The Portland daily press., 1877-06-25
SUNDAY SERVICES.

REV. MIR. NEEDHAM AT CITY HALL.
Rev. Mr. Needham returned to the city
yesterday and preached twice at City Hall
He was greeted with large congregations, and
preached in his usual fervid manner
In the afternoon the service was held before
the regular church services, and so great was
the anxiety to hear him that many were turned
away for want of room. The chorus choir was
seated ON the platform. He prefaced his dis
course with few remarks, stating his desire to
stay as requested and hold short series of
meetings, but he considered it his duty to 60 to
St. John and do what he could to alleviate the
suffering there
As the foundation of his sermon he read a
few verses from the 14th chapter of st. John.
He said that he had preached upon several
topics while in Portland, but ha had never yet
devoted an entire service to the subject of the
Holy Spirit, which would be the theme of the
present discourse. This spirit comes to all who
believe In jesus Christ. A church without this
spirit is none of His. In the text we see the
figure of the Son praying to the Father, the
Father bestowing the gift and the Holy Spirit
coming. There is none higher than the other.
The Son is equal to the Father, and He equal
with the Holy Spirit, who has the name of
God. There are two classed here to-day-those
who believe and are blessed and those who do
not believe. l do not call this latter class
heathens, but remark that man may be ever
so moral, church member if you please, but
if not personally trusting in Jesus Christ for
divine grace, he is not in the sense of the
Scriptures believer. 1 shall address the be-
levers at this time. He then read from I'd
Corinthians, l, p, and Ephesians l, -, in
regard to God sealing His anointed The Spirit
is the seal God places upon the believers. The
work of sealing is simultaneous with beliey-
ing. The likeness of Christ is set in the seal.
A Christian must exhibit the image of the
Lord Jesus Christ, which is the ess enee of the
seal. The likeness must not be hid, but must
appear to the world. As the veil drops from a
statue so must the covering fall from the like
ness when the seal is given. The seal is a
mark of proprietorship and marks the man.
appropriates him for the Lord. This seal can
not De worn except the wearer has been bought
by the blood of Jesus, and if he is bought of
course he belongs to the purchaser. If bought
with price, then you should work for the
glory of the Master. The mark or seal anthem
ticates us and IL cannot be counterfeited. God
is to test every man who enters Heaven. The
seal distinguishes and make those who wear it
peculiar people 1t is the earnest in our
hearts and the earnest of God. 1t is a part of
the payment of what is promised. We have
now but the fruits of the land, and we are soon
to have The land itself. God gives us the
earnest of the light to come. The gospel light
ehases away the darkness. 1t is but the earnest
Of the light, and we are yet to see. The light
is our comforter. We are longing for the day
when we shall see the full light. By the Holy
Spirit the believer is anointed. The Spirit is
not in the hearts of all worshippers, so called,
TOR none are worshippers unless they are be-
LEVERS
In the evening he preached to crowded
house from the 45th Psalm. The sermon was
simple, practical description of the attributes
of the King as exhibited in that chapter, clos
ing with an earnest appeal to the audience to
accept Jesus as their King and to work 10 His
service The Introductory services were con-
Quoted by Rev. Mr.. Fern and the singing by
the chorus choir.
An announcement was made that Mr.. Whit.
tlesey will give series of Bible readings while
in the city. The first of these will be i'll High
street church, Wednesday night
FIRST BAPTIST ANNIVERSARY.
The Goth anniversary of the First Baptist
Sunday School was held last evening, and the
exercises were very interesting to the large an
dence present. The reports of the treasurer,
Librarian, secretary and superintendent showed
the school to be in Furnishing state The
whole number connected with the school is &c.,
with an average attendance of 175 The re-
ceipts were about 1915, and the expenditures
$40. During the year there have been AZ
hopefully converts, and Of this number 81
have been bartised. The school is represented
in the Foreign Mission field by four of its mem
bers and another is under appointment for for
eign service. Five of its members have died
during the year. Mr.. d. b. Kicker, the SUPER
lntendent has so far recovered from his dam
gerous illness that he was able to be present
and he was greeted with loving words of well
come, to which he made appropriate response
Addresses were made by Rev. e o. Stevens,
missionary from Burmah, and Rev. Mr., Nc
Winnie, of the Free street church, and the
exercises of the evening were varied by re-
sponsive reading and singing. The space
about the pulpit was beautifully decorated with
flowers and evergreen.
CAsCo STREET.
Rev. Mr.. Perkins, pastor of Casco street
church, preached yesterday upon the subject Of
charity, taking his text from Hebrews xiii, 3,
Remember them that are in bonds as bound
with them; and them which suffer adversely,
as being yourselves also in the body" Mr..
ASAniho eCAuon Was TGlSr6UCe 10
the putting of ones self in another's place in
order to realize their suffering. The duty of
immediate assistance to those in adversely was
strongly enforced Reference was made to the
st. John fire, of Portland's received aid from
them at our own loss, and our duty to them.
The discourse was worthy of the occasion and
the subject as prompted by the great calamity.
received ample justice. A committee of ladies
have been at work in response to the Mayor s
call for clothing and bedding.
FREE STREET CHURCH.
Rev. e. o. Stevens, of the Prone Mission,
Burmah, preached very able sermon from
I'd Corinthians, 18th and 10th verses
Mr.. Steveos is a son of the veteran mission
airy, Rev. E. A. Stevens, for many years
missionary at Rangoon, and is in this country
on account of ill health, and will return to his
field of labor soon.
At the close of the sermon the pastor made
an earnest appeal to the ladies of the congreea-
tion for contributions of clothing in behalf of
the st. John sufferers, and for service in aid of
the committee of ladies who are engaged at
City Hall in preparing garments and bedding
to be forwarded by the steamer tonight
In the afternoon at 5 o'clock the ordir ance
OF baptism was administered to six persons.
WOOdford's Corner.
The adjourned meeting of the school district