The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-05-26
sunday Services.

| the discOurSeS turueu upon the observance or
| Memorial Day. All the sermons were good,
and many of them very fine. They were mark
ed by a tender reverence where they spoke of
the cherished dead who laid down their lives
on the field of honor. Nor were they unmind-
full of the merits of the living, who. less fortu-
nate than their dead comrades, have returned
to their homes crippled in limb and shattered
in health. Year by year the observance of Me-
moral Day is taking deeper hold upon the
hearts OF the people. The custom of decorat-
ing with flowers the graves of our honored dead
has something about it which appeals strong
ly to the feelings and Imagination Coming as
the day does when the desolation of winter has
just given way to the blossoms of spring, it
seems with its floral tributes fitting type of
the resurrection and the life
INDIA STREET.
Rev. George W. Bicknell at India street I'm
iversalist church, preached a sermon on "Me-
moral Day and some of its lessons" at his
church before large congregation, yesterday
morning, taking for his text portion of the
18th verse of the 9th chapter of Esther, "These
days should be remembered and kept through
out every generation. Il nor the
memorial of them perish"
He commenced with reference to the Gus
tom of the ancients to observe the anniversa
ries of important events in their histories.
Fasts and festivals were frequently occurring.
In the present season of record and intelligence
we cannot anticipate so much enthusiasm in
the observance of the anniversary of any event
as was manifest among the ancients; for it was
60 Inv which fhpV
kept in remembrance of by gone events Yet
it is well for as to remember some occasions OF
the past. We are not to forget; because the
lessons are important and God designs that we
shall profit from them.
He referred to the approaching Memorial
Day. alluding tersely to the ready sacrifices,
and the earnest, patriotic feelings of the early
days of the war. He spoke of the devotion of
the army-contending that it was principle for
which the soldiers enlisted and fought. All
creeds and political lines forgotten. The devo-
ton of the fallen should call forth our warmest
gratitude The speaker did not attempt any de-
fence of the memorial commemoration He
believed it right, bringing to mind the cost of
our blessings, and hence they were rendered
more valuable. While he did not, as pruci-
pie, believe in war, he did in being prepared for
it through the influences of live patriotism.
He did not believe the continued observance of
was no anger in the soldiers breast. The war
was not thus waged. But he believed it would
have a tendency to strengthen the bond of
union between the North and the South. He
closed with brief allusion to some of the
teachings of the hour. The fallen soldier con-
secration should be ours 10 the higher relations
of life. We are to enlist in the Grad Army of
which Christ is Captain, and even as the SOL
der pressed foraodrd, so are We wherever Christ
leads We cannot buy exemption; we are to do
our duty Individually. Life being active, we
must be faithful, even as the blood of the noble
soldier testities to has faithfulness. Then we
may leave our children and our childrens chill
dren precious blessings, and receive in due time,
in the beautiful land above, the rewards which
are due to the brave, the true and the victori-
ous
The music was excellent.
CONGRESS SQUARE UNIvERsALIsT.
Post Bosworth, G, A. r., accepted the kind
invitation of the society to attend service in a
body, and after beautiful Introductory service,
listened to an eloquent and practical sermon by
the pastor, Rev. w. E. Gibbs, based on Mac
cabees,xv, %; Nicanor lay dead in his harness.
The speaker briefly alluded to the death of
the warrior in battle array, and the respect the
world has always had for men of valor, "Dead
on the field of battle'-how much it means, as
we recall the self devotion and steadfast hero
ism of the thousands that have strewn the
worlds battle-felds. Generally speaking, wars
had been useless, but honor steadfastness and
courage are only virtues. In these days of
back pay and organized theft, the illustrious
examples of self-sacrifice and manly generous
courage, are worthy to be remembered. The
tendency of the time is to raid upon the money
bags-to obtain wealth in the shortest time, by
the most questionable ways, dwaring man
hood into mere selfishness. Far better to die
with the harness of industry on, than to rust
out in ease purchased by ill gotten gains. Sue
cess is not ease is not wealth, it does not
come in that way,-but by the uprighness
of righteous industry. The lesson of the war;
worn veteran who died with the harness on
teaches that all that is worthy must be attained
by life long and persistent struggles. God
meant that all men should work-that no posi-
ton is free of responsibility. The world is
battle field, and every man has part in the
great strife. True men cannot escape the re-
sponsibility. Only towards will skufk behind
the shadow of crime. All good men should
feel that they life long soldiersIfor the right.
There are opportunities to do good on all sides.
1t is the life work of christian men to do good,
that when they die, like Nicanor and the men
who gave their lives to the country. they fall
with their harness on.
In conclusion he said:"As we stand by the
graves of these comrades who have fought and
passed on, the memory of their valorous deeds,
should give us courage to press on to the ac-
knowledement of the greatest victory attainable
by human effort-the conquest of evil. Come
in what shape it may, we have only need to be
ldbuiul W OuT UWu DcSG COuNlCClOHS 10 reSlSU
the shock of onset and send the ranks of
wrong along from our front. And if we fall,
while still we struggle, if we have not removed
the harness which made known the side on
which we fought, we need not be ashamed to
die. A good cause, faithfully supported makes
even death glorious The memory of such as
do not falter in their allegiance to righteousness
is fragrant always with holy thought and heav-
onward desire. Be We faithful unto death and
will give you the crown of life, is the promise.
WOrthv Of au ic fho ri
| worthy the cause for whose sake it is offered.
Let no soldier hold back the service it re-
| quires The great captain of salvation COM
mands us forward, and forward let the order be,
| until the power of evil be destroyed, the reign
| of righteousness secured Forward, all along
the line, Jesus commands, it is ours to obey"
FIRST PARISH.
| Rev. DIR. Hill delivered strong and meaty
discourse from Nahum 1, 8. The sermon was
in measure discussion of the old problem
of the origin of evil. He commented severely
upon the recently spoken protest of dstin-
guished divine against the idea that Gods
providence was visible in the salvation of the
survivors of the Inflated s'Atlantic" The d.
vine mentioned cont ended that if Gods provi-
dence had been at work all would have been
saved. DIR. Hill saw the hand of God in the
drowning and in the rescue. The Almighty
| for his own wise purposes, sees fit sometimes
| to work good by means of death and suffering
| lulS WAS lldulleSucu III our late war, Wnen
| thousands of men and millions of treasure
| were sacrificed that the nation might live. The
result was publication of the moral atmos-
| phere, much as a storm clears the physical
| The speaker then touched upon Memorial Day,
and dwelt upon the debt which we owe TO our
brave defenders, both living and dead. AL
ludng to the words of his text, he said that
God was seen in the flowers as well as in the
| whirlwind.
PINE STREET M. CHURCH
At Pine street church the altar was decorated
with flowers. Rev. d. HI. Hannaburgh deliv-
cred very interesting discourse from Joshua
xxiv:3 He began by saying that Joshua clos
ed his eventful life by an act of faith. He was
buried in Shechem, and ever since that spot has
been sacred ground. All through the Bible we
find great attention is paid to the graves of the
sacred dead. They are considered sacred still !;
they are just as sacred to-day to those that be-
held them as ever. We of the present genera
ton have our consecrated places, not only in
| this city, but all over the country The speaker
then referred to those who had fallen, the graves
of whom would not be decorated during the
coming week, He gave a vivid description of
| the burial OF comrades on the battlefield. Do
you suppose that these fallen heroes have not
monument raised to their memories? Thus
| friends will ol,art ba,