The Portland daily press., 1879-12-08
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.


Rev. j. x. Smyth, the pastor, preached yes
terday morning from Isaiah XXI, Hip. The
coming of the morning and of the might"
as mentioned in this prophecy, the preacher
showed to be a significant way of predicting
the coming to earth of the Messiah who should
usher in a new day, and the state of mental
darkness and evil which would prevail at that
coming. Mr.. Smyth then described the politi-
Cal, social, philosophical, religious and moral
condition of the world at the dawn of christ
ianity and showed that the prediction that a
night should come had indeed been fulfilled.
The tyranncal form of government under Ii
berius was pictured forth as illustrative of the
degradation Of the times. Society was shown
to be in a most disordered and unsettled state
To be poor or uneducated was to be made q
tool of, while to be rich or talented was to be
deemed dangerous and aroused suspicion The
prevailing philosophy of the times was a per-
verted form of Epicureanism. Epicurus had
taught that human happiness could
not exist without pleasure; but to this he add
ed that real pleasure could not be had without
the exercise of virtue. 1t was the first part of
this teaching that the Roman world accepted,
whilst they rejected the latter, and thus men
became mere voluptuaries bent on gratifying
the senses. The masses of the people, too,
were without religion. Even a belief in the
Roman form of religion had disappeared. AS
faith left the scene, superstition entered and
was joined soon by despair. In the Jewish
church the teachings and disputes Of the differ
ent sects were described and religion, it was
stated, existed only in forms and ceremonies
and not in spirit. But it is when we turn to
look at the worlds morals that the night seems
darkest and the gloom hangs heaviest His
tory gives US the picture of mans. sensuality
and brutshness. If ever men lived thorough
ly the life of the senses it was then. The
senses were glutted and overloaded and the
spirit sank under their weight. Woman threw
off the garment of chastity without blush;
the theatre presented indecent or wild specta-
cles; and worse than all the marriage tie was
almost entirely neglected. And when the
hearthstones of nation are all polluted, when
passion is no longer held in check by the re-
buking finger of chastity, and when the mar
riage bond can no longer hold those around
whom it was divinely cast, then we may know
that that nation has about reached its lowest
state! Human nature had grown british and
cruel as was evinced by the popularity of glad
iatorial contests which were introduced, even
as an entertainment at funerals. Women were
among the amused spectators of these scenes.
Young maidens and aged men were thrown to
the beasts, and at length woman took up the
sword and amid the plaudits of the Roman
populace advanced into the arena-herself a
gladiator
Such was the night, a dark, black night,
such as the world never knew before and
which, had it not been for that divine light
which came to tighten the Genties, would
have worn on and on; and there would have
been no morning." and humanity would have
dragged out its existence in utter darkness.
But that light came! The birth, growth,
teachings and miracles of Christ were recount
ed and their subsequent effect on the world in
dictated. The Apostles caught the spirit of
this new religion and zealously did they go
forth to proclaim its teachings Christian
communions sprang up, churches were built,
bishopries were established and the work went
on through the noise and the turmoil of the
succeeding centuries, until the Christian relig
ion appears at length in our own day in its
peacefulness and blessedness, bearing perhaps
some of the marks and stains of conflict and
controversy, but on the whole pure, strong and
the most important element in human civiliza-
ton. Yes, the morning has been advancing
whilst the night has been wearing away.
Clouds may have shut almost out of sight the
newly-risen sun during the Dark Ages, but
they are moving away again and the horizon
that stretches out before us is bright.
FREE BAPTIST CHURCH.
At the Free Baptist Church, Casco street,
last evening, Rev. j. M. Lowden, the pastor,
delivered a lecture to the young on the subject,
Principle versus Policy" based upon the ex-
perience of the three worthless as related in
the Book of Daniels, third chapter. Mr..
Lowden held the attention of an audience
completely filling the house. To interest the
young has been his desire, and so far he has
accomplished his purpose.
The lecture was spoken Of in high praise,
and certainly would bear, as we hope it may,
to be repeated.