The Portland daily press., 1873-10-27
SUNDAY SERVICES.
CASCO STREET CuIrRCH-

obedience to the divine command, is way of
DEATH The failure of such a one is not the
failure of christianity but of humanity When
men fail to meet the duties to which religion
calls because of want of conviction, they are
in the way of DEATH, Our convictions do not
change the laws of God. The demands of God
are absolute. He will help only those who try.
Again, men keep in the way of death because
they see no present danger. If reason tells US
to the contrary, Gods revealed word makes it
plain to our minds that there is danger ahead.
Delay hardens the heart, rejects God mercies
aud leads man to ruin
INDIA STREET UNIvERsALIsT CHURCH.
Rev. Mr.. Bicknell gave the sixth of his prac-
teal course of lectures last evening. He took
his text from Eccl V, 1. keep thy foot" In
the style of ancient writers, foot is synonym
for actions, motives, inclinations, &c We are
to watch the direction of our feet that they do
not carry us amid corrupting influences. The
foot advances or retreats. 1t carries man
among the bad-or out into the higher planes
of living. He said the present is no stand still
age. Life and activity everywhere. Reference
was made to the business, political and relig-
ious relations, indicating the intense activity of
the present. How essential that we watch our
daily walk. surrounded as we are by the hurry
of the world. Too many are running, moving,
be seen everywhere. Even religion is infected
with it, Politics are full of it. Business suf-
fers from it. Advancement in the pure rela-
tons are checked by it. The spirit is wrong.
Life consists in something more than existing
for self. Wrought to get away from the pop
ular spirit, and keep our feet out of such narrow
paths. He did not believe in looking out for self
alone, but we are to look out for Others Whit
tier has said:
Heavens gaze is shut to him who comes
alone,
Save thou a sonl, and it shall save thine own"
to keep the foot forward in the advance toward
purity, enlightenment, &C., not dwelling in
glorious rapture upon what has been done; but
seek greater victories. We may be inclined to
retreat at times; hence bravery is required
Retreat is always disgraceful, if it is from the
line of duty. A bold brave man may tnrn a
panic into victory We need Sheridans every
where Too many feet are in the way of
error. Seek to turn them. Sound the watch-
word reform" every where that it is required,
and let feet be ready to move to the fultllment
of duty. We require reform-where do we not
require it? Let men enlist in the battalions of
virtue and progress, and march on to secure it.
In the battle of life, we have 40 business to
stand one side and let others engage in the con-
test; but we are to press forward and do all we
can, even if we fall in the conflict of right
against wrong, to make the world better and
mankind happier. Always keep the foot to-
ward Christ. Follow in his footsteps, and then
we shall leave behind the darkness and ignor-
ance of earth, and in due season reach the
beautiful land beyond the river.
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.
Rev. Mr.. Hayden yesterday morning delivered
his second discourse on the Wilderness Journey
of the Israeltes. The crossing of the Red Sea,
and the great Deliverance of Israel, was the sub
ject. This was made to spply to the deliyerance
of the Christian, and of God people in every
age. The laws OF His dealings are revealed to
us in this history. Here we have a type of
Redemption. The great lesson is that man re-
quires Divine help. There must be Divine in
reference to effect salvation, or man is lost
But repentance, and obedience, by departure
from evil, ensures the Divine presence, protec-
ton and deliverance. "The Lord shall fight
for you, and We shall hold your peace.
FIRST PARISH.
Feb. xi1-This text is philosophical and alb
stract in its character, and occurs in the only
book of the New Testament in which there APP
pears to be very CAREFUL or elaborate, ar
rangement and choice of words 1t declares faith
to be that act of the soul which makes the flu
ture and the invisible real. By this definition
Faith is a principle wide as the domain of the
SOUL a principle essential as the foundation of
all action. All business, all pursuits in life
rest on faith and are carried on by faith, and
without faith must come to stand; as it is ter
ribly illustrated by the present hard times, in
which the want of faith aggravates tenfold the
difficulties of the hour. All pursuits rest on
faith; the farmers faith in his future harvest,
the merchants faith in his future profit, the
sailors in the unseen winds, and the move
ments of the stars that will guide him to his
unseen port. So must we SOW the seed of
truth, buy the pearl of great price, launch up
on the sea of eternity and steer for the city of
God, which no eye hath seen, our compass
needle being faith. For if it is reasonable to
have faith in things earthly, it is more reason
able to have faith in things heavenly. We
have stronger evidence of spiritual truths than
of physical facts. And if faith is important in
worldly business, much more is it in the spirit
udl life. For the things of God are the most
important, and faith in their reality is the very
condition of spiritual life. Faith is reasonable,
for it is simply resting on reason, instead of
sense; and it is necessary, for the doctrine OF
salvation by faith only, is the doctrine not only
of Paul but of right reason. Love is salvation,
but faith is the substractum of love, the condi-
ton of salvation; we cannot love God and man
unless we have faith in God and man. The
one thing needful is clear, calm, living and
abiding faith in the presence of God, the love
of Christ, and the influences of the Holy Ghost.
PARK STREET
AT Hark street Cnufcu yesterday lOrtuOol
Rev. Samuel Longfellow preached to a large
and deeply interested congregation. The sub
ject of his discourse was Change, considered es-
pecially as being incident to progress After
timely allusion to the present changing season
of the year he showed, in few strong Senten-
ces that change, so much dreaded, sometimes
means simply enlargement of the old posses
sion. We naturally cleave to the old, the abid
ing. What is, is sure; we would keep it;change
leads to destruction of something that now is
to an apparent void; therefore, we shrink from
it. And yet, probably, however we may cling
to the old; we should also want the new, if we
were sure we could keep the old too. That is
the objection we have against change it seems
to imply loss A child to whom a Heavenly
Father was offered cried out that he dldn'
want Heavenly Father he wanted his own =
Bus in fact the higher love does not exclude the
other. it takes possession of it to enlarge and
beautify.
ii could not love thee, dear, so much
Loved not honor more"
Receiving new affections, new springs OF ac-
ton, new views does not necessitate always a
giving up of place preoccupied by that wnich Is
precious
"The more angels, the more ROOM"
The study of the physical world reveals the
fact that its process of change has been two
fold, gradual and cataclysmal; the same two
fold process is found in moral changes; ordlna-
rily they proceed slowly in wholesome growth,
but sometimes as if by CONFUSION. The sudden
change also is legitimate and real. But change
there must be, of one kind or the other ii there
is to be progress A man who boasts that he
has not changed his views in any respect is not
SO much consistent as persistent; he boasts
that he has made no advance For advance,
change of position, brings one to new standing
places and introduces new views, The consist
ept method involves practical inconsistency in
| so far as the facts to which this method is ap-
piled to-day are different from those to which
it was applied yesterday The true Consistency
is that which rests on principles.
There is true place for both the conserya-
tive and the radical, although it is sometimes
hard to see this, on one side or the other. 10
the radical the conservative sometimes appears
TO be a wilful hindrance to progress. 10 the
conservative the radical appears to be one who
goes to the roots, in order that be may root up.
But whatever jealousy or animosity may exist
on either side is dismissed as soon as it is seen
that both parties are sincere and are equally
consistent in the faith that truth must be sought
| and must be proclaimed. 1t does seem hard
| sometimes that movement OF reform should
| be DISTRACTED and thwarted at every point by
| those Tho are in general opposed to change
| But even this blind obstruction has good re-
| suits. The new movement, without that re-
| strant, might be headong and rash destruct-
| i've thus to Its own intent. The conservative
restraint has the effect to sft, to concentrate,