The Portland daily press., 1878-11-12
1.-THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES"
Lecture by the Rev. r. w. Ii akeman of
Auburn.

The first of the course of lectures at the First
Baptist church was delivered last evening by
Rev. f. w. Brakeman of Auburn. The subject
of the lecture was "The Signs of the Times"
and the lecturer said that he should dwell upon
the dark aspects of the subject.
Our countrymen, he remarked, are fully
bent upon praising themselves and everything
American; but while they are thus boasting of
their country and its wonders, they fail to OBJ
serve some of the ominous signs of the times
1t is to be remarked that the past century has
been most wonderful in its history. Progress
has been marvellous in all the arts and appli-
ances of life, as well as in all those things es-
pecially pertaining to the moral and phian-
thropic relations of society. The steamboat,
telegraph, locomotive, cylinder, steam, printing
press, and all implements pertaining to agri-
cultural matters have been invented or vastly
improved. But the question of self-governmer,
is to be determined on this continent and the
one important thing that concerns US is-what
is the character of the people as bearing on the
question of self-government, and what inf1u-
ences do we see at work indicating danger to
our institutions?
lack of moral honesty in our own people. There
seems to be moral dry-rot in the hearts of the
people. 1t shows itself in sham work. How
rare is it to find real, thorough piece of work.
Our vorkmen deal in shoddy and outside
adornment, while true strength and honest
work is lost sight of. Fimsy houses frail
steamers, huge mills that are traps to decoy
peopie to death, are built by unfaithful work
men: and there is but little honesty in it all.
This lack of integrity is seen again in the ex-
tensive adulteration of food, drugs, confection-
airy, nearly every article in use in the family
all are constantly adulterated to the great injury
of health and to the shortening of life. We see
this lack OF integrity also in the business habits
of the present age. How dishonest are the
tricks of trade so caled-puttipg false marks
upon goods--the failures in business. the defal-
cations. 1t is sad thing that SO many good
men are led away into these evil deeds; and so
religion suffers. How common is the crime of
the government, and not considered wrong. We
need honest men-those who will adhere to
their principles under all circum stances.
Another evil sign of the times is the univer-
sal worship of the material Men look for
wealth. Money, money, is the grand object of
pur suit. Wealth is an apology for all evil
habits and men who ought to be banished from
decent society are tolerated because they have
money. Virtue, honor, reputation, patriotism,
are all put on money value. What curse to
euO 10 tuo rivalry III oOCidl SUCl6ty,
which springs from the worship of money
We must have style of living that makes
slaves of US ALL Oar wives and daughters are
occupied with dress and show, and have very
little time for acquiring knowledge. Frugaity
is an unknown virtue The whole tendency of
this worship of money is to lead men to use
wrong means to secure it. There is something
better than money; the pleasures and blessings
of the family, integrity, the old-time virtues of
the fathers-these and other things are better
than wealth, and it is sad thing when all
these higher and nobler things are sacrificed to
the insane pursuit or grovelng worship of ma
terial good.
Another evil sign is the aversion to manual
labor. Work is the foundation of society; but
manual labor is not honOred and wealthy pa
rents bring up their children to shun it. The
way to ennoble labor is to honor 1t. We are
ashamed of work, and God will curse US unless
We honor it. Men aud women-honest and
true-are the hope Of this country. Moral in
tegrity is the only foundation of permanent
self-government, and the fathers and mothers
must train the children to be honest, frugal,
true, ready for all useful work and thus raise
up q generation in whose hands the insttut ions
that have come down to Us shall be safe, and
by whom they shall be transmitted to the gen.
erations to come.
There was good attendance and the lee
ture greatly interested the audience, bearing as
it did upon matters pertaining to the present
state of society and opening to view the way to
higher and better condition of sociali life as
the result of a return to the principles and
practices of former period.