The Portland daily press., 1873-08-25
sUNDAY SERVICES.


| visible JHluSS VI uiul lIOul tuC Clcdtioh VI buO
world are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even his eternal power
and Godhead'
| There are two recognized modes of arriving
at truth; one by seeking it, the other by being
carried TO it; or to change the figure some men
overcome all obstacles by personal striving
| other men receive from some one else the soln-
| ton of the enigma 1t may be said that this
distinction is of little Importance, that no truth
can enter the finite mind unless it is first in the
| infinite mind. ''In God we live and move and
have our being" l shall insist however, upon
distinction. For example, there is a marked
| difference among scientific men between dis
covery itself, and the use of discovery. There
| are some men who can discover truth; there
| are others who can only adapt and use the dis
coveries OF. others The first is the prerogative
of genius, and while We who possess no genius
cannot call this power our own, we can appre-
| ciate it in others.
Our subject is difficult of statement 1t how.
| ever may be said that this lack of power to dis
cover truth is only relative and not absolute;
because II absolute we would not be able to ap-
preclate IT, may love to read the works of
Plato; or Chrsts sermon on the Mount, or be
| able to comprehend the ANALYSIS of La Grange
and not be able to produce either. A man may
De Taught truth and be able to enter into the
beauties and foundations of it, and become
| concelted and think himself able to produce 1t
and thus fail to recognize his obligation to his
teacher. He may on entering upon the study
of truth either become discouraged by its i'm
mensity, or conceited and suppose himself able
| to produce it. Science claims to be a teacher
of truth. If possess the power of receiving
that truth that power implies some power of
dscovery-so cannot be able to receive truth
without some power on my part of discovering
| it. If we only would, we might do as Christ
bids us; seek for ourselves. Jesus appeals to
| the common intvitions of the human race. pre-
cisely as we understand the principles of geom-
etry:
We should be careful not to fall into the too
common error of confounding the spiritual
ability given us by Christ with our own nat
ural ability and grossly disrespect the truth.
1t is not true that man without Christ would
have been unable to arrive at any of the ele-
ments of truth. For if without Christ we are
unable to arrive at TRUTH then we have no
| power to receive the truths taught by him.
Heaven and earth bave language speaking of
God to the inquirer. Our conceptions of space
and time; our consciousness of spiritual things
| only reaches It's highest grandeur when we re-
cognize the spiritual elevation and power of
Christ. While the New Testament proceeds on
the ground that men are ignorant, yet it i'm
| plies that they are capable of being taught.
| The mission of Christ was not primarily to
| teach truth, but to save men from their sins ;
| yet he taught truth also and "came to bear
| witness to it, Those who reject the testimony
| of Christ to truth, are those who reject the
truth itself; as ir the last century the French
| L
| truth. So in our own day there are those like
| Herbert Spencer who in rejecting Christ re-
| ject the truth. Their truth consists merely of
an i'll defined awe of the unknown. Christ
| appeals not merely to consciousness of
weakness, but to our consciousness of strength.
Ii could truly analyze the springs of religious
feeling, should say it consists, not in the fear
of the unknown, but in the known and &C.
knowledged. The law of our being is percep-
| ton and feeling coexistant. Wonder is arous-
| ed nv the DnrppntlOn that know mnph and
in the unknown beyond there are things to be
| learnt This is the opposite of Spencer. am
I wholly Indifferent to that of which 1 know
I nothing. A little knowledge begets taste for
| more.
The sense of the sublime is a positive princi-
pie, and an exten ion of its grasp is always pos
sible and will always give it more and more.
This Is the opposite view from that of Hami-
ton who believes in merely negative percep-
tion The more clearly we grasp the great
thoughts Of God the more we become conscious
OF the immensely of the thought that lies be-
hind our knowledge of it. 1t is the perception
of the infinite attributes of the soul that gives
the suOllmest value tie our reception of truth.
There are open books containing one and the
same truths to be used in the service of Christ
and His church.
First-That the natural creations speak Of
God.
Second-Man's own heart and cons ciousness,
whereby man grasps the teachings of God.
Third-The word of Revelation absolutely
revealed by God, the Prophets, and His only
| Son.
The universe is the embodiment of Gods
thought and the highest reaching of mans in
| tellect is the ability to reach that thought
| Nature reveals the love of God. The human
heart is never satisfied until it rests upon the
Infinite love and teachings. The Infinite alone
| can meet all the wants of the human soul.
This is worth more thon all the distinctions of
logic. The book of Revelations is recognized
by us as from God by the elements of tender
love written on our souls for our children and it
is thus we are enabled to look upward to Him
with infinite gratitude and love-
PARK STREET CHURCH
Rev. G. Il. Brigham Of Ann Arbor, Mich,
preached Sunday morning from Bomans CHS
''To will is present with me; but how to per-
form what is good find not" We give brief
abstract of the sermon.
The text states fact of almost universal ex-
perience. The human will is assumed to be free
in all arguments for duty, and the science of
others depends upon the postulate. But there
are numerous practical limitations of this free
dom.
BODILY functions, over which the will has
no power, the action of heart and lnngs, and
the changes of the frame from youth to age
Physical capacity and strength, what one
may will to do, but is not strong enough to do.
3-The limit of practice, what one must learn
to do by slow effort
/ 4-The limit of habit already acquired, what
can be done only in the customary way in spite
of will and desire.
5-The limit of physical defect or disease,
hindering the limbs and muscles from obeying
| the will.
| 6-Atmospheric conditions, which nullify or
| neutralize volition.
THE influence of place and habitation,
making man the slave of his surroundings. All
these limitations are physical. In addition to
these are
Estates of feeling and passions, mirth, sor-
row, curiosity, Jealousy, love, all hinder the
will
9-The association of ideas, controlling mem
ory and the course Of thought.
These limitations apply to the work of the
will and its instruments. But there is large
range of service and work in which there is alb
solute freedom of choice. Nothing is gained by
going back to the consideration of motive. In
spite of this demonstration of limit, there are
some things about the work of will tina t
should be kept in mind.
THAT a need of these limitations ought not
to hinder intelligent choice between truth
and fasehood, right and wrong.
2-That free will is always taken for granted
in the dealings of man with man, honest or
| dishonest.
3-That no theory of the servitude of will can
| destroy moral responsibility.
All the points of the discourse were variously
| illustrated.
STATE STREET CONGREGATIONAL
The morni ng sermon was preached by Rev.
Dr. Bush of Troy, N. Y. Text Romans 8: 10.
For if when we were enemies we were recon-
ciled to God by death of His Son; much more
being reconciled, we shall be saved by His
life" The preacher discussed the perfection
| of Gods works in nature and in His divine la
bors He then spoke of the enmity of man
kind to God, and of the complete reconciliation
of man to God By His Son, and by the init
macy which exists between God aud those who
are reconciled to Him.
CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL
Rev. Father Bradley delivered very able
discourse at the Cathedral Yesterday, his text
being Luke x. % to 81. The parable contained
| in this text relates to good neighbor The
wounded was to those that passed as the sinner
| is to the world; the Catholic church represents
| the good Samaritan. The discourse was deliv-
! cred with his accustomed fervor, and was list
ened to with deep interest.
ALLEN MISSION.
In the evening Prof. Grimes of Chicago, lee
tured on temperance, The Chapel was crowd
ed by an interested audience. The Professor
remarked that everything had it's cause. and
| &l,nn II Al.