Connecticut western news., 1879-01-01
The sunday SermG ms.
AT THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

AT THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
 The discourse at East Canaan had ref erence to the close of the year. The tex, was: Every man is vanity ."-AIlusion was made to tue death of the Princess A. rec, and of Bayaid Taylor. Our days art not span. but "haud- breadth" Matthew Henry says: ''We need no rod, no pole, no measuring line wherewth to tske tnt dimensions of our days, nor any skill in arithmetic wherewi,h to compute thel number. We have always about us a measure-the breadth of four fingers. " The text was untolded, and illustrations We're given. The great lesson that we are to learn is to take sober and rational views of life, not to be deceiyed by it's flatteres, and deludeo by it's snares not to expect too much and not to mourn unduly when sorrows lower. It is world of sadness and sin, but the mile-stones indicate how much nearer we are coming, if children, t. the better home. What we are to do, is tu sird ourselves for the conflicts, and to make our life as true and beautiful as we can. The old years dying words are,- Love not the world ;"-"The time is short ;"-The fashion of this world passelh away"
 AT THE METHODIST CHURCH.
 Rev. MT. Balden of the NJ. l.. churci, preached from Luke ii, 10th and llth verses. Aud the angel said unto them, Fear not. tor behold bring you good ll- dings of great joy which shall be to ali people. For unto you is born this day il 4he city of David Savlor which IS Chris, the Lord" The exact time of our Saviour's birth is unknown; by different learned meu il has been fixed at each month in the year. IL seems almost certain however, from th, account given by Luke, that the 25th ol Dec,-the day We celebrate is not the cor. rect one. Luke says: And there was h the same country, shepherds abiding Ill tht field, keeping watch oyer their f1ocks by night." Tue Jews sent out their f1ocks |, pasture about the time ot the passover, ano took them up at the commencement of th, first rain. While they were out in these mountain regions, the shepherds WatchtC them day ana night. The passover begal n the spring, aLd the first rain in the be- ginning oi the month Marchesvan, whcl answers to part of our October and No vember, and as the shepherds, had not ye brought home their hocks, it is presumptiv,
 argument that Nov. had not yel commenced and that the Lord was born before the 25li If Dec, when it is cold and bleak in thcs, rnouniain regions of Belhlehem, and nt docks are out in the fields.
 The exact dale however is 8 matter ot nt uonst quen nee, but it Is well that some day snoulu be celebrated to keep the event ai- ways fresh ln our minds, and for aimos | nineteen hundred years Christmas caro rave been suug wherever the name of Je | sus is known. The speaker then referred o tue propheclcs that had reference to th, ,dveut ot Jesus, to the geueral expectation that then existed, not only among the Jews | out also many o1 the Gentlles that som' Great Deiivcrer WAS then to make lis ap- l pearance, t0 the decree of the Roman em |
 nent pf ancient prophecy, to tue lowly coD ! sltlOn of his blrlh, aud tue divine tOkt n | which followed i.--the angel choir, th, star in the East, the journey of the wls' ! men, etc.
 He then showed why and to whom thll message was good tidings Of great joy. 1 once heard, said the speaker, d brother O. Dewitt Talmage use the following languag, | in sermon: ''Ali shall not be left to per
 ssh. neither shall all be redeemed. Som, snal! be redeemed to show the mercy c God, and some shall be left 10 perish tt show the justice of God" The ruin 0
 millions oI souls wCu.d not show his jus nce so ,stlikingly as did the sufferings 0 Jesus. Iu conclusion all Wele urged 10 ac cepu Christ as their saviour.
 Tue service in the evening was Christ n.as praise seISlce," alrauged for the con gregation and Sunday school, and wa made up of singing aud responsive reading sud much credit is due in thls connection to the choir for the tficien, nanner in wnlcl | they handled the music, in the limit, Ii uni they had fer preparation.
 Next Sabbath morning the sacrament 0 The Lords Supper will be celebrated, and sermon preached appropriate 10 the Nev Year.
 AT CHRIST CHURCH.