The Portland daily press., 1877-12-10
SUNDAY SERVICES.
ST. STEPHENS CHURCH.


A sermon, under the auspices of the Youns
| Mems Christian Association. was preached OIL
sour Associates" yesterday afternoon at St
| Stephens Church by Rev. A. Dalton. The text
was the first verse of the first Psalm :-"Blesset
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the
uugodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners
nor stitch in the seat Of the scornful."
Most proverbs are dictated by prudence, such
as Honesty is the best policy" ga man is
known by tie company he keeps" But VIVA,
worldly wisdom recommends as matter OF
policy, religion inculcates as matter of prin,
ciple, the only safe rule The preacher nro-
ceeued to snow the nature and varieties of In.
fueDee we receive from our associates arc nino
that they are many aud most important, often
determining our conduct aud character for life.
ihls is especially trae OF the young, who are
most easily influenced by their associates. In
choosing bese associates, therefore, they should
avoid the coarse and rude-all in whose copver-
sat'on or conduct they discover want of in
tegrty or moral principle aud, above all, those
who sneer and scott at the great truths of the
gospel. Even when these truths are net openly
assaulted they are often covertly attacked, and
In this way our reverence for holy things and
our highest principles are gradually upder.
mined. be Concluded by enjoiuiug upon youu q
people to see TO it that they had high stand
ara IN AL these matters, and high purpose in
life 10 the end. 1t should be the ann of every
young man to JOIN and make himself worthy
Of the glorious company of the prophets, apos-
ties, martyrs and nenefactors of the human
race,
FIRST BAPTIST.
The Rev. Thomas d. Andersop,. the now
regular established pastor of the church,
preached, taking his text from Numbers, tx.
ut MI oyh = tLo
of the Lord ,thes children of Israel journeyed,
aud at the commandment of the Lord they
pitched" The history Of the wanderings of
the children of Israel is, if we may so call
them, but a narrative of our own lives and ex-
periences. In their trials we see ours ia the de-
parture of Moses from the children of Israel and
their backsliding we can see our liability to turn
from God 10 the contemplation of things earth
~. Christianity lifts the human mind to the
level OF the divine; but in heather mythology
we find that the gods are but the creations of
the human fancy, and are therefore only meo;
but 10 Christianity how vastly different. True
Christianity never shines like ray of light
merely IN one spot but spreads it's Influence
around and about US like the odor of some fra
grant essence. Its Influences should not alone
be felt III the sanctuary, but in our walks of
business and amid the turmoil of our daily
lives. We are often downhearted because we
do not advance faster in the accomplishment
of our purposes, but we must remember that,
though the wheels move so slowly, it may be
only to teach us humility and patient endur-
ance. There are passages in the Bible which
we do not and cannot comprehend, and which
with our knowledge and love of God we would
not; but there are enough plain and luminous
to guide us through this world and TO teach us
OF eternity And finally, if we in the words of
the text obey the command of God to advance,
and His mandate to stay. the pillar of cloud by
day and the pillar of fire by night, will be with
us, as with the children of Israel, until they
have guided us to the promised land.