The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-30
Thanksgiving services.


A brief abstract will hardly do Justice to it
earnest and Christian teaching The preache
began by saying-The Annual Thanksgiving
| Wnat heaven flavor of sweetness and good
! VIII fingers around the name of our yearly fes
tiVaL With what glowing pride the scattered
| ones reunlte around the family hearthstone
| though in some circles the vacant chair anG
tear dimmed eye give memory mem! OF s some dear al
| the remembrance of Gods goodness unto us
| crownng our days with the richness OF His
mercy. Prosperous circumstances and per
| soDal happiness have indeed called forth q
| greater or less degree of gratitude. We gather
| here this morning TO give expression to
| that thankfulness which another year of be-
| nefce2ce and gladness gives us reason to ex-
press. Not that we wish once for all in one
| great holocaust to thank the Lord for His mer
cies, and so relieve our hearts, for trust that
| each new day, bringing its blessings, brings
also its thanksgiving. Let us lay aside all per
sonal bitterness and false chickering's. The
| preacher referred to the many reasons for graf
itude, specifying instances in domestic, social,
business and public life The blessed Lord d.
reefs all things for out of Affections come bless
ings. He delineated the various phases of
mental desire-as where men say 'if God will
only carry out to a successful issue some pro-
iect of mine, / will be devoutly thankful"
God, in His PIovidential care over men, judges
of success for them not from human, but a
Divine standpoint. 1t is because we fail to re-
member our weakness that we put on the as
sumption of independence. Intensely selfish
are VIC to receive all the good Of life forgetting
to thank the Oliver.
dependence. 1t teaches us submission. 1t
prompts to the development of our highe st
powers. The scope of true greatness compre-
bends more than mere words. We must illus
trate our speech with love and good will or our
words are void. Without mercy Justice and affec-
tIOn words a N than tho hlOwipu of the
wind. The preacher gave avigorous and beaut-
full period on the true meaning OF language.
He avered that gratitude lies in the heart, and
spoken words of thanksgiving are nothing un-
less permeated by the warm touch of soul.
The age in which we live calls us to such acts
of gratitude. We are not ignorant of the law
OF righteousness, and must be governed by it.
Our time to show gratitude is the present.
Let day by day reveal in us some fresh develop
mont of goodness and love and benevolence
Let US permit our characters to blossom into
beauty and thus gladden., witty and bless other
lives beside our own. The preacher showed
that by the lack of these qualities spring selfish
ness fraud and the various lower qualities. He
eloquent appeal for the more perfect funllment
of the christian duties.
CONGREGATIONAL.
There was very fair audience present at
State Street Church to listen to discourse on
Ni'ii oSANASC 1eSlOIhl, ny tLc dUl0 PASTOR VI
this church. Mr. Hineks took his text from
I'd Samuel %: 8.
David, he said, was the kingliest monarch
who ever sat upon a throne. 1t was not the
power of his sceptre or his comprehensive wis
dom that gave him this distinction; other kings
may have excelled him in these. 1t was in his
kingly character that he is inapproachable
Great men have way of putting themselves
into sentence David expressed his royal
character in the words Of my text: HE that
ruleth over men must be righteous ruling in
the fear of God" Kipgliness is righteousness
regnant A king is a man with some of Gods
authority put into his hand. Righteousness is
the virtue of kings, as chastity is that of wo-
men, and integrity that of men.
Monarchy gets all its majesty from the au-
thority which shines through it, as the eye gets
all its lustre from the soul behind it. Take
away the living soul, and the brilliant and pow
erful eye is dull aud repulsive piece of pulp.
Take away the authority, and your imposing
monarch is-what he happens to be as man /;
and that is likely enough TO be a commonplace
sort of person
What if, instead of king, there be Presi-
dent and Senate and House of Representa-
tlves? Not the less do We expect the sovereign
power to be welded in a righteous way. Sow
ereignty and righteousness are welded in God.
The government has no right to govern except
rghteously. If it does not govern righteously
it has no right to govern at all.
UnrlghteouSnesS in government is worse
than unrighteousness in man. 1t is an unnat-
to his child.
High minded, sensitive men dread unright-
eous government They dread q stain upon it
more than disaster to their country's arms.
There were men in England who felt themselves
disgraced when their government covered its
face with its hand and let the Alabama slip out
ct its leash; and no wonder! There were men
in these United States who felt a dishonor at
tachlng to themselves when this government
bullied little Mexico into war, and when it
marshalled its legions to drive back Anthony
Burns to the lash.
The speaker said that he wished to call atten-
ton this morning to practice of the govern
ment OF these United States which is upright
eous and prolific of unrighteousness. So ini-
quitous is it, that if we fail to feel some degree
OF shame after taking full view of it, our
the present system of selecting oficeholders.
President Lincoln after his second election,
not long before his DEATH pointing to crowd
OF ice-seekers who were thronging his door,
remarked to friend, "We have put down the
rebellion, but there is something fraught with
greater peril to the nation than the rebellion
itself" We cannot easily exaggerate tie inn
portance of an evil upon which that far-seeing
ruler placed such an estimate. The issue be-
fore us is not one of opposing political parties.
1t is more question between good and bad
men.
The United States government has in its en-
ploy about tifty-three thousand men. 1t has
chosen this great army from the various avo-
cations of social life, and set them at work for
the people, The work which these employees
of the government have to do, is for the most
part such as makes it essential to those to whom
it is committed should be men of special train
ing and high character if it is to be properly
done. In any other business the test would be
| Are these men suited by experience and hon.
| esty for the position?'' The speaker said that
| at present offices were bestowed as the reward
| for political influence. This bad assumption OF
| the government is followed by another, which
| is worse. The Office is bestowed as gift upon
some men on account of their pre-emnent
claims. This is perversion perverted. Upon
this double violation of principle the system
upon which our government chooses its employ
ees is based. See how it carries out its false
principles.
To begin With, it tacitly says its various
positions are rewards to be given to men in re-
turn for membership in the ruling party. Had
the election just over resulted differently, fifty
| Thousand followers of the victorious banner
| would have been rewarded for their fealty by
| being set at work for the government.
| This practice is contrary to the intention OF
! the fiamers of the government. From the time
| OF Washington to that of jackson there were
| but few removals. jackson introduced the prac-
| tice of making removals and planted in the ma
tional mind that Office is reward not employ
ment Senators and Representatives now con-
slider this their right The speaker would not
| be understood to condemn all ofice-holders
| many he knew were faithful able men. It was
| the principle he condemned. The man best quail
| fled to fulfill the duties of place has the best
| claim upon it. To set him aside is unrighteous.
| When you see an unrighteous practice which
good men will defend, then strike at it, it is a
deadly foe to society.
| This principle of our government has deceiv-
| ed the nation forty years as to its real charac-
ter The people have become obtuse as to the
| morality of the government. How far the dis
| gushing moral delinquencies of our day, the
| rings, and the corners, and the jobs and the
| failures into fortunes which enliven our civil
| and commercial life, are to be accounted for by
| the fact that the government has been steadily
| bunting the conscience of the people for a
generation, no man can tell.
Mr.. H. described graphically the details OF
| Office-seeking, and the cOrrupting influence Of
| it upon the members of Congress. Still another
| evil is, that many dishonest and incompetent
men get into office And yet further evil is
| the formation of political proletariat. AL
| these things develop in our government ten
dency to tempt to dishonesty the people.
What is tine remedy? First, all good men
should flown upon such a condition of things.
| Second, public sentiment must be renovated
| Gift taking in every form must be condemned
Lastly, the real remedy lies in the adoption of
| "civi service reform
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Sermon by Rev. DR.. Smaller. The Doctor
took his text from I'd Cronicles 80: So.
| He commenced by referring to our estimate
| of prominent characters as revealed in ancient
history. At first glance they appear fair and
| unblemished, bvt upon critical examination
we discover defects just as through the micro
scope, we discover spots on the sun.
| In this world foundations to sin are many