The Portland daily press., 1878-03-08
The Revival aleeting..

ing hymn No. z, 'Hale lnjah, what Savourp
Rev. Mr.. Wheelwtight offered prayer, and
hymn No. 10 was sung, "Ars your windows
open towards Jerusalem?" and Mr.. Cato fol-
lowed with hymn No. 81 of Book 1st, "Wben
Jesus Comes" Mr.. Needham proposed to
speak about the dispansations of the ages Two
words cause considerable confusion, though
they appear as Que in our Bible-the word
world" meaning sometimes the habitable
earth, and again thu dispensatOu-the ages
By dispe nsatiop, we mean Coos dealing with
the world-his method changing from period
to periOd-so that he might give to man every
opportunity to recover their moral standing bs-
fore HIM. We read in the Bible of the Jews,
the GeDt'les, the Church; and we should right
~ divide the word, SO as to apply to each topic
its appropriate portion. This is the key, right
ly dividing the word Of God. In our reading
we find, first, the dispepsation of conscience,
under which Adam and Eve were placed. But
we mistake if we follow now the light of con-
sc'ence alone, for sin has corrupted it. Cain
first went out from Gcd and sought TO live In.
dependent of Him. The flood ended this cor
rupt age. The second dispensation is that of
srlf-government. There was some good in this
age; bnt the tendency was downward, and so
God confounded their speech and scattered
| them about. The third dispensatiOn WAS that
of probation-a family and national selection
as 10 the case of Abraham and his descend
ants down to Moses. The fourth dispensa-
ton is that of law. But in connection with
law came sacrifice; and at the end of this age
came the Lord Jesus, our great atonement.
Under this dispensation human wckedness
eliminated in the death of Jesus. The fifth
dispensation is that of grace-the calling of the
Gentiles, of the church, the spirit, of resigna-
ton.
But at some time this age will also have an
end /; for the Lord will come to take his people
home. Another dispensation will come, the
speaker thought, when the Messiah shall
personally come to reign upon the earth
thousand years; and then after that shall come
another dispensstIoD-tbs everlasting age-of
this we know little, for God has not revealed it.
May our work be earnest and unremitting and
when our Lord calls for us may he find us
diligently doing his will, Rev. DR.. Smaller
offered prayer and pronounced the benedictioo.
The evening service commenced with some
most appropriate remarks by Rev. Mr..
McWhinne in reference to the collection that
was appointed to be taken before the sermon.
| Hymn No. 76 was sung-"It is well with my
souls" aud MIR. McWhinnie offered prayer
| after which MIR. Cato sung a solo-the choir
joining il the chorus-"f will sing Of my
| Redeemer." Mr.. Needh am mentioned some
cases Of request for prayers, and referred to the
| blessed privilege OF prayer, aud then led in
prayer. Mr.. Cato sung solo hymn No. 79-
ETERNITY" Mr.. Needham took his text fro N
Isaiah 81: as this passage contained the word
| Eternity" God has two thrones. one 10 the
| highest heaven, the other in the humble and
contrte heart. Eternity is the life-tms of the
| Almighty; but We can have only Inadequate
ideas Of it, for we have only time-measures to
| give US an idea of eternity. We cannot grasp
| it, but yet we believe in 1t; as We believe in
| space, though we may not be able to explain,
| or define, or comprehend it. 1t may take US
twenty thousand years to reach the planet
Neptune, going as swiftly as the ral-car; but
even then we have hardly touched space. Now
| some may say they will not believe in space.
They cannot comprehend this idea of space
and they deny 1t all. Now our little world
49, "a L..
little space of time since mans creation bears
to eternity.
But the important question comes, "Whe-e
will you spend eternity?" 1t is very proper
question. When Lord William Russell was
brought to the scaffold, he passed his watch to
may be of some service to you; but as for me,
| my thoughts are fixed on eternity" Are your
thoughts fixed on eternity? There are two
great kingdoms In the eternal world. In which
| one will you spend your eternity? All through
the BIBLE we find fearful words about the
dwelhng-place of the wicked in eternity. But
we also find bessed words concerning the
blessed lot of the righteous. 1 beg Of you,
dear hearers, to take the Book and examine il
With care. Meet its solemn truths with can.
dor-read, think, ask yourselves where you will
speud eternity. With what words can urge
you all to think, to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ? l can tell you that Jesus has died
that you may be saved Blessed truth! thai
SID, and so spend happy eternity in heaven.
Mr.. Cato sung solo, 'What then?" After
some remarks by one of the converts, narrat-
ing theincidents of bis conversion, Rev. Mr.
Goodwin pronounced the benediction. In &C
cordance with Mr.. Needham's request tn,
converts aud inquirsrs went over to the Firs
Baptist church and held an after-meeting.
We would state that to-day there will be
! prayer meeting at the vestry of the First Bap
tist church at 81, at 100 Commercial street a
III, boys meeting at the First Baptist churci
al 81; also young peoples meeting at the Firs
Baptist and Second Parish churches, this even
ing at u o'clock.
Ths meeting at the City Hall last evenin,
was very full, and the audience gave close at
tention to the speaker as be uDfolded the i'm
portant subject upon which he was discoursipg
1t was the closing one in a series of meeting
that have done m UGH to awaken Christians Il
| new earnestness in their work, and to arous
many thoughtess ones to give attention to th
all-importapt subject of preparation for eterri
ty. We are sure that very many who hav
been blessed 10 these meetiDgs, will follow MI
| Needham aud his co.workers with earnes
prayers for their continued prosperity and use
| fulness.