The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-03-16

These interesting services continue to be at.
tended with growing interest; and this proves
what has been often previously demonstrated,
that when people are interested in religion
they have no difficulty in finding time to attend
on church services. One other thing also ii
suggests, and that is whether the time is not
near, or has not now arrived, when our fathers
may institute brief daily service, morning and
evening, for half an hour, so that our churches
may be opened every day, for brief time at
least to those who would gather a little spiritual
strength TO stern the tide of worldliness and
SIN. The morning prayer meeting and Bible
talk were fully attended yesterday and were
pleasant seasons to those present, crowds
gather at Free st church in the morning and
afternoon, aud at State St. and Pine St.
churches 10 the evening Last evening, at
State st. the services commenced by singing
hymn No. 65-"Hallelujab, It's DONE" Before
the first prayer Mr.. Needham read a communi-
| cation from Calais, telling OF work of grace
there and asking for the prayers of Christians
for its further progress. Rev. Mr. HiLcks
offered prayer. Hymn No CA was sung and
during the singing a collection was takep. Mr..
Needham read part of the 9ah chapter of
Hebrews-referripg to the validity Of the testa-
ment or covenant of Christ-a glorious chapter
and presenting precious truth. No. IS was
sung-"Remember me- The text was in
Heb. 926-"Then must be often have suffered
so' The apostles refer to the Lord Jesus
Christ. There are two words here translated
acorld. Ooe means the material world the
other neaus age and dspensatiop. Christ
came into the world; this is an historian fact,
well attested; and He came on no idle Grand
He came TO put away sin by the sacrifice of
Himself. Sin is great barrier between God
and man. Now is this to be removed? Christ
is to do it by the shedding of his own blood.
Only in one way can sin be put away, and that
way is Christ In the old Jewish dispensation
the smoke of numberless sacrifices was con-
stantly ascending; but they did not take away
sin. They did indeed accomplish q certain
ceremonial publication which was type of the
better atoDement and sacrifice that was to
come; and that sacrifice was Jesus.
The Jewish law Or sacrifices could not put
away sins. No remorse, no sorrow, no self-de-
NAL, no fasting can serve to put ,way sin. Nor
can holy living remove it. Martin Luther tried
fasting and self-denial and Chalmers by holy
living, tried to put away the sense Of sin. They
tried in vain. Nor can death or hell remove
sin; no purgatorial fres nor men, nor angels,
nor devils can remove sin. What then can put
it away? The text tells US, "Once in the end
OF the ages Christ appeared to put away SIM
Turn from all other means to Jesus, for He is
held up TO US as our atonement. In jeremiah
Goth chapter. we are told that God can pardon
because . sacrifice has been found. In Nehe-
miah 9th chapter, we read that God delights to
pardon as sacrifice has been offered In
Isaiah 10Th chapter, we learn that God album
dainty pardons because a sacrifice has been
consumed. La Acts 5th chapter, the apostle
tells US that pardon comes through Christ; and
in the 18th chapter OF Paul tells us that through
this man-that is Jesus Chrst-we can, if we
believe, be freed from our sns. If we will Only
believe that Christ died for us, we are saved
If we only believe We are saved, no matter
what our feelings may be. We are to look to
Chris.'s finished work-and that is fact that
can be received by faith If we believe in that
we are saved Let US rest on this firm foun-
dation, for all beside this is shifting sand
Mr.. Ste5hins sung a solo-"There is pardon
for you," aud Mr.. Needham offered prayer and
pronounced the benedction,
The Afternoon meeting was held as usual and
was fully attended. Pine street church was
crowded, and part of the choir sung for them.
Mrs Needhan addressed the congregation, and
other addresses were made.
The appointments are as follows: Morning
meeting at a. N. Preaching in the City Hall
at = p. IN.
Many of the teachers of the public schools
who are interested in the presentation of relg
ious truth, have not been able to hear Mrs,
Needham. 1t is expected that she viii give a
Bible talk at Free street church, Saturday af-
ternoon from to o'clock, at which those of
the teachers who Wish, and others can be pres
ent