Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-01-12
Agricultural.
The Christmas Tree.
Gouldsbero, Dec. %, 1870.

more" 1t looked like huge boquet tow
ering to the ceiling overhead. 1t was
managed by the tidy hand of Mrs. Jennie
Rolf and others. We had music by Miss
Sarah Shaw of Steuben, and her niece
Miss Nellie Shaw from Machias. They adj
ded much To the interest of the occasion.
The president, Capt John Moore, said he
was expected to make speech, but feel
ing indsposed would call on Mr.. +. c.
Guptill, whose speech we subjoin. The
house was crowded, and from beginning 10
end it was highly entertaining. The tree
contained the greatest variety of fruit,
from penny whistle to email baby and
stockings.
Respectfully yours, G.
REMARKS OF 7. c. GUPTuL.
Christ said to his disciples. "a new conf
mandment | give unto you. that We love
one another. Here il is verified. This one
commandment cOmprehends the whole
II was said by them of old time, thou
shalt not kill. thou shalt not steal, thou
shalt not bear false witness. thou shalt not
covet thy neighbours property &C., but in
this new commandment which Christ in
%
hended, and our duty told in the few
words,-"love one another.
am happy to know that after eighteen
hundred and seventy years. the spirit OF
Chrisi's teachings have an abiding place
with US This demonstration here to-
night, i a truly christian as anything can
be among men Here we fnd. on the
eighteen hundred and seventeen annver-
sdry OF Christ, birthday, the people As
sembled in memory Of him who died on
C1vary's rugged mount. You all know
the story of The cross. There is no tomb
stone with it, Inscription TO mark the place
where they laid him, aud even if there
Wa, we need not ID TX in the grave for the
body OF Jesus Bus here is the inscription
IN the pret l. of his people. that shall live
c~h AND true when the tomb shall long
sigre nave hrcn lost sight Of and DESTROY
Ell by the ever busy hand OF fine. Again
W notice Il one OF the leading features of
tn occasion. I'll. evergreen tree: en-
identical of tntt part in man which iall
never die. Aud ties. presents hanyin.
4 IN eac bpuIh asd >pris. ar not with
uJ tleir ~ . tllu bus are en- lie .natical In
~ odd gre; fr-l. OF thIt great Gift
u tIc prtl - Stripar; and secondly
thrF 40" tht Ia tct'tin = were not ia
Ett- Ia. tax we still llsc in accor Lane,
wsta IA; d.v..is ini .i;tioa.-so hove one
h1lhcf- IA h-'c .ct m. say. that. the
value az ~ i n. estimated nv dollars
AMI ctui>. -.tr ron il. Iii estimated ~
tAt >plrlt IA watch Il il gwen. II IN alters
40 wa, the th!ug cost. nor for how much
ni.h be bid. - long a. i: j. presented
IN the spirit OF love. frirn i>hip and truth
Then ! 1t Of great value. Christ said OF
the woman vip Cd> into the treasury only
Two mites. that 81 did more than all the
rest. h.cau>r lie knew that her motive
was purc-thIt he heart went with it.
The >sn a,est stit. Therefore. NAV be the
most valuable after ali. ana | would rather
have pen - worth, If presented In the
rrIt >pIrl than a hundred dollars given
with PolicJ in il. Selii>hncs> is one of the
evils OF our nature. and j A. much unchris-
tI1n Ike be eve. a. stealing or lying. |
would not Civ much for that mans friend
ship. whb Away >ubtraci> from his neigh
Dor and adds 10 himself But here i man
II >tci no spirit Of >clh>hnc>>. like this
Il believe in IL. II has no idea OF profit
NJ police in il. No better law can be given
4 people this. and no reli ion can be found
ed on a better DI>i>.-lnve one anoih-r
And in this connection let me say. that We
should not forget our obl.at ions to the
children. Christ babe them come to him.
He took them in his arms and blessed
them, aud said ''of such j. the Kingdom of
Heaven. Il is Christ-like then. 10 love and
care for the children
pass now 10 notice whether or net We
are making any progress in our moral and
religious world. and ask YOU If We have
not reason to be thankful and hopeful II
we are 10 Judge the future by the past. it i.
well that we look over the records of the
past 10 learn whether we are on the right
direction. l will take you back only G
hundred years, when burning at the stake
a.4e 81 in "a Ia.
may be persons living to-day who can re-
meJuber the perpetuation of the last oil
these inhuman acts, At that time the sys-
ten of torture for extorting confession.
vas practiced. and executions were almosi
nm every day occurrence. and that too. fol
minor Offences. THAT time almost ever,
one believed in w!tchcraft, and less than
hundred years ago a poor woman wa,
stoned To death, because suspected of be
ing witch. DIR. Johnson an En.lishmaI
at note in his days. and many others
might mention. firmly believed in ghosts
and haunted houses. John Wesley, tn,
founder of Nethodi>m, was equally super
Stitous with The res. Now what do yut
think i the way we are tending: Upward
To- be sure. TODAY we shulder at tn,
thought of burning a the stake. and hang
ing. even. i only rc>nrtcd t., a. punish
u.ent for the most extreme crimes. such Il,
murder ia the first degree; and this pre-
Dict, Will soon Re known only in history
a. il ought TO be to-day. Ii is system o
barbariiy, that ought not TO be practiced b,
a Peoplr who learn of Christ. TO day ",
laugh At the man who believes in witch
craft or haunted houses. knowing il 10 b.
the result of ignorance. and confined I,
such. or 10 the falsely educated. Thu
You see thai. gradually we are improv ing
bat whcthcr We can trace the cause to III,
leaders IN Christianity. | am not sure. Il
may De that thp>c who >tudY. and educat.
orr AMI scientific men ont>id OF Christian.
its, are ii, ~ The work. But siil. Chris
t4Hiiy claims tae honor. aud il would
seem to read the teachings of Christ. That
Tie world must improve and are in
Ci'n.d Ia look Ia Ills wor-hipers for re-
form. II tIerr is a failure. the leaders are
alone responsible. and not the principles o
Christ. Let m" ASK any rejecting mind
if We are not living to-day more after the
IA hlun Of the Mosaic ian.-'.In eye Tor al
eve and tooth Tor footb." thsn we a;t
alter the teaching, of hrist. to love ono
auothcr5
believe there is too much formaiitv. toe
much style. tho much Of the lon. robe
long prayers and long faces. and not
enough Of heart ia the worship OF to- day
We seem 10 be afraid to take Christ at hi,
word and risk the result. lie SAYS that We
must love one another. and further, that
We L u>t love our enemies. Now this il
easy 10 preach, but when we are required
to practice ii, we think IL is going q little
to far. showing conclusively that we, lack
confidence in the principles as presented.
But do not find fault. do not know that
] could do any batter RyseT. One thug we
do know, however. that far a. the prin-
ciples OF Christ have been carried out true
to the letter. so far radical improvements
have been made
Christ taught preeepts that as far sur
pass those of the ancients. as the sun out
shines the evening taper. The condition
of the world up to time when christianity
dawned, was indeed deplorable, and even
now, in many portions of the globe, it is
not much better.
The religion of Mohommed. not SO old
as ours by some six hundred years, prevails
in the East to an alarming extent Ii is
the religion of India, Persia. Turkey in
Asia, Turkey in Europe, Arabia, Little
Tartary, Little Bokharia and various 9TH