Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-05-15
Ordination of Rev. !. w. Kinds.


room of the church being completely filed
and all religious denominations in the cit.
very well represented. In the afternoon
previous to these exercises, the Ordainini
Council, consisting Of Rev. w. r. French
Rev. A. Bosseman, Rev. J. c. Snow, ant
several lay brethren, met at the church 70
the purpose of examining the candidate. AT
ter thorough and most satisfactory exami
nation, the Council unanimously voted t.
recommend that Mr.. Kinds be ordained tC the
Work Of the Gospel Ministry.
| Flowers in the richest profuson decked The
platform, pulpit and their surroundings, filling
that part of the church with delightful per.
fume. large bouquet of Gala lilies on the
left of the pulpit and cross made of white
| flowers in the centre, deserve special mention
The exercises began with a voluntary by
the choir, introducing the anthem
"IIow beautiful are Thy ways,
. Lord of Hosts"
Bringing out the fine voices Of Mrs. Millken
Miss Pillsbury and Charlie johnson.
| Rev. Mr.. Mead of Hiram invoked tie
Divine blessing.
Rev. w. A. Drew of Augusta said he wa:
| happy to take part in the induction of
brother into the Christian ministry. This wa:
| his sixth successor to the pastoral Office O
this church. He pledged to him the earnes
affections of fathers heart, and a brother
warm right hand. Mr.. Drew then read The
10Th Psalm of David, beginning "The Heav
ems declare the glory of God," as also the Sc.
lection beginning "All scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable fol
| doctrine" &c.
The 253d hymn was then sung
Esprit of grace and health and power
The sermon was then preached by Rev. J.
c. Snow of Auburn.
Mr.. Shows subject was "The Life Through
| Christ" the text being in John 10 10, II am
come that they might have life and that they
might have it more abundantly." In time o.
darkness, the light of the Gospel came to give
| illumination. Divine love reached down to
the poor and helpless-it substituted the well
| for the sick, the rich for the poor, the living
| for the dead. Death here did not forbid the
coming of life from above; it was the very
| occasion of the heavenly ministration. Not
| on earth, where there were weakness and
| want, wretchedness and death, could help be
| found. But it was in heaven where there was
J fulness of JOY and love and health and strength
| This lack on our part was regarded, and with
| the purpose of helpfulness the supply came.
The Gospel is not voice warning from
| impending wrath, but ministration Of life
| and love. Even hon pred and most excellent
| Albert Barnes, in an elaborate essay, takes
: the former view. The speaker would not say
| that the Gospel did not in some sense sound d
note of alarm and prefer rescue-it calls
for repentance and the forsaking of sin the
| light of Christ shows mans weakness, sinful
ness and need but it reveals Christ as come
not to condemn the world, but to save it.
Mankind were already conscious of suffering
| and sn-but there was deep yearning for
! Christ. He did not come to speak words OF
| new terror and to Intensity the agony of hu-
| mainly, and to reveal new dangers. This is
| not the characteristic of the Gospel. But He
came with words of healing and messages OF
peace with good tidings of great JOY. The
| characteristic motive of repentance is that of
love, and not fear-not based upon decla r.
alton of danger, but of grace. Men were al
| ready in hell and the voice came-"IIere is
my insdom of light and life"
| Nor does restoration embrace Christ's
| mission in its main features. The resources
of heaven are not taxed solely to heal a
breach, to make good detection, to rescue
| from threatened woe. In that case there
would be no real gain or advance. This cen.
ception of the mission of Christ makes it at
| the best of negative character, rather than
| positive-it saves life, but does not enlarge it
it wards off an evil, but bes.ows no positive
| good. Now while the mission of Christ en-
| braces all the forms of negative works, its
| 81 Inl,in Of
ing and enlargement of life. 1t not only
preserves life, but it feeds it and natures it
restoring the branches of the tree, bringing
out the bud, flower and fruit.
A true and wise minister of Christ will
| spend more time in disclosing the riches o!
! the great over Heart than searching for the
wickedness in the human henrt. The sum-
| ming up Of the declarations of the Savior is
| 81 am come that they might have life, and
| that they might have it more abundaEtly. -
The life of Christ is not simply communi-
| cation, but a nature-a resurrection, a
growth. Hence it finds one who is astray
| and dead in sin, and calls him to awake and
come forth to newness of life. 1t calls upon
us to grow; not to look back upon the past,
but forward to the hopeful tuture-not upon
| the deathlessness of sin but upon the living
power of life.
This life coming through Christ is also re-
| lated to every element and faculty OF mans
being; it is tuN life, not simply quick
enng, and enters all the Misunderstanding
through every part and filling every channel.
1t is well of water ever springing up to
everlasting life. Our common measurements
of Christian manhood are quite inadequate
our tests all too incomplete.
| We look upon the man in his deyotions, at
| the prayer meeting, at the church. Does he
carefully observe the Sabbath! Does he par
take of the Lords supper? These are tests Of
but one side. They relate chiefly to the de-
votional or pious side. We must ask what
are his feelings towards his brother man
whether he be kind and just and upright,
doing unto others as he would that they
should do unto him, whether he is honest in
every department of business. A Christian
life must be measured by character. We want
men who can stand up agains. the temptations
Of everyday lite-who can go to Congress and
not steal, who can manage railroads and no,
gamble in the stocks; who can manufacture
and not Cypress, who can work and not grum-
bic, suffer and not repine.
Christ is a light, not simply to guide us
over the mountain tops but through the val.
leys-the illumination is universal. He is
Life" not to single end, but to all noble
ends.
But let us not forget that Christ wrought
primarily and chiefly through mans mora