, 1878-01-05
THE CHURCHES SUNDAY.

THE CHURCHES SUNDAY.
METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH.
ID. Bagley, Pastor. = Morning subject:
.The possibilities Of redeemed souls. !"
Text, l John, iii, l. Now are we the
sons of God. It doth not yet appear
what we shall be. &c.
The speaker observed. that Christ
was to us what we take Him to be-if
as no Savior. He is TO us no Savior; if
as moderate one. the same, and if as a
sanctifyer and exalted one, snch is He
unto us. God was spoken of as Spirit.
Light. Love. as the type or pattern of Q
new race-God inshrined in them. The
Church was regarded as part of Christ
-He the head-His life is her lie.
The Church was regarded as contin-
ued revelation of Divine life in human
form. and Christ as type of the true
child of God. The dignity of bringing
lost souls to Christ was made mention
OF, and that God would have prepared
workmen.
Evening subject: Heb. ill.,. 2. 8. II
have heard Thy voice and was afraid,
Oh Lord. Oh Lord. revive Thy work. /"
The voice of God was referred to re-
revival spoken of as embracing two
forces-God and the sinner-God nov
ing toward the sinner and the sinner
moving toward God. The present was
spoken of as favorable to salvation.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Rev. j. F. Ellis preached New Year
sermon in the morning. of which we
give the closing paragraph:
In wishing you all Happy New
Year" let me say werd by way of ex-
PLANTATION. l have heard some of our
Sunday-school boys declare they should
do differently utter New Year-then they
would begin anew. That pleased me:
they are beginning right SO ss to insure
truly happy New Year. You have at
tended an orchestral concert and know
how the performers tune their instru-
ments. Now man is q harp. A wo>
man is finer harp. But did you ever
hear fine music from an unstrung harp?
If I wish you Happy New Year I
wish you to tighten the strings of your
harp. Bring your resolutions to cen
cert pitch. into harmony with the music
that falls from the stars and from about
the throne of the Highest. and then
yours will be Happy New Year in-
deed.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
At the Presbyterian Church in the
morning. Mr.. Macie preached from
Phil. xiii, 13. IA. He introduced the
subject by referring to the ever varied.
ever changing scene of human life.
With all there is an earnest desire to
better our condition; even those whom
men call the most fortunate and suc-
cessful in their surroundings, rest not
satisfied, but reach ont and up into the
unknown future for prize which they
deem ever before them. If We turn to
nature, it's there the same. stagnation
is death; but the inevitable, all-pervad-
ing law of life is, taking the past as
stepping stones, "Press on, press on"
In urging the forgetting the things
that are behind or past, Paul no doubt
would not include all. He doubtless
never could, never wished to forget one
of the golden links In that wonderfui
chain Of love by which he had been
drawn from sin to righteousness. Nor
would he forget the great sacrifice on
Calvary. But there were things he
would forget: his own sufferipgs and
trials; his own good works and labors
for the Master. however, efficient. The
grace already received be would net
rest in, but seek renewed supplies fer
each hour of coming need. And the
Christian, in looking back, may see the
succeeding wonders Of love through
which he has been led. and will desire
to reach on after the richer grace that
may yet be bestowed. But he may be-
ware lest ever looking back the record
of Lots wife be repeated for him. The
mind Is ever expanding. reaching on
and up. So. too, We conclude. must the
soul be. Aud, Oh! the wonderful Prize
which all may obtain, 1.-The perfect
man in Christ Jesus"
BAPTIST CHURCH.
Morning text: Luke tx, 62, mo
man having put his hand to the plough,
and looking back is dt for the kingdom
of God" The Savior tells us plainly
that his disciples must bear the cross;
that the way of holiness is the path Of
self denial; that He must be obsyed
implicitly. as the absolute king Of. the
soul; and that our marriage and blood
relationship must give way if they come
i,to conflict with the claims of Christ.
He wants us to count the cost of disci-
plsship. to choose deliberately. and af-
ter we have put the hand to the plov
not to look back. If We banker after
the renounced things of the world, VI
are not fit for the kingdom of God.
The sermon in the evening was from