The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-01-01

SoloSe, OonSGantlIOple, preached at the second
Parish Church yesterday afternoon and in the
evening delivered a sermon in the State Street
Church before the Female Missionary Society
Branch office of the engineering depart
ment of the Boston & Maine is to be opened in
one of the rooms of the Sugar House building
We learn that the Rev. E. c. Bolles, recently
of Congress Square Church, intends to deliver
course of lectures here in January, upon The
Microscope and its Revelations" illustrated
with a series of experiments with a calcium
light and full apparatus Mr. Bolles is de-
voted Naturalist, and has given this course al
ready in one or two places with great success.
The Casco National and First National
Banks have declared semi-annual dividends of
five per cent, payable tomorrow
Prof. Stone gives his last entertainment at
Fluent Hall tonight. Every person in the hall
will receive a gift.
The Portland Light Infantry have prepared
an elegant order of twenty dances for their
Ball at City Hall tonight The floor is to be
under the charge of a good Committee and the
affair promises to be grarfd one
The Sunday School of the Mountford A. M.
E. Church will celebrate New Years (this)
evening with ANEW Years Tree" There will
be refreshments for sale later in the evening.
Sunday Services.
Several of our city pulpits were occupied yes
ter6ay by clergymen from abroad and although
the weather was disagreeeble and unpleasant
the congregations were very respectable in point
of numbers.
CONGRESS SQUARE UNIvERsALIST CHURCH
At this church yesterday morning, Rev. E.
Of +bo
delivered one of his eloquent and powerful dis
courses. The following brief abstract can con-
vey no adequate idea of the sermon, which was
one of Mr.. Bolles' best effoyts The text was
taken from st. Matthew xiii, 81, 'sBut Jesus
said unto them, prophet is not without honor,
save in his own country and in his own house."
The speaker commenced by abiding to the great
benefit which the spectroscope was to science,en-
abling to discover the minutest particles of any
object or liquid So is it with the Bible, which
unfolds new and more beautiful truths when
viewed in the light of reason and progressive
inquiry. 1t is strange but noticeable fact in
life that we are the most unwilling to believe
the commonest and most familiar things. The
invariable tendency of the old is to distrust and
refuse to recognize the ability or greatness of
the young; but they are ever seeking to remind
them of the mistake and mishaps of their ear
ier years. So it is in theology, the ancient
forms and systems of religion being ever unwil-
ling to accept or acknowledge the truth of any
new system OF theory. The gradual growth and
development of the character of Christ is the
subject of the lesson taught us in the text, and
that life was the simple and natural growth of
human life in mind and body as everywhere ex-
,Nibited. There was nothing strange or abnor-
NAL about it, otherwise such facts would have
been noted. And as God prepared Christ by
the simple and natural growth of human life
for the great work to which he was to be called
the salvation and redemption of mankind
SO should we alta in to the higher and better
life, by the best use Of those mighty POSSIBLE
ties which have been Implanted in every hui
man soul We are too apt to look upon Christ
as Saviour rather than as friend and near
companion. But in the days of his walk upon
earth there were those who looked upon him as
a friend and brother and in his every day life
and recognized the beauty and loneliness of
-acter, which God was gradually pfepar-
browning glory and blessing. And
life should be developed by that
.tention to the least as well as
TOT. ags, SO that at last, by this
gradua. Ill attain through the in
finite love rest and glory of heav-
en-. The con sings of life should be
regarded with st love and respect.
We never XII ne until we feel so
deeply their 10 While the sun of life
is shining and ready and willing to
bless. let us he ommon and familiar
things, and SO I,v,.v. 90. Maker and Creator
who is the guardian and protector of the uni
verse-and from whom proceeds all the count
less blessings which make glad our existence.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES HARDINGE BRITTEN.
This lady delivered an interesting lecture be-
fore the Portland Spiritual Association, at Ian
caster Hall, yesterday afternoon. Quite fair
sized audience was present although the hall
was uncomfortably cold. The speaker COM
menced by stating that there were certain in
stincts and aspirations implanted in nature;
some by God and others by men. After the as
serton that the doctrines of modern Spiritual
ism, including that of the communion of spirits
and its attendant manifestations, was implant-
ed IN the human soul by the power of God him
self, and without any agency of men, the speak
er proceeded to a review of the progress of Mod
ern Spiritualism in Europe and America, citing
previously numerous instances of spiritual man
ifestations in ancient times, drawn from the
Bible and history. But Modern Spiritualism is
essentially distinct revelation 1t is founded on
the principles of science as clearly recognized
as any other Several instances of the first mani
festations of the science were given, including
manifestations of witchcraft, clairvoyance, sec
Ond-sight etc. The various forms and beliefs
which Spiritualism assumes in different coun-
tries were described fully and graphically
Long before the Rochester knockings were
heard of a French work of great interest, en-
titled 'The Celestial Telegraph was publish
ed 1t was then however, thought that what is
now known as Spiritualism, was only the natu-
raj effect of occult or electric influences. The
German Spiritualists and those of France,
Russia, and Austria, are no Spiritualsts but
only materialists or reincarnationists Several
of the highest English savans have thoroughly
investigated the phenomena of Spirtualism
and pronounced them genuine. But they are
only materialists and do not acknowledge that
these manifestations are produced by spirits
But there is another class in Great Britain who
admit the presence of spirits, but do not ack-
nowledge the doctrines which grow out of the
manifestations. AS general rule, the classes
in Europe known as Spiritualists still believe
in and practice the religions and ceremonies of
antiquity. 1t is only in America that the faith
is clearly defined and acknowledged We must
accept the general facts of Spiritualism, and
not seek to explain the details. And the first
and the greatest of these, is the great fact of
the immortality of the SOUL which should be
alone sufficient to convince all men of the truth
of Spiritualsm. The doctrine of individual
responsibility is every day gaining ground, and
removing the effect of ancient theologies and
forms of religion, and soon will achieve great
and universal triumph.
The lecture was eloquent throughout, and
held the closest attention of the audience.
COUPONS of the First Mortgage Bonds of the
Leeds & Pennington Railroad, due July 1st
1872 will be paid at the First National Bank