The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-06-29
SUNDAY SERVICES.
PINE STREET CHURCH.

the hosts through the wilderness at last fell
under the power of his own anger; firmer than
Elijah WHO could bring down the streaming
fire, in answer to his simple faith; firmer than
David who was man after Gods own heart,
whofel under the power of his own vile passion
firmer than the apostle James or impulsiv9,
Peter or loving John for though none but Qne
denied him with oaths yet they all for-sook
him and fed
The nets are well spread for our feet: the bait
is always suited to our taste; in an afflicted time
our weakest spots the sOftest part OF our ma
ture are found and temptation tries all It's
power and seductive skill. Every day we see
men fall We but look out upon the world and
note how speedily men come down from real
goodness to real badness. There is no point in
Christian experience from which they cannot
descend there is no place so secure but which
permits of falling. Sometimes 1t is easy TO
walk the deck when the sea is like sleeping
oil and not even ripple on its surface. Then
you might walk as easily as on shore and the
little children will come up to the pure air, and
the cabins will he adj empty, and the deck VIII
be crowded, and you can lean over the SHIPS
side and think the vessel almost glides through
the waters, but then here are other times when
the matches are battened down, when the
waves will literally sweep from stem to stern,
when the big ship will culver
and plunge like great fright
ened thing, and when even sailors who
have perfect sea-legs will not venture far with
out having a line or rope to steady them; SO
there are times in the great voyage OF Life when
men can hardly walk, aud they have only TO
let 90 the taffral or one OF the halyards and
they 60 over.
do not think that one tenth of those that
fall are hypocrites. Many seem to think them
false and their former experience only decep-
ton. This is the verdict of the world. No
where is the world so fond of pointing out an
ino DC in cbnrch No nda1 is
sweet, none so spicy nor so palatable to the pub
lie taste as that which can be inserted in re
ligous column And how the world will
proudly lift up its eyes and put on its most
solemn face as they read the latest church dis
closure l don't like sOlemn-faced men with
not spark Of religion in their hearts nor the
fantest love to God in their souls. don't like
men who 90 carping over the wlckeness and de-
generacy of modern times. The church don't
want such carpers, nor such sympathy, nor such
help nor will it let them say that all who STUN
BILE and fall are but canting hypocrites, when
their profession has been as false as their lives
1 never would call man a coward who
fought bravely through twenty battles, and
was defeated in the next one. One never
would call man unfortunate who won twenty
times in his different specuations, but who
lost the following venture. We never would
say mali was reckless who run his vessel
through twenty storms without losing spar.
but who next time he ventured lost every
"
sight, and we ought to judge the church this
same way, and give a man credit for all he has
done in the past, and if he falls give him due
credit for his former life and character. Hon
est men, sincere men, men who valued their
position, who esteemed virtue have fallen
down to the very depth of vice; they have
sunk so low that even their friends will not go
after them; they are away down in that dense
black pit which seems as shaft of hell, and
yet don't think they ever intended to go
there. No man ever intends to break away
from the fold of Christ They are led gently,
almost imperceptib v perhaps first by neg
lectng to study the word of life, then BY
limiting their times of public PRAYER. then by
omen neglect of the means of gracA and thus
little by little and step by step till they are on
the very verge of ruiz,
Brethren i am not svmpathizinp with sin
have no anolooies IN make for the evils which
| men do, but do think that little more sym
natby ", IN the offenders would perhaps save
MANY souls. of course we want pure church
and we want all the members to he men and
women of God. and we want our lives to be
lives of holiness and our converse
tiou to be bameIess. But how are we to get
ali tbisP Bv looming off The dead branches. by
cuttino ont The nnfrnitful trees and binding a
GREAT hioh wall to project ms from The evil with
which the world abounds? You shall never
see an ideal church except in your brain. and
vou win have IN have a GOOD IMAGINATION if Won
can see if even there who are we that we
vonid draw lines inside those which Christ
Jrary or mt mn fancas where he left an omen
field? Are we the door or isiChrist? Is it our
church or Ais? Who ever saw wheat
wi hout chaff who ever saw fruit without
leaves? / don't believe in this parrot cry of a
pure church The church that is living
| church, one which does it's work is nothing but
| a BIG sitter where men and women mutually
| help each other to become better, and live no.
lier lives and if one happens to come out of the
| sitter at the wrong side it's not hard for the
| whole world to cry about it.
never want to become pastor of church
which will have become so clarified and so pure
| that a. poor trembling sinner will not dare to
| enter its sacred walls Such neople would not
need preaching. Their waxen virtues would
| only spoil under the warmth of pure gospel,
| and | could only pray God would speedily
| translate them and send IN some poor wretcEes
| of men and women aud to whom the Savior's
| life and death would be as refreshing waters
upon paIcIeu iiounu "" ~, ID
strono slways the firm and erriag, for God has
arranged it SO, that we may give OF our
streng n TO those VINO neea ~ neiP .l,ose wh 10
M erring pnes and lead them in the maths of
Righteousness. '.Restore such an one." Moth
ing here about the exercise OF cnurcn a,Sciplinel
thot h"t NV rastnre sucb an one MOI hnt
the apostle belevedir church laws and arrange
| ments, and we all, OF course, know that heaitny
uloU4 9 li IL impossibe for anv chnIcb to
Get along without having some clear, decided
| laws upon which it receives or rejects Its mem
oeis' pu. u,is mas 1ny va ~ o o Iu reStoro thn
Int do il in the yery shirt of meekuess.
! Paul was gentleman at heart and could APP
preciate the feelings of man or woman who
| had fallen from a position in the church.
| He did not want to send number of men to
wait upon the offender and then in spirit of
great condescension tell him that considering
| the circumstances, ETC., they felt that without
any compromise they could raise him up again
| to his former position" mol brethren, that is
Won 1or 7,hr;.t Oh there is a vast nnmher nj
| bad men and women in the world, and we must