The Portland daily press., 1875-09-06
REECHER'S SUMNER PREACH.
ING.
Yesterdays Service at the Twin
Mountain House.
A Reply TO the Criticisms of the
Religious Press.
A Sermon ON the Power of the Gospel
of Christ.
REECHER's SUMNER PREACH.
rSpecial to Press.1

Especial to Press]
CRAWFORD HOUSE, Sept. 5.-Yesterday was
breezy day in the mountains, in sharp con-
trast with the weather which has prevailed the
past two weeks. The ladies at the hotels
looked cold even in wrappers. Wooden shawls
were IN demand, and in some of the small par
lors there were fires. At Mr.. Beecher's service
the tent was full, 1000 being present. Prof.
Emerson of Boston, at the request Of Mr..
Beecher, led the music. Before the sermon
Mrs. Beecher brought vases of beautiful flow.
ers and autumn leaves which we're placed on
the tables of the platform. Mrs Ell. B. Stowe
was present and the curious seemed anxious to
see her and Mrs. Beecher.
MIR. Rec, hers Reply to the Criticism of
the Religions Press.
Just before Mr. Beecher begau the regular
exercises, Mrs. Beecher handed him newspa-
per slip which proved to be an article from a
religious paper called the Vermont Chronicle.
Mr.. Beecher then rose and said that he would
occupy few moments while the trains were
arriving in calling attention to the criticism of
the religious press respecting the meetings held
at the Twin Mountain House. He said that
one not acquainted with the religious press
would think that they would favor any meeting
where men went to worship God and where
the gospel was preached. The severity of the
| criticism indicated that this was not the case.
The question Of running trains on Sunday for
| people to go to meeting was not one which he
| had sufficiently considered to give an opinion
| upon. He would be glad to have the question
| discussed with candor. The Copgregationast
| and Chronicle did not do it, and no good could
come of their illiberal structures. If the OBJ
| servance of the Sabbath was of the first inn
| portance to the Christian world-to all the
| world-how to observe it was quite different
| question, for it was no less question than
| how can man be b'st brought into a regard
and love for the gospel. If the running of
trans on Sunday lowered the standard of man,
prod iced disregard of the day generally, then
abandon them; but in whatever course is taken
let US remember that the Sabbath is for man
and not man for the Sabbath 1t was day of
rest, day for moral and spiritual culture, a
day set apart for the development of mans
religious character. If observing it in the ex.
treme method of our fathers does not bring the
best results we should abandon that method
Humanity is greater than the Sabbath and
mans soul needs of greater consequence. 1t is
| great question.
| He then alluded to the assault of the Chroni-
| Gle; he said the writer sought for reasons for
holding Sunday services and runnine the trains
which were the meanest. 1t isn't fair or man
| ly to do that. The Twin Mountain House peo-
| pie make nothing by having the service held
| there as that paper charged that the proprie-
| tors did. He alluded to the statement that it
was cheap advertising of the house by saying
that the men advertised by doing good should
be commended. He said the railroad manag-
ers were not so sordid that they would violate
COTS laws generally; they were men not alto
gether so mean and selfish as the Vermont Sec
tartan intimated. Mr.. Beecher read long ex
tract referring to himself. He pronounced it
exquisite. The extract accused him of desIr-
ing TO keep himself before the people, of liking
| a sensation, etc. After reading with some
JUNCTION Mr.. Beecher said that God knew be
was only DESTROYS to preach the gospel to man
needing it. Said he, Il know who wrote that;
treat him altogether as an ideal editor, but if
we ever meet it will be in this world, for unless
he repents, dscards his bitterness and malice
| he cannot 60 where go. Hereafter if he re-
| penis and meets me in heaven the first words
| he will say to me will be confession that the
article he wrote about me was malignant and
unchristan. Mr. Beecher checked the ap-
plause manifested.
The 81 rm0n.
Mr.. Beeeher then proceeded with his sermon,
taking his text from Romans, list chapter and
10th verse: 81 am not ashamed of the Gospel of
Christ for it is the power of God unto Salvation
te th.t -seiissallA,-s -Sno-Jew HfsS
and also to the Greek" The last clause said
Mr. Beecher has no meaning to US, but to the
Jews who claimed all OF the special favors of
God. 1t was a startling utterance and must
have required the greatest courage. To-day
| there is nothing remarkable in declaring, 81
am not ashamed of the gospel Of Christ" Last
week one would have hardly remarked as the
| August sun poured down, 81 am not cold"
| Last March it was different In Paul's time
| it was remarka lie for man to make the state
ment. Then the cross was dragged in mire.
| Now it is carried in images Of gold When
| and where Paul made this statement Christ
was foreigner; now Christ is nationally rec
| ognized by all the civilized nations of the
world. Things have been turned upside down
since then SO that idolatry is imbecility. Paul,
foreigner, declared in Rome his belief in the
gospel of Christi declared his belief in foreign
! jew who had not been success He had
| lived thirty years and had 70 party and no
| following. Christ was to human estimation, a
| failure. He had accomplished rothing. He
WIS put to death with no m ission accomplish
ed. Worse, He had been put to death in the
most ignominious manner. The doctors had
| been against him. Cultivated and influential
men were against him, derided him in fact.
He was not orthodox. He healed on the Sab
bath day. Such was the Christ Paul declared
himself not ashamed of.
He made this declaration to the polished
| Greek, who had religion full of forms and
| gorgeous in all its appointments The gospel
Paul declared his belief in had nothing of out
| ward power; it was not philosophy; indeed, it
was series of teachings which was opposed to
| all the theory and practice of the age. The re-
| ligion and philosophy of idolatry tended to
| teach one to take care of number one. 1t was
the religion of selfishness. Chrst's religion
overthrow all this
Mr. Beecher then proceeded to show what the
power of the gospel was in this world and what
| it would do for mans development in the
next. He closed with an eloquent appeal to
accept the gospel of Christ to save them from
the power of sin.
About fifty cars came in various directions
THE CALIFORNIA ELECTION.