The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-06-14
SUNDAY SERVICES.
CHESTNUT STREET,

| LIE second Sunday oil June Is now ooSol'e"
| throughout the Methodist church as CbildrenS
Sunday. In m ost of The churches appropriate
services are held, but in no church is the DAY
more observed than at Chestnut street church.
| Yesterday the services at this church were OF a
very interesting nature.
At haf-past one the Sunday School had a
very interesting praise meeting in the Vestry
of the church. The vestry was decorated su-
perbly and the fragrance of the flowers filled
the room From the ceiling and the gas fix
lures were hung hanging plants and flowers.
| On the platform were baskets and rare flowers,
and the walls were decked with appropriate
notices. In the rear of the desk was
| the following motto in evergreen, BLESSED
| are the dead that die in the Lord" Below this
was, '"rhey that seek me early shall find ne"
| Below this there were arranged three vases of
| flowers with the several Inscriptions: "Willie
e. Leavitt," "Mnnia Sawyer and ELIZA
| Hodsdon.' Beneath these were the words,
SIN Memoram' and large cross. They were
all nicely arranged and the effect fine. On
either side of the rear of the audience room
were the notices, 'Chrst our Redeemer' and
Emmanuel, God with u.s. On one side of the
and on the other side ''He that winneth souls is
| wise" In front of the entrance was the word
| "Greeting' in large letters. Near she library
| door was "They that are wise shall shine as
the brightness of the armament"
The decorations were arranged under the d-
rection of Mr.. A o. Leavitt, and they reflected
great credit on that gentleman's taste.
At o'clock the pastor Rev. S. f. Jones
preached an excellent discourse to the children
taking his text from Proverbs %: 26. GIVE me
thy heart'' These words. although spoken I'M
der the name of Wisdom. are as truly the
words of the Lord as the ten commandments,
or these, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,
with all thy heart or these, "Come unto me
all We that labor and are heavy laden and will
give you rest"
We all know what it is to give our hearts to
anything, to put our hearts into thing, to do
a thing heartily. When missionary asked an
old sea captain to give his heart to Christ, he
said that his life had been so given up to hunt
ing whales that he supposed if any one could
look into his heart he would see there the shape
of small sperm whale. All our hearts are
given up to something; but, whatever else fills
them, we are to turn out and put Christ in
its stead.
I. Why does the Lord ask us to give Him
our hearts?
LIST, Because it is the heart that he looks at
always, and nothing within it is ever hidden
from Him. God is represented in the Bible,
not as listening to our words or watching our
acts, but as searching our hearts.
I'd, 1t is the heart that makes the man, or the
boy. Your real, true self is your heart and
only that We ought not to teach children
that they have souls. We ought to teach them
that they are souls and have bodies. A car
penter is not shop full of tools and man in
if, but man who works in shop with tools.
We care nothing for what man says or does
for US if there is no beart in it, neither does
God. God values our words and acts for just
SO muck of the living heart as is in them and
for nothing else. Everything that we can do
Tor God is worthless in itself, but if there be in
it loving heart it is precious to Him.
ii. Why should we give our hearts at once
to Christ?''
l. Because he asks US to do it. That should
be the first reason for obedience always
whatsoever he saith unto thee, do it." That
should be the rule of our life in all things.
2. Because our hearts are safe and we are
safe and happy only in His keeping He has
declared of all who give themselves to Him.
~ give unto them eternal life; and they shall
never perish, neither shall any pluck them out
of my hands. My Father which gave them to
me is greater than all; and none is able to
pluck them out of my Fathers hand
The following was the programme for the
exercises in the evening:
Singing by the school.
Reading otithe scripture and responses.
Prayer. Rev. s. F. Jones
Chant. ..Quartette
Singing by the school.
Jesus, Rose of Sharon
Duett ................. Miss Pencil, Miss Harper
Speaking. Fred Fling
Quartette.
Solo. mrs. flIes
Sinenc bv The school.
Speaklng.. hasger Cooinpe
'ea'''n Double ouartette.
Remarks by the Pastor.
Singing by the school.
Benedicton.
CONGRESS STREET.
In tie afternoon The exercises at this church
were devoted to the children. The pulpit was
adorned with plants and flowers, and looked
very inviting. Tie exercises consisted largely
of singing. A quartetIe, composed of Miss
Andrews, soprano; Mrs. Noyes, contralto, and
the Noyes brothers, rendered "Hear Our
Prayer" with fire effect, and the solo by Mrs.
Noyes was also very fine. The children of the
school, under the direction of Mr.. j. NJ. Stew
ems, sang several melodies very sweely.
Rev. Mr.. Bradley, the pastor. delivered
very interesting address to the children. The
foundation of the remarks was that they should
"Be good, do good and keep good.' The
speaker held the close attention of every
scholar during his remarks At the close, Rev.
Mr.. Bicknell being present, was called upon
for remarks. Heiresponded in a few pleasing
words to the children. The interesting exer-
cises were closed by the singing of "Who is
Like unto Thee, o Lord" by double quar-
tette.
PINE STREET CHuRCH.-The following is the