The Portland daily press., 1875-01-18
SUNDAY SERVICES.
SECOND PARISH CHURCH.

DR.. Carruthers preached yesterday from lst
Thessalonians, V, 10. Quench not the SPIRIT.
This is one of a series of affectionate and
faithful counsels addressed to primitive
apostolic church, but designed for all in every
age who desire to know and do the VIII OF
God. The meaning of the prohibition was wen
understood by those Thessalonian believers
In an earlier part of the epistle, the Apostle
bears uuequivocal testimony to the fact thaV
the gospel had come to them mot IN Words
only but also in power and in the Holy dhoSC
and in much assurance" that they had re
ceyed the word in much affllction with Joy OF
the Holy Ghost" and further, that they had
"receiyed the word, not as the word OF men
but as it is in truth the word of God" In
view of their constancy of faith and their con-
sistency of practice, he asks what thanks can
we render to God again for all the joy where
with we Joy for your sake before our God?
Yet he warns them of danger, and the warn
ing coming from him had all the power OF
divine authority. The danger was not mag
mary, it was real. 1t did not concern one or
few but the whole body OF believers. me
Injunction involved possibility OF ltseit
alarming, and in view of which, humility yIg-
lance thoughtful care, incessant prayerfui-
ness and unremitted activity were lndlspenst-
BILE. The resources of the Christian were then
as nov adequate aud equal to all emergencies.
Still tie possibility should stimulate to self
jealousy, to wakeful diligence, to unsuspended
confidence in the ever-tob be sought and solicited
grace and strength of the Most High
|. In almost countless passages OF boy
Scripture, the Spirit is described as enllghten-
ing the subjects Of his gracious influence SO as
to qualify them to mentally discern the truth
he has reveaed-,o perceive and appreciate It's
Importance and vaue-inclne them 10
receive it and enable them practically TO
act in accordance with 1t. But let the
Christian neglect to read his daily portion of
Gods word let him casually or habitualy alb
stain from medltaJing on 1t, let HIM absent
himself from those places where and those sea-
sons when divine truth is eXpounded and en-
forced, let him restrain prayer for the teaching
of the Holy Spirit-and the lnfallble result
will be a dimiuution of the light OF heavenly
knowledge, return, to great and grievous eX-
tent OF the Darkness that once overspread the
soul, a ''quenchng of the Spirit" and the con-
St uuent loss of all "joy and peace IN believe
ing" the truth as it is in Jesus. The things OF
the Spirit are not now discerped. The cross OF
Christ is scarcely seen through the d,m ana
hazy atmosphere enveloplng the nina, anu ne
who might have walked with elastic step along
the clear and open pathway OF obedience, IS
iudcially left either to reap in sorrow the con-
sequences of his guilty negligence, OF to Srope
in sad uncertainty his way to immortality.
ii. The preacher now traced in various par
tculars the action of fire as emblematlc OF oil
vine influence, remarking that the means and
me thods of quenchng the Spirit are as numer-
Gus as the temptations to positive sin and the
neglect or careless performance OF commanded
duty =,
Addressing those who had not been born OF
the Spirit he said ''the influence OF this
blessed agency is within your reach. lie
waiteth that he may be gracious He speaks
to you in his word, i'll the events of providence,
in the remonstrances OF conscience, IN the I'M
pressons produced and the emotions excited by
the counsels of friends, and the mlnlstratlons
of the sanctuary. Examine yourselves. and see
where lies the hindrance to your attainment
of all that enters into the reality and power of
vital godliness.
You may have been led, by false representa-
lions and evil associations to distrust the les
sons of your childhood, and to think of pious
parents as mistaken in their views OF
truth and duty. You have learnt to
spurn the restraints imposed on you
by their Instructions and example, to
avoid all close mental contact with the Holy
Scriptures and to admit of any excuse for neg,
lectIng the things belonging to your peace and
your prospects for eternity.
= You may so often have repeated the act of
postponing the consideration of your eternal
interests, that this has become the fixed and
established habit of the mind.
You may have embraced some strong delu-
sion as to the true nature of religion or the des-
TIMES of future state, which acts as an opiate
on the conscience, and generates hope which
If continually cherished, must end in bitter and
irretrievable disaster.
But whatever be the causes that have hitler
to prevented the work of saving grace, this
grace is accessible to, and available by every
power of the gospel. Examine your condition
in the iisnc g heavanly truth. LII this truth is
disturbed, examine 1T ana ask divine hiiinmina-
ton that you may know the truth and the truth
NAV make you free from all unholv prejudice,
and fundamentally bring you to Him who is
himself the embodiment of all truth, and in
vites you to learn of Him, and thus ind rest I'M
to your soul
Your pious parents and best earthly friends
may have passed away, but the Saviour whom
they loved still lives, and the Holy Spirit they
invoked is still attainable by earnest prayer.
Bring all your sentiments and hopes of every
kind to the test and touchstone of revealed
truth; and, bending in sincere devotion and
earnest solicitude at the throne of grace, say
with the psalmist "What know not, teach
Thou me-" Draw me, and L shall run after
Thee Fill me with the spirit of holiness, the
evidence of new life and the earnest of glo-
rious Immortality.
SUNDAY School ANNIvERsARY.-The forty
second anniversary of the High street Sunday