lions of the lives Of Moses, Joseph, Samuel,
Ruth, Esther and others of the Old Testament
times, and Of John the Baptist, the Disciples,
Paul, Peter, John and greatest of all--incom-
parable to all-the MASTER himself And
also of other subiects-the Egyptian bondage
and exile. the building of the Temple, Incl
dents in the life of King David, the destruc-
ton OF Jerusalem in strict ful1llment of the
prophecy Of Christ-and many other incidents
recorded in the New Testament, every one Of
which afford theme enough for dozen ser
mons almost. And then of aMusic all power
full DER the human mind" let the several
ehoirs with their fine instrumentalists rouse
the congregations to extacy by theperformance
of anthems and selections from the oratorios
of the great masters, Mozart, Handel. Hayden,
Beethoven, Rossini, etc., and Of the thrilling
hymns OF Cowper, Watts, Newton, Wesley,
Toplady and others, which have been the
triumphant songs of the church for genera
tions. Now who will second this suggestion /?
who Will move for the interest Of the young
men and women of our city. Can we not
make the church edifice as attractive at least
one evening week, land that Of the day set
! apart for rest and the public worship Of God
by the people,) as is the public hall, the forum,
or the assembly room. Christians If you think
It ought to be, make il so, by a little labor,
self-sacrifice and interest for the youth, and
thus draw them in, and build up the holy
church universal In the world, pervading and
governing it by its mild and truly benefcent
sway. CHRISTIE EFT EccLEsIE.
| To the Editor Of the Press: Is a s,-t,
In the notice of the Sunday evening service
| at the. Second Parish,in Mondays paper, we
were much gratiied to observe just tribute
to the merits and musical talent OF member
of the choir, Miss Starbird. 1t is too often the
case in this world of ours, that true merit and
genius 60 unnoticed. and receive not the en-
couragement and words of praise due them !;
but we are pleased to see it is not so in this in
stance.
Miss Starbird has deservedly won an envi-
able reputation as a vocalist, and under diff
culties, too, that would discourage the hearts
OF many OF the sterner sex. Sheis also 4 tina
pianist and one Of our best teachers as many
who have been under her tutorage can tes-
tify. isafsasl
We.trust our Second Parish friends will mot
claim the right to monopolize her professional
services; for we hope the public, at some fu-
ture time, may have an opportunity to judge
of her musical powers and quality Of voice.
lsesss @A91aAA NO. JUSTICE.