The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-12-21
SUNDAY SERVICES.
CONGRESS STREET CHURCH.


Rey.C. B.Pitblado preached yesterday morn.
ing from John 4.16-"God is Love-" Here we
have the essential character of God. Tell man
that God is spirit, infinite and eternaf ana
you tell him something he cannot understand.
Tell him that 'God is love" and he understands
you. God is not grandeur although He is
grand. He is not power, although He is pow
erful. He is love, and all He does is done IN
love. God is an autocrat with heart OF love-
Love is behind all laws God is not an eternal
egotist. He thinks and plans and speaks OF
and for His children. He did not create them
only to heap crowns before His throne. He is
not selfish. He offers to every man throne In
His mansion home. Goo is mighty, but He is
not Nelo. He is not an Acknowledgement with
a thong to lash men iHtO service. He is an I'm
npotent Fatber--an Almighty lover. he
don't fnghten rs. into goodness. GOD Is ini
maculate, but he does OF shrink from poliuteo
man. His is the holiness offquenchlesS ioVe
that waits and works and washes. Gods love
is exhibited in the creation of mind and matter:
One object in creation is the exhi0tion OF
moral good; another is creature DiesseunesS.
The beauty and glory of creation are IN Inc soul
The Roc can't see the lovelness OF the dell.
The condor can't feel the poetry OF the e.. noun
tains. All creation is a revelation OF Ills love.
The butterfly is a revelation OF that love; rs
an archaugel. Gods love is also exhibited IN
government Government suggests rewards
and punishmeuts, We may not understand
His WAYS. but love will bring music tout of
dscord and turn night into day. Gods love is
specially showD in Redemption. Jesus is Gods
grandest revelation OF love. lis lie was an
love; His death was victory of love. Lessons:
He is thestrongest who loves best, He the
most useful whose love is the purest. He is
bappiest who loves most.
MoUNTFoRT STREET CHURCH.
Rev. j. j. Kelley, noted Indian preacher,
preached afternoon and evening at this church,
yesterday They were both able discourses and
the church was crowded. MIR. Kelley has spent
several years in Europe and is very able and
interesting preacher.
FIRST PARISH.
Last evening George F. Talbot, Esq, delv-
cred, at the First Parish church, the annual lee
ture before the Portland Benevolent Society.
Mr.. Talbot began by saying that nothing
could be more appropriate than that the ami
versary of the Oldest charity of Portland should
be celebrated within the oldest religious parish
of the city, whose refined and thoughtful be-
nevolence gave it birth. He thought he must
be correct in attributing to an eminent minis
ter of this parish the Rev. Dr. Deane, the
suggestion of this institution whose unob-
trusive and timely charity in its gentle admin
istrations has done SO much, through SO many
years, while relieving actual want, TO bring
precious solace to wounded hearts, and SYM
pathy more salutary than food and raiment to
encourage and cheer and stimulate to self-re,
lance and hope SO many OF the unsupported
and accomplishing poor. From the fact that
Dr. Deane was the first c0rpOrator and first
president of the society, the speaker inferred
that the shaping and description OF this char
ity sprang from his refined and sensitive
heart. 1t is called in language undoubtedly
his owp,-a society whose business it shall be
to relieve and assist those objects OF compass
sion, whose circumstances may require relief,
in a manner different from that which by law
is provided for the support and employ ment OF
and the fatherfess, the destitute and helpless
stranger, and all who by sickness, infrmity
or misfortune may be reduced to indulgence. and
regarding the fates of those fatheress children,
whom poverty may deprive of the opportunity
of obtaining instruction and employment and
generally to exercise such acts of charity, hos
pitality and benevolence as the funds OF the
society shall allow. Among the officers and
promoters of the society, the speaker recognized
the names of many men justly eminent IN our
local history for probity Of character, for thrift
and enterprise, and for distinguished public SER
vices. Its large donations seem to have come
principally from Freeman, whose rare long lite
and remarkable mental activity, little aided by
| public service in almost every department of
church and state; from Ingraham who carried
the same benevolence through still longer life;
| from Taber, Cobb and Clapp, well reputed and
| prosperous merchants; from the McLellans,
who brought to this country the thrift and yir-
tue of their Scotch-Irsh ancestry; from lllsley,
Boyd, Preble, Titcomb, Greedy, Webster, Ste
vensop, Longfellow, Southgate, Weeks, Rog-
ers Dana, Storer and Swan
The speaker went on to give his ideas as to the
proper scope of the society and the work before
it, mentioning in this connection the 'cruel
confiagration'' of 1866, which will be remem-
bered by some now living. "a