The Portland daily press., 1877-09-10
SUNDAY SERVICES.
FIRST PARISH CHURCH.

| ton ard the sermon was one of unusual inter-
| est and great power. The venerable divine
| took his text from the second epistle Of Peter
! 1; 8: "For if these things be in you and
| abound, they make you that We shall neither
our Lord Jesus Christ"
The preacher remarked that the things re.
| ferred to as producing such satisfactory result
| were enumerated in the preceding verses.
"* Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue
| knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and
| to temperance patience, and to patience godli-
ness, and to godliness brotherly kindness. and
| to brotherly kindness charity" He announced
that of the graces named above he should call
| attention to the first and chiefest, knowledge
| This is dependent upon rank and is not open to
| all as the others are. Any one can practice
gentleness, kindness temperance and the like,
but not every one can possess knowledge in its
fullest extent He said he did not wish to sep
arate knowledge from the other attributes of the
soul. There is now too much artificial educa-
ton. A danger exists, for Christianity de-
ponds on what knowledge cannot supply. A
person who is known as cultured is one Of ac-
complishments in secular matters solely. These
accomplishments axe we'll in their place, but
good, practical education in things of vital i'm
portance are of vastly more worth. In the
common schools we ct practical attachments
which furnish the solid foundation for life. If
knowledge of music, painting and sculpture
can be added o much the better, but the sec
ond can never take place of the first. Secular
education alone produces intellectual torpor
and one who knows and reads nothing but his
torical facts and studies only dead languages
may become as dead to the outside world as the
languages, and he might as we'll be laid away
on the shelves with the books for all the good
he will ever do the world. There are facts
enough for all to learn if they will and by
them have good knowledge of what is going
on about them and who most needs their help.
An educated man has the large free use of his
powers and is unfettered he thinks, speaks
and talks boldly and freely The intellect is
noble faculty. but what of the heart, is not
that still higher? How many men who are
called cultured are really SO? Is man cul-
tured whose passions and temper are still un-
tanned? When man allows his prejudices to
run away with his better judgment, or clergy
man gives Way to coarse expressions in order TO
become popular, he cannot be cultured. and
there are still swamps and boys undrained.
We sometimes SEE statesmen of great and ac-
knowledged ability who have no self control
and hence they cannot BIZ men of true culture.
1t is true some men are nearer the trne mark
naturally but their souls are not always the
most fruitful as the best soil does not always
alone can be depended on. This is the con-
science, heart, mind and will combined. This
culture is greater than the love for fine arts or
historical facts What culture so rare as that
OF perfect control of the villas power to do
as you ought at any and all times. When L
see this power over the will displayed by ordi
nary people so called, am struck with amaze
ment. Culture is generally forced and does
not come naturally. How many persons there
are who are called perfect gentlemen and la
N him of 1aiGnra nd
can do as they choose, but whose conscences are
but echos of the tablet known as table of good
manners This table must not be broken un-
der any consideration. True culture breaks
up the barren soil of our natures. ornamental
culture in comparison to the true is similar to
taking hot house for agriculture. True cul-
ture is often found in walters and day laborers
while it is lacking in the artist and gentleman.
There is a culture which springs from Jesus
Christ who had no books or paintings to learn
culture from. He was ever ready to reason
with those " 10 called on him for advice. Seek
his grace and you will find a source of culture
which makes others use less.
CHILDREN's DAY AT THE FREE STREET BAP.
list CHURCH.
Yesterday was the day set apart at this
church for the observance of the 41st annversa-
ry of the Sunday School connected with it. In
the morning the pastor, Rev. James McWhin-
ME, preached to the school from the passage OF
Scripture found in the 18th verse of the 4th
chapter of Prov; "The path of the just is as
a shining light that,shineth more and more un.
to the perfect day.
After an alluson to the large number of
youth who during the yearshad entered upon
the Christian life, he proceeded to address this
class upon the course of the Christian as des-
-
not smoothly gliding river, chariot way
through the clouds, a bower of ease. 1t was
pathway through which the disciple must
walk. an exercise which involves resolution,
effort perseverance, faith. Though this path
way is full of obstacles, these are all yincible
through the presence of Christ, the believers
Great Heart. As the disciple received Christ
SO also he is to walk in Him, and he does this
by trusting Him always.
1t is the path of the just, the true, the right
eous. God has made those who walk in it
right before His holy laws Their sins having
been laid on jesus, they are now freed from
the laws claims against them. But whomsGod
sets right beform the law He makes righteous
He gives them new nature which is right and
true towards God, and requires right and true
life towards men. A Christian life or Chris.
tian work must rest on the basis of righteous
character. Good works without such charac-
ter, are like house built upon the sand.
The path of the righteous is like the N owing
dawn. The light of the Gospel no more bursts
on the soul than the sunlight suddenly bursts
upon the EARTH The gray light of self-revela-
ton disclosing the darkness of the heart and
the danger of the way precedes the rays Of the
sun of righteousness. But like the sunlight,
the light of truth in the soul and on the dis
ciple's path grows brighter and clearer. The
difficulties are not always removed, but the
greater. light reveals tie way of escape. As
the surface of the earth turns towards the sun,
so must the disciples path even tend towards
the sun of righteousness.
This path surely leads to the perfect day, the
day of perfect righteousness, of perfect good
ness, of perfect blessedness. The preacher
closed by an earnest appeal to his hearers to
enter the open door of the path of the just,
through which Christ would lead them to the the
perfect day.
The sermon was listened to by large and
attentive audience.
In the evening the exercises were conducted
by the members of the school under the direc-
ton of 81. 5. Melcher, the efficient surerinten-
dent, and consisted of scripture readings, reci-
tatons, singing, reports of officers and short
addresses by the superintendent, pastor and
others.
The address or report of the superintendent
was very interesting, as showing that the
school was in very prosperous condition; an
unusually large number of its members having
been received into the church during the pass
year. The following is an abstract of the sev-
eral reports presented: Whole number belong
ing to the school, 800; average attendance, 200,
infant department, SO; number of officers, s;
number of teachers, 80; number of convers-
ions, 63. Of these 50 have been baptised aud ad-
mitted to the church; died, 1.
The treasurer reports on hand at the COM
mencsment of the gear, $64 oil; received during
the year, $lS7 So; amount expended $194 80;
on hand, $56 Sc. The librarian reports the
number of books.in the library as 51S.
The floral decorations on and about the pull
pit and platform were simply elegant, exhibit.
ing good taste in the design and arrangement
On the centre of the platform was a rockery
constructed of choice flowers and plants, prom
inent among them were amaryllis, lily, holly
ivy. ferns and MOSES; at the base were shells OF
brilliant hues-the whole being surmounted by
Cross constructed of eyergreens On either
side of this were stands filled with bright fall
flowers. On the wall at the left of the pulpit
was large scroll, on which was inscribed the
IL, u I. A. i