The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-25
SUNDAY SERVICES.
MoUNTFoRT STREET CHURCH.

MoUNTFoRT STREET CHURCH.
The pastor, the Rev. Mr.. Douglass, preached
yesterday from Luke XI. %:
But he said yea. rather blessed are they thal
hear the ord of God and keepit
My object in presenting this subject is to
show, in what true blessedness consists. We
have;no fault to find with those who admire
and applaud good deeds or acts performed by
those surrounding us; yet we feel they are
often out of place; true bessedness is not the
result of toll and labor after that wealth SO de-
srable to many; neither is it gained after men
have strengthened to get through the lower
covering that prevents them from rising to
that plane IN society. These efforts are all
GOOD and there is no law against them; yet
the blessed Jesus, would have us to look
higher. he would have us to put our powers
into action in another way; he would have us
aim after that wisdom in tie word that is not
only a treasure in this life, but also In that
which is to come. In this life we are on pro-
baton. and this word of which the Savior
spoke is our guide Probation is state OF
trial, and in this trial we are prepared, II we
follow the instructions of our guide for that
blessed state of existence, so desirable ana
longed after the tempest tossed mariner on
the sea of life Here, instead OF receiving. or
accepting, and treasuring. up TINS precious
word, we are too apt to cling to those Things
the world presents. By these, the thought'ess
are made drunk; by these the mind is bound
without the least effort on mans part 10 preaK
loose from this terrible power. Thus men go
on, until the mind is steeed against the I'M
pressions of the spirit, the body filed with
Mains ba hraip unahla 1Onoer TO fulfill the
duties for which was made; aud thus
men die, after toling for the honors wealth,
and pleasures of this world, and when the his
tory of such shall be as witness against
them at the bar of God, they will be enabled
to see as they did not before, that on every
page they are recorded rebels. This is the
result of not hearing the word of God
and keeping it. God is the creator
of m an as well as of this world, and as
such he ought to be obeyed. But when we are
brought to see and know by experience man
condition by nature, and his bent OF mind, as
he comes in contact with the elements that sur
round him; we are made sensible that these
very surl oundipgs not being held IN check,
kept as the servent and not the Master, are
calculated to stop the word OF truth ana lie,
SO that it cannot get a lodging place on the
mind or in the heart; and the parable of the
seed sown among thorns, and on hard stony
ground, is, as it were, lesson in nature, that
men ought to learn as Christ intended. Ii the
seed be ever so goOd anu Iaiis on JUS haiu
ground not prepared by the plough and harrow
Of divine truth, we cannot expect to
reap a spiritual harvest; and 50 in ma.
ture, the ground must be prepared SO that
the seed, when the rains descend, can be forced
down into the earth and take root, grow and
bring forth fruit. This is the result of prepa'
ration, and without this, a man cannot take
hold on the words of life and keep them. How
can man, surrounded as he is by so many
allurements, place himself in position in or
Ger 20 have this needful preparation? L an
way. Let the spirit of God guide and direct
you in all your ways, and the mind, heart, and
the whole man be brought into subsection to
Gods will, then the word will be sought after,
that world of light, life and glory, the abode
for all who have labored after that bessedness
gained by hearing and keeping the word: May
God bless these woads to the good OF souls
while it is called day. TER1