The Portland daily press., 1874-05-25
SUNDAY SERVICES.
INDIA srREET cUurRcu.

LII tic dIternOon Cne rev. MT. BlcKnell DC
livered a memorial sermon before Bosworth
Post, taking as his text Luke xvii, So. sOne
taken, the other left" The sermon was sn
able effort, fitting tribute to the brave men
who died that the country might live. He
closed with the following eloquent apostophe
to the spirit of sacrifice:
Sacrifice, when required, was beautiful in
war, and even tho disaster resulted as it some
times did, yet its memory possesses powerful
inspiration to renewed devotion and faithful
ness in the present There are some of you
who were present in, and Others who have
probably read of the furious charge at Spottsyl-
vania, which illustrates the spirit of sacri-
flee which ought to reign more powerfully in
the breasts of all in the Arrangement of truth
and righteousness. While, of course, we can
never be called npon to make any such sacri-
fee, yet the same spirit ought to fill us in our
devotion to God, as did those noble men in
their devotion to country.
1t is, as have said, such spirit of devo-
ton, faithfulness and sacrifice, which ought
to fill our hearts to-day and every day. Then
should we be constantly moving forward and
onward-overpowering every antagonism; win
ming true honor and glory; and as the days
and years rolled by,we should not only be faith
fully fulfilling the duties of earth, but should be-
come more perfectly prepared for that brighter
and broader field above, where there can be no
victory will be gained, as we rise above the
conditions of weakness and ignorance, TO the
spheres of spiritual strength, immortal vigor.
and blissfu heavenly activity.
FLUENT HALL.
By invitation Of the Portland Spiritual Fra
ternity, Mrs. Nellie L. Palmer lectured at
Fluent Hall yesterday afternoon on Spiri tual-
ism. The hall was well filled by members of
the Fraternity and by others. After feryent
prayer Mrs. Palmer entered upon the discussion
of her theme, prefacins her discourse upon
Spiritualism by few remarks upon free re-
ligion. Free religion she defined to be that
religion, whatever its form, which each indi-
viduai soul finds best adapted to its needs and
suited to it's convictions. Free religion is Lot
an inherited belief, but a belief born of re-
search and conviction, belief which eevates
and purifies the soul holding it. If any man
finds, for example, that Calvinism accords with
his matured convictions, that it makes him
purer and better, let him hold to Calvinism.
But whatever creed we hold, We must take care
not to c,ose the windows of the soul, so the
stronger and better light of greater know
ledge may not enter in.
Of all forms of religion the speaker held
Spiritualsm to be the best suited to the needs
Of the soul. Spiritualism she defined to be the
religion of the soul, the religion of charity, the
religion of humanity. 1t builds no heaven or
hell for its brother 1t believes that each man
makes his own heaven or hell by lis deeds, and
that each soul has within it a saving grace.
The immutable laws of God have so establish
ed it. Each man saves or condemns himself If
his deeds be evil punishment follows,-punish
ment which Jesus cannot avert; which God
will not avert. The distinguishing feature of
Spiritualsm is its charity, its love for all man
kind Spiritualists believe that each man
should follow his convictions of right should
eudeavor to make himself purer and better,
should do right. not for the sake OF God or of
Jesus, but for the sake of right itself, if
righteousness. Spirtualists do not condemn
Christianity. They look upon it as kind and
gracious mother, who has nourished the divine
nature for ages; but they believe that they
have outgrown so called Christianity; that
they have reached loftier grade.
The lecture was singularly moderate in tone,
and contained little, if anything, to which a
Theist could object.
CHESTNUT STREET CHURCH.
In the morning Rev. Dr. Pierce, editor of
Zion's Herald, Boston, preached an impressive
sermon on justification, taking his text from
Romans ": l. One of the most interesting
questions man can ask is, Glow shall l es
c.pe the penalty Of the broken law" Another
no less important question is, SLOW shall we
save the law?" The law is, thou shalt love the
Lord thy God and thy neighbor as thyself
Were this law universally observed earth would
become heaven. Heaven is not heaven because
ofthe outward beauty in which it is depicted. 1t
is because autagonism between desire and duty
is done away. How then shall the law be pre-
served and the sinner saved? Justification has
not legal significance in the New Testament.
1t does not change the nature of sin. Sin is
never so henous as when the sinner feels aim
ealf bp iu1-
self, and the nearer he gets to God the more he
sorrows over his transgression. Justification is
in heaven, not in the human heart. God sends
down his Spirit and regeneration is the result.
The subjects relations are changed. Every
provision is made for this hour. Only belief
is necessary God does not need prayer, though
the sinner may. The 5000 at Pentecost did not
hold preliminary prayer meeting. When the
Spirit descended, the cry went up, "Men and
brethren, what must we do?' There is just
one condition for the sinner TO place himself in
that of prayer, pentence, and trust. Justi-
fication is one act, 'ge, and sin no more" If
it depended upon anything We can do or suffer-
eternity would not suffice. "By His stripes we
are heaIed'' 1t is well to divest the new birth
of ali its mystery. The only mysterious work
is the silent incoming OF Goa INTO ,r Ihe human
heart, like the breath of heaven. This is the
divine process by which the law is saved.-the
problem was solved by the crucitxion OF the
Son of God. Thus was the law fulfilled; then
righteousness and peace kissed each other, and
DOM the law and the sinner were saved.
CONGRESS STREET NJ e. CHURCH
III the afternoon the Rev. Mr. Pitblado de-
hVered memorial sermon from ID Chron. Xxx
IL: 1.-THE battle was not yours, but God's.n
The preacher spoke in glowing terms of the
heroism of those who fought for the salvatio,
of the country and the freedom of the slave
He did not forget the women who fell.-soma
from toll, some from broken hearls and some
from the butchery of rebel demons. These
women commanded no army. Their needle
was their sword. Their prayers were their
cannonade. They bandaged the sabre gashes
and washed the bullet holes, and wet the lips,
and wiped the cold dew from the dying sol
diers brow.
In closing he exhorted his hearers to be
merciful and forgiving to those who fought
against the liberties of the country.
Maybe they thought they were fighting for
right and God. They were foes worthy of ou-
swords. May they soon be friends worthy of
our hearts They were not all cruel as Forrest,
the Fort Pillow butcher We can forgive and
pray, "Lord forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us."
FREE STREET.
Prof. S. K Smith of Waterville, preached in
the morning from Ps. L: 81 "Thou thoughtest
that was altogether such one as thysef.'
The statement in the text is that of partic-
ular hut fIa IL, ;o