The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-04-19
Fast Day.
ITS OBSERVANCE IN PORTLAND.

Fast Day.
ITS OBSERVANCE IN PORTLAND.
The Churches-The Walking Match
Base Ball-shooting Natches-Theafre.
Fast Day was lowery. uncomfortable day,
threatening rain but the storm held off 80 that
the different places of amusement were we'll
patronized. The streets were very quiet, and but
two arrests were made, both for drunkenness.
The churches were well attended and the fol-
lowing are abstracts of the addresses given at
the First Parish, st. Lawrence ST., and Con-
gress St. churches. The sermon preached by
Rev. Mr.. Lathe, of Plymouth church, at the
union meeting, will be published in full in this
journal Monday morning-The sermon treated
of responsibilities of the Christian citizens and
was fine effort:
THE FIRST PARISH.
The Rev. Thomas Hill, D. D., preached
from II Peter i, g.: "And to knowledge
temperance, and to temperance patience, and
to patience godliness." The subject being
Temperance in the broad sense of the term"
knowledge, which is the ability to distinguish
right from wrong, is not enough. The word
Temperance" only appears three times in the
New Testament and, in the case of Felix
with whom Paul reasoned of temperance, the
word meant chastity, and caused the man of
whom Tacitus said, sin every kind of bar
barity he exercised the power of king with
the spirit of slave" to tremble. Cicero says
shat the whole of moral duty lies in being
temperate" that is. in having complete
Ill <Lo r.
the whole man. Temperance lis the
action of moral strength. The restricted
modern use of the word tends to make us for
get the virtue itself. Our conflict is with
every thing that can induce US to forget God.
He that endeavors to serve himself, really de-
stroys himself. Temperance is obedience to
the dictates of reason in man. 1t is the sad
dest sight that this sad world affords, sight
not unfamiliar in this city, that of a man on
whose face can be read the story of his living
death, and who is going down to a dishonor-
able grave. No pencil can portray more
horrible fate than is pictured on the face of
many young mantle fate of those who
stand at the left hand of God. Some men
need to be drawn out of themselves. They
have no positive vices, and only negative
virtues. This double influence Of restraint
and urging, of the whip and spur, and of the
rein, is needed both for our guidance and our
final salvation. 1t is he who endures to the
end that is saved. To knowl-
edge we must add temperance, to
temperance patience, to that godliness. We
call Jesus "Lord, Lord" in vain, if we do not
follow him. The highest intellect is not al
ways the best. The man who sees clearly his
own duty and does it, gives the best prinaa
tacie evidence of having clear mind We
must train ourselves for the conflict of life,
as the ancient athlete was trained for the sake
of winning crown that withered almost as
soon as won. Shall we strive less to be tenn
perate in order to gain an incorruptible crown?
good character, and a crown of life can
only be won by long temperance in self
control, and in reliance on God
through Christ. Let us then as the Governor
recommends, endeavor to lead better life,
feeling better fitted for it by this hour of self
examination, and relying as the Governor has
advised on the divine assistance, forgetting
those things that are behind and pressing for
ward to that life which is to endure forever
through Christ our Lord.
ST. LAWRENCE STREET.
The pastor, the Rev. A. H. Wright read the
5Sth chapter of the prophesy of Isaiah and re-
marked upon the nature and value of true
fasting as means of grace.
Fasting is not an arbitrary religious duty,
to be performed simply because it is COM
manded, but is natural outgrowth of reli-
gious feeling. AS feasting is a common and
appropriate expression of joy, SO abstinence
from food is natural expression of sorrow.
The true mourner involuntarily fasts. Intense
grief takes away all relish and desire for food.
The mind is withdrawn from the processes of
life and conferred upon the all-engrossing ca
lamity or bereavement which has occasioned
,eo Mo.x &c D.hl
the house rapt in pensive thought, conferred in
her great sorrow until the Master called.
Where there is genuine grief there can be
genuine fasting. Where there is real afiic-
ton of soul on account of sin, there can fol-
low spiritual fast. The prophet Isaiah
speaks in bitter sarcasm of IsraePs fast It
was an idle show, shameful mockery, be-
cause there was no inward soul-humbling
and affection. Their formal service was as
an empty shell. The same peril is before u.s.
If there is any meaning in this annual APP
pointment, it is that there is necessity that
the people of this State should aff1ict their
souls on account of their sins. Preparation
is needed for this service. You cannot by an
act of will become penitent and humble, but
by thoughtful reflection and secret PRAYER
every christian can arrive at truers self
estimate, and find all sufficient reason for sor-
row and contrition. Fasting has spiritual
value, when abstinence from food in part or in
whole is connected with meditation and PRAYER.
1t affords most needful discipline to the
soul. The demands of the body are for a
stated season repressed that the soul may rise
into higher sense of its own defects and
needs. God wants neither pain nor penance,
but there are times when what the body loses
the soul gains. 1t is principle of Scripture
and of reason that the body should be denied
for the sake of the soul. Brethren, you can
make this day means of spiritual health if
you choose, by abstaining from the self-in-
dulgences and pleasures which crafty the
flesh, and devoting its hours to religious
thought, self examination, and prayer. Who
can doubt but such an employment of the
day, if usual among Christians. would pro-
mote the piety and usefulness of the church,
and bring holy benediction upon our COM
monwealths -The pastors address was fol-
lowed by remarks from various members of
the church.
PRAYER MEETINGS.
At the Congress street Methodist church
there was prayer and conference meeting
and an address by the pastor, Mr.. Ladd. We
are commanded, he said, to pray without
ceasing and in everything give thanks. And
yet it seems fitting to have special days of
thanksgiving. We hail the occasions of fami-
~ reunions and religious festivals. So we
are required to always walk humbly and pen
itently before God; and yet it is proper and
profitable to have these special occasions for
humiliation, fasting and prayer. 1t is an I'M
favorable and alarming symptom in our social
life to allow this day to be so generally given
up to amusement and revelry. Is it mere
theory. or day dream that we are sinners, or
is it an awful factl Is it mere stock idea of
religion that We have to do with
righteous God, or is it a
| truth of infinite Importance Has
not the record of sin and crime in our
own State the last year been sufficient to call
the people of God to their kneess Think of
the GOODNESS and worldliness of Christians !;
the frauds and betrayal of trusts in the bust
| ness world; the drunkenness and poverty,
| the rOhberies and nurdersi Havo pot