The Portland daily press., 1880-06-21


must be cast out. If we would experience the
benefits which the supper was designed to
give, II we would draw near to the Lord and
come into state OF conjunction with Him, we
must look into our own hearts with the sin
cere desire of removing from them all things
that offend. Thus the work of repentance is
directly and intimately connected with the
Holy Supper. But by repentance we must
understand something more than the mere
verbal profession that we are sinners in COM
mon with other men. We must examine our
selves and consider the particular evils to
which we are inclined, and endeayor to shun
them as sins against God. In proportion as
this is done, we shall come to the Holy Sup
per with hearts emptied of self, and ready to
give admission to the Lord.
Rev. Mr.. Westall, speaking upon the "Ben-
efits of the Sacrament" said: The command
ments of the Lord respecting the two sac
raments which he instituted for the church
require their perpetual observance as a mears
of blessing to man. The sacrifices and feasts
OF the Jewish church are included in the HOLY
Supper. The Passover was memorial of de-
liverance from bondage, and prophecy of
the coming OF the Lord, as the Lamb of God
who taketh away the sin of the world. The
two sacraments are gates. The gate of bap-
tism leads to the church; the gate of the Holy
Supper to heaven and they represent the
steps and processes of the regenerate life. The
publication by wafer represents the work of
repentance and confession, in obedience to the
precepts of the word. The nourishment of
the body By the bread and wine of the holy
supper represents the sustenance of soul by
the bread and wine of heaven, the love and wis
dom OF the Lord for in the worthy reception
OF the Holy Supper the soul is fed with heaven
ly food. The spiritual benefits which attend
the sincere reception of the Holy Supper were
said to be; LIST, the nourshment and susie
nance OF the soul by food from the Lord; I'd,
the fitness of spiritual life derived from obe-
ms y,d ,anfc thn 1,xy.,,
unity OF the church with increasing growth
and power; 4th introduction to heaven by the
Lord, who is present in the sacrament; 9Th,
conjunction with the Lord.
SUNDAY.
On Sunday morning the Rev. s. S. Seward
of New York preached the sermon. His text
was from Mat. V. IA. ga city that is set on
hill cannot be hid"
In the divine language according to which
the word is written, city signifies doctrine,
When we speak of city we do not mean
merely the collection of houses and streets de-
signated; but the name calls up the essential
qualities or idiosyncrases of city. When we
mention Boston we think of her refinement
and culture; New York, of her restlessness and
activity; Philadelphia, of her stability and
conservatism; and SO of every other commune
ty OF which we have any knowlenge So in
the Word, when city is mentioned, some
spiritual idea is meant; as by Sodom and Co.
King; the 'Holy City, New jerusalem
which John saw coming down from God out
OF heaven" The correspondence applies-not
only to the cities. but to all their various parts
the walls, gates, streets and houses; and it is
on this account that we find more elaborate
descriptions of cities in the Word
But II "a city" signifies the Church. what IS
meant by "a city set on hill'' or mountain?
10 answer this question, we must abstract
from our idea OF a mountain everything
that is merely natural or material-the earth
and rocks of which it is compounded. In that
case we shall have left the idea of altitude, or
immense height. But in the spiritual idea not
merely that which is high in the ordinary
sense is meant, but that which is within or
ABOVE: and that is most interior which derives
its origin from love or affection Hence the
church is said to be established Sin the top of
the mountains" and the Lord took Peter and
James and John Into high mountain apart
when HE was TRANSPORTED before them. ga
city set uDon mountain therefore signifies
the churches when lifted up and exalted by a
principle OF genuine charity; society of the
church in which every member is in true
charity, is in genial love of what is good. This
can only happen when the doctrine of the
church is pervaded, in the mind of every men,
Der, by an all powerful and living love; so
that every one of them shall be moved to do
what the doctrines teach, and all of them TAX
en- together may perform tho in less perfect
manner, all the manifold uses in this world
that the angels perform in the other.
A city, or church, that is thus set on
mountain ''cannot be hid" The truth is not
there hidden in the memory; it shines in every
word and look. Life is an exemplifcation
OF doctrine; and doctrine is run in the life. 1t
is not in abstract, but concrete FORM 1t is not
merely described it is sure. 1t cannot be con-
cealed. 1t attracts the attention even of those
who are not looking for it; as city set on an
hill is sure to catch the eye of the traveller.
This teaches an unjust doctrine,-that not
the truth alone, but the truth as it is exempli-
lied In life, will have power to save us or the
world. 1t is not said afirmatively that a "city
set on an hill" will be seen of men, but mega
lively that it .'cannot be hid" We need not
trouble ourselves so much, therefore. atout
making 1t seen, as about setting it con a noun
tain" We cannot make men see the doc
trlnes; but we can set them upon the noun
tain of love if we will. Let us, therefore,
make it our first duty to show forth the truths
and shun them, and to discover our duties
and do them-and thus set the church of
our love upon mountain where all the clouds
OF earth cannot conceal it from those who have
eyes to see; and having done this, let us pro-
claim them by every legitimate means in our
power!
The Holy Communion was administered at
3 p. m.
SUNDAY EVENING.
Religious services were held, Rev. Joseph
Pettee presiding.
Rev. Jno. Worcester, of Newtonville, spoke
ON "The Lords example in teaching" At12
years old Jesus went with His parents to the
temple to enter upon His manhood's work of.
making known the Father to men. His clear
answers and pointed questions went to the very
foundation Of truth; and if truth and reason
could have done the work He would then have
succeeded. But the real difficulty was the in
tense love of selfish rule, which would not
know the Father as infinite Christian love-
What was wanted to renew the 81 ritual life of
men was not reasoning, but love. He there
fore turned from the temple and the reasonngs
there to the humble home in Nazareth, where
for eighteen years He labored to overcome all
selfish ambitions in His material nature, and
to live from the divine love, which from con-
ception rested in Him Immediately and with
out measure. And then He came forth to
preach the glad tidiDgs that the kingdom of
Love was come unto men; He came to speak
that which He knew, and to testify that He
had seen. lie taught not as the scribes from
much learning in the traditions. but straight
from His own life that which He knew to be
good and true Neither did He seek to con-
vert the Rabbis, but preached the gospel to the
poor, who cared less for self and were more
easily touched by goodness. He showed that
that love was the essence of the law and the
prophets. Upon the basis of nature and Scrip
ture He built in His own person the temple in
which the love, the wisdom, the protection of
God are ever present with men.
Rev. 7. O. Paine spoke upon "fhe Lords
example in doing good" When the Lord
came into the world He did two things By
teaching the truth He showed the way to
heaven, and by the goodness of His life He'led
the way to heaven. He helped others to do good
first doing good himself, and He helped others
to cease to do evil by doing no evil Himself,
SO that all could look at Him and learn just
what they were themselves to do. He had had
disciples before He chose any, but He did not
choose the twelve till He had lived good life
Himself. While He was growing better and
better for years, He was helping others to grow
better and better, so that a remarkable body of
men and women are found about Him. They
had, for long while, been continuing with
Him in His temptations. By His words He
made men out of children. But by the good
ness of His life He made children out of men.
Rev. Mr.. Ward spoke on "Our Lords ex-
ample in meeting evil The Lords whole
life on earth was one example of meeting evil.
His example in meeting evil may be summed