Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-23
Washington,s Btrthday.

were held at the Church of the Messiah and at the First Baptist church last evening. Both services were very numerously attended, and at both churches sermons appropriate to the occasion were given. At the Church of the Messiah Admiral Foote Post G. A. R. attend ed in body, occupying seats reserved for them in the body of the church. The pastor, Rev. Mir. Houghton, preached an admirable discourse, and there were specially interesting vocal and instrumental exercises. The church was not only completely filled, but also the door ways, up stairs and down, and muchinterest was shown. 'sKeller's American Hymn" was rendered by the Choral orchestra This body of musicians occupied seats in the choir gal lery in the rear of the singers. Following came Q cornet solo by MT. J. P. Stack. "The Star Spangled Banner" and next the choir gave the ssGloria in Excelsis," the orchestra accompanying. The church service then fol lowed, the pastor reading selections from the Scriptures and tlte choir responding. W. R.
 Wallace's ssNational Anthem" was then given,
 sung to the tune of stPark Street" by the
 choir and congregation, the orchestra also as-
 sisting. The sermon by MT. Houghton was eloquent, and listened to with wrapt attention.
 In the course of his remarks he spoke finely
 of the boys in blue and of their services for the preservation of the republic and the per
 petuation of the glorious institutions handed
 down as legacy from Washington and the
 other heroes, whose names will ever live in
 history's pages. He spoke of the demonstra-
 ton of the principle of self-govern-
 ment, and urged ali to exercise the
 power of the ba]fot conscientiously
 and from principle. Good men should also
 sink distinction of creeds, in so far at least as
 not to war upon one another, and work for
 the best good of humanity unitedly. Churches
 must stop quarreling over sectarian differences
 and work together to put down ignorance and
 vice, and initiate the example of the Saviour
 of mankind. Let us never forget the heroic
 lives laid down for the old flag. May that
 old flag forever wave, may it continually
 shine, and perish the hand that would rise
 against these stars and stripes. May it al
 ways wave. the emblem of liberty, blessing
 to mankind.
 The preacher announced that the Young
 Peoples Social club would give another of
 their entertainments on Wednesday evening
 of this week. Following, MT. Buttricks finely
 sang ''The Battle Prayer" his bass voice be-
 ing heard to much advantage. The pastor
 then called upon all to join in the new hymn
 Columbia" This is the famous new compo-
 sition by P. s. Gilmore, of Boston Jubilee
 fame. It was given spiritedly and with fine
 effect, two verses being rendered by the
 Choral orchestra and the choir, and one more,
 the sixth, as solo by Miss Chapin, the blind
 vocalist. The congregation turned by com
 mon consent and faced the orchestra to hear
 the spirited and beautiful music. Many lin-
 gered after the benediction to exchange con-
 gratulatory remarks over the interesting
 character of the evenings programme. A
 beautiful array ofimmortelles and other flowers
 with fern leaves stood upon the communion
 table, the gift of Mrs. l.. A. Miller, of the
 New Haven School of Music on Chapel street.
 Sermon by Rev. Dr. Stifler-Enterest- ing Servtces-The Order of United American Mechanics i'm Attendance. The services at the First Baptist church
 last evening were of more than ordinary in-
 terest, owing to the fact that it being Wash
 ington's birth day. the patriotic order of
 United American Mechanics were to attend
 in body. The members of the order ar-
 rived few minutes before the time for ser
 vice to commence, and took seats in the body
 of the church that had been reserved for them.
 The services were opened by an organ vol untary followed by singing the familiar hymn,
 My country, 'tIs of thee
 Sweet land of liberty.
 A scripture lesson by the pastor followed,
 the selection being the 18th chapter of Ro-
 mans. After prayer by the pastor appro- priate to the occasion, Dr. Walker and wife 1 sang in very effective manner as duett, 70 that will be glory for me-"
 Rev. Dr. Stifer announced as the basis of his discourse the words in Romans 18th chap ter, 9th verse "Owe no man anything but | to love one another; for he that 1oveth an- other hath fulfilled the law" The preacher spoke in substance as follows: If you ask yuhaf lOva a hQvo fha in kho fcv It is debt, and not an oppressive load. To | illustrate, a man digging in his garden finds 8 golden eagle that, having been long buried in the earth, has become dull and dingy. He cleans it again and again and at last it shines with it's original lustre. Now put a man in long since fled from his face, and if we can only make his face beam with pleasure again, we have done what was done with the golden eagle. Love for the man will make us do for him | just what we did for the eagle. Love is a purpose; plan to help poor man up. Love is not mere sentiment it is thought, in- ! telligence and help. Love lifts us above law, as it fulflls the law. If the law says do this | or do that and do it, have fulfilled the law. Law is not made for righteous man. Love | has got all the law in it and something more | it takes the place of law. When have love | in my heart I can break the two stones on \ which the law is written. The weakest thing \ in the world is law; put man behind it, 8 | man with heart, and it amounts to some ! thing. A man who only loves himself will
 never keep Gods law. It is all very well to preach that we shall visit the or phans and the fatherless, and do unto others as we would have others do unto us, but we never do it without we have love | to impeI us. There is a great deal | of forced virtue in the world. There is now
 and then man who does right by sheer force ! of will, just as man takes hold of galvanic battery when, if he has strong nerves he holds \ on but theibetter way is to do things under the impetus of love. Give men love for their fellow | men, and our jails and prisons will be emptied. Forced virtue is no virtue; Gods plan is to send so much love into mems hearts as will \ lift them above the law.
 ! It is nearly century and half ago since | God gave to this land @ man who was bright | example of the law of love. It was because | of Washington's valor and virtue that we have | our noble free institutions, that makes every American his own king. How are we to pre- \ serve these institutions? It is vain to try to | do it by law. We must love our institutions | if we would perpetuate them. If the love of l liberty and manhood dies out of our hearts our institutions have begun torot. Rich men \ can be free anywhere; but we who have not ! riches must depend upon our love of country. ! The only reason why Bright or Gladstone cannot wear the crown of England \ IS D6Chu66 they were EOCk0o III buc wrong cradle. But in this country who was
 born on it's soil has birthright to the presi- ' dency of it. A man who thinks about his country and thinks well is a statesman; 8 man who thinks about his tools and thinks ! well is an artisan. As a man thinks so is he, | and his dignity is just equal to his central moving thought. There is rank and grade in high and low, and it should be so. A mans rank depends upon his heart and brain power.
 You may not be an Edison, or Vanderbilt,
 or Stewart, but you may be like Jesus Christ
 and go about doing good. Piety is the only | undisputed patent to nobility. Be true to your fellow man and your kingship will be established. cannot be like Washington one ! whit; but you and can be like Christ if we | love our fellows. Let me help my brother into higher and better life and will not ! envy any man what he may do. As man is ! the grandest thing on earth, so work is the grandest thing for him to do. Let us not chase the butterflies of this life, and this we
 will not do if we love our brother. He who loves his brother fulfills the law, and only he can go where Christ has gone before.
 The above, which is only brief abstract of Dr. Suffers very able discourse, was listened
 to with deep attention by the large audience in attendance.