The Portland daily press., 1869-10-18
Rev. w. Il. Gibbs.


Rev. w. X. Gibbs.
Yesterday morning we visited the Congress
Square Universalist Church and had the pleas.
ure of listening to a sermon from the new pas
tor, Rev. w. E. Gibbs, formerly Of Newark.
N. Y.
Mr.. Gibbs appears to be of about the same
figure Of Rev. Mr.. Bolles, the former pastor of
the Society, and like him wears glasses, whilst
his manner in the pulpit reminds us somewhat
OF him. He possesses fine flexible voice, his
evolutionary powers are excellent, and he has
a practical way of outings things which rem
ders his discourses exceedingly interesting.
His text was taken from Matthew With, 34th:
Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
tor the morrow shall take thought for the
things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof"
The speaker said that these words of the
apostle apparently contradict the plans of peo-
pie wEo are preparing for the future; people
who are saving and striving in order that, in
time to come, if any misfortune shoull happen,
they might be prepared for it. They argue
that they work to-day for their future happi-
ness. We must not put such literal con-
struction on the words of the text. Men are
continually striving for the good or the evil of
their future lives, and the apostle intended to
convey the idea that if they were anxious to
do good in the present the future would take
care of itself. There are many people who
dream away their lives in speculations upon
the morrow, who inhabit air-castles, instead of
working vigorously each day and by their
own industry and energy attaining the desired
object. Many of the young look forward to
the time when they shall be released from the
paternal restraint instead of fitting them
selves in the present for that time, which, when
it comes, shall find them prepared for its trials
and burdens. XXI,
Again, we should not look at the outward
life alone but to the inward life also. The true
growth of man looks to the care of both soul
and body. There must be a perfect equipoise
between the two. Human ambition makes the
present almost useless, as does also the greed
for gold. So terrible with many is their thirst
for fame or wealth that they sacrifice all the
enjoyment of the present. They say by-and-
by, when we have acquired certain sum, or
attained certain position, then we will rest;
then We will enjoy what we have gained. They
sacrifice the days pleasures with the hope that
tomorrow will give them wider range for
their enjoyment. 1t is this dream of to-mor-
row that makes US neglectful of to-day. The
oday is with us, bnt the tomorrow is what
We hope for. 1t is the greed for riches or for
fame that finds men often in middle life SO
worn out with the wear and tear of business
cares that they really desire to cut the thread
fhat binds 70 md fb1,c nd
and peace
1t is by ignoring today that we defeat the
purposes of life, leading narrow and selfish
one. We see only an object to be attained,
and that merely sensual one. If we are be-
sought to give for charitable purposes we be-
stow our aims, not as a love offering or with
the glad feeling that we are enabled to be of
use, but simply as duty. This absorption of
men in their personal matters body and soul,
is a curse to life and makes them of no real use
to the world. 1t has been well said, "procras-
tination is the thief of time, and we see the
prover5 exemplifed in the world every day.
The world is full of unfi nished work. How
many have started plans for the benefit of their
fellow creatures which have died in embryo;
how many great works for the ameloratIon of
mankind have been commenced which the
death of the would be benefactor has left I'M
finished. Example fails to teach the sad les
son, and therefore every one should live with
the text constantly in their minds.
Therefore, work for to-day with an earnest
ness for the day alone; that is, let not the
thought of to.morrows work make us forget the
necessary work Of to-day. If we would gather
the rich fruits of the future we should work as
if to-day was the last of our lives. We must
have our affairs all arranged so that if the
divine call should come this very night to
leave all and enter into the heavenly kingdom
our accounts with the world and our Maker
would be found balanced, and our spiritual
house in order We need foresight and pru-
dence in this world, but we need fidelity more,
and above either of these we need faith in God
that il we perform our tasks to-day He will re-
ward our diligence tomorrow. Personal and
persistent effort is what is needed to overcome
the worldly part of us and fit us for the higher
life. Only guard the present we'll and the fu-
ture will take care of itself. What better work
can we do han to so round out each days la
Dor that when the last day shall come we shall
be cheered with the "Wel done, faithful SER
want, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord
A great work has lately been accomplished,
the binding of the East and the West by Cir
die Of iron. What promises for the future does
not this road engender? The hundreds of
towns and villages that may spring up upon its
line-the vast country thrown open to immi-
grafton with al the advantages of civilization
the increase of the conntry's wealth. the
trade of foreign countries passing over it; and
vet that road may be made the producer of
more evils than we now dream of, if we look
not out to-day that all contingencies for wrong
doing may be diverted in so far as we have the
power. We should see to it that it is built
most strongly and securely, that the page OF
history may have no terrible chapter OF horrors
inscribed thereon, and that freedom OF thought
and freedom of conscience as well as personal
freedom shall be insured to those who may IN
habit that vast territory, and so the bond be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific shall be one OF
amity and prosperity. Let fidelity in to-day
work In this as in all other matters, both splr-
itual and temporal, be our care, and by so do
ing we snail work out the meaning OF the apOs-
tie when ne enjoins upon us to 'take no
thought OF the morrow; sufficient unto the day
is the evil thereof
After the services there was n norisI, meet.
ing at which it was decided to hold TnstaiIa-
ton services early in the coming month nj No
yember, and Messrs. G. 7. Kimball q 8 Eohos
+ Washburn Jr., Merit b. COOLIDGE WilIard
II. Woodbury., W. w. Harris and Natban
Webb were appointed a Committee of Ar
rangements for that purpose.
r1r cropN-On Friday niobt the roin viii