The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-30

when he thought that in hundred years all
of them would be dead. When look upon
this congregation it troubles me. I never
stand in the sacred desk but 1 tremble; trem-
bic thinking of The terrible responsibility rest
ing upon the messenger of God. In less than a
hundred years this vast congregation will all
be in eternity. 80 that the salvation of Israel
were come out of Zion" Out of ZION, the per-
lection of beauty, God had shined The Church
has the divine word; these all are the oracles
of God. Without this book men are grovel-
| ling in darkness. Christ is revealed in His
| word. Without the word men are led into
| Mormonsm, fanaticism and every other species
| of infiielity. Gods sunlight comes down to
US in one indiscriminate ray; but let it fall on
the foliage of these trees, and the beautiful
green is revealed. Let it shine upon flower
and the bright orange is presented to our view.
| And every other color starts into life through
| the rays of the sun. God shines upon us and
reveals to us our character. Though varying,
| all need the saneti:ying influence of God's
| holy spirit. "Thon God seest me" is an impor-
| tant truth. o that we might feel it, as Hagar
| felt in the wilderness. Gods word reveals to
| MS our nature. 1t is important for us to know
its corruption, but it is an unpleasant truth
Gods estimate of deathless spirit was mani
| fest in the gift of His son. Gods word reveals
| to US our destiny. We are passing away. Our
| life is as brief as a md-summer's day. We
| ar going out into the deathly gloom, but a
| voice from the world of the blessed comes to
| us sweetly, saying, "Come ye blessed of my
Father" voice from the world of the wicked,
| ~ Saiv SO FREQ 20 oil
is said that men may be educated into the
| grace of God, but education only develops what
is in man. If evil predominates in his nature
| it will only make hi n tenfold more the child
of he'll than he was before. Christ is n divine
| Saviour. No human sacrifice can save us. No
angelic sacrifice can do it. Christ, the only and
well beloved Son of God, is the only propitia-
| ton for the sins of the world. There is hope
| for the penitent sinner here The Church
comes with the invitation. There is moth ng
| like the grace of God to make and develop the
| true man. We have the spirit to sanctify; the
| Holy Spirit and the Church working together
| Sanctifed parental influence is very impor-
| tant lever to bring our children to God. They
| cannot long resist the earnest, loving appeals
| of mothers heart, sanctifed to God. Sane
| Influence are all great helps in winning souls
to God. These are all strategic points Of the
Church We need the baptism of the spirit to
give MS courage, to bring these into active
vice for the Master. The warm, loving heart,
and earnest loving words of this man of G cd
held the large audience for more than an hour
in almost breathless silence, save where it was
broken by sobs Of the penitent and shouts of
| the joyous ones. We give bat an imperfect
| sketch of this most soul-stirring and impress
| sive sermon. Rev. Mr.. Luce is recently ftom
the Vermont Conference, and has won the
hearts of not only the members of the Chestnut
street Church and congregation by his gentle,
loving spirit and devotedness TO the great work
| of his Master, but he has also secured those of
his brethren in The ministry. AT the close CT
the sermon the invitation was given, and more
than 80 souls presented themselves for the
prayers of the Church, and the great power of
God came down upon the people,.
ATT O'clock Rev w. Fl. PillsbuIy, of Con-
gress Street, Portland, pres cbed from John,
| xix: 30 -" 1t is finished" In the opening
prayer, by brother in the ministry, we were
forc:bly reminded of Parson Smiths Journal
writes, "Was wonderfully helped in prayer;
prayed two hours and half.' The speaker
| commenced by saying, 81 have thought that
| when come to die, should like to be able to
utter these words in their fullest sense, in re-
| ference to the work God has sent me to do,
ut is finished" In these words we have the
work of the Atonement brought to our view
| Few men feel, as they pass away, that their
work is complete, can say, it is finished. The
| life of Christ was but few years, yet at its
close, he could say in the hearing of the multi
tude, with the light of G od and of eternity shin
ing upon them, at it finished 81 have flu
shed the work thou didst give me to do.'' As
we look upon the picture of mans fall, his deg
| radiation, can we for a moment think that God
would leave him there? Let us take our stand
for moment in the great whispering gallery
of Gods creation. Already have the angels
transgressed the law Of God, and they have
been hurled down from the battlements OF bea-
ven. And row man rebels. 1 seem to see q
shade Of sadness pass over the couptenance of
God. Christ presents himself before the Faith
err and offers himself as a sacrifice for the sins
of man. The offer is accepted, Christ comes
and angels sing at his birth.
In Greciau fable we read that there was 4
meeting of all the gods, and the question was
discussed, how shall man be redeemed? After
all had expressed their views Jupiter said,
will let down golden chain to earth; men
shall see its beauty; they will grasp it, and
then l will draw them up to heaven. Man
could not be redeemed by man; it required
diviae Christ Although Christ was divine he
was also human; by his death, therefore, per-
feet sacrifice was made. All the prophesies of
the Old Testament and pointed forward to
Christ, eliminated, were fulfilled in Him.
Standing there where these were uttered on
the threshold of time, and looking at mankind
it would seem that there was no good in man.
But looking into Gods word, we see golden
thread running down through the stream of
time, and reaching through all the ages yet to
come, giving indications that the power of evil
shall be destroyed and Christ shall reign SUI
preme here as in heaven. Again We take our
STAND on Calvary, and behold the events that
transpired there. We see all things and hear
ohrist say, 1T is finished" He bows His sa-
Crea mead atid dies. The rocks rend inlicat-
ing that The hardest aud most flinty heart may
be broken by the power of the Gospel. Tho
Vall OF the temple Is rent showing that the
way is open into the holiest by the blood of
the Lamb. The dead are raised, showing M
the life principle and power of the precious
blood of Christ. And low having overcome
principalities and powers, He has sat down at
the right hand Of the Father, expecting Christ
is expecting victory for his people, all through
the ages and from every kind of evil extant in
the world. God ministers need not fear though
the heather rage, though the kings OF the earth
should set themselves in array against them and
against the Lords annointed; though the Pope
proclaim his infallibiity, so that he as God,
stitch in the temple of God, showing himself
that be is God. God shall consume them with
the spirit of his mouth. Though we toll on
hard soil, nothing is too hard for our glorious
Captain. He sits expecting. Though we see
no present fruit of all our labor, Christ sits ex-
pectlpg. Noah preached righteousness 40