The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-10-25
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
CHESTNUT STREET CHURCH.

Clark, the pastor, preached from the text in
Mic. vi, s. He hath showed thee, o man,
what is good, land what doth the Lord require of
thee but to do justly and love mercy land to work
humbly with thy God?" The Bible reaches
down to earth and by its requirements stretch
es over the whole field of human action-duty
to God and obligation to man. We have here
the summing up of human requirements, sim
liar to the statement of Jesus that the love of
God and our neighbor constitutes the sum of
human duty. One OF the beauties of the
Bible is the harmony of all its truths in both
the Old and New Testaments "To do Justly"
IN the text means that one should be Just and
right in all his actions. We know that there
is often wide difference between the senti-
ment of pity in the heart and its practical ap-
plication in actual life. But the Bible requires
OF each man to cherish deep interest in the
welfare OF his fellow men. When Jesus came
into the world he brought love into it with
him-hence we are to follow his example. But
the comm on law OF justice and equity calls
upon US to care for the temporal welfare of our
| nelghbors. But do we ask, who is our neigh
Dor? Jesus tells us in the parable of the Good
Samaritan. The whole human race is allied
70 us; and we must count all our neighbors
| W o1tOA oltAu0 ulcu luuO Glasses ana L0lQK
| we will help our own class; but Christ did not
40 So He helped every one of every class when
| ne had the opportunity. Hence common JUS
tice appeals to us to help every one that may
need our help. All that we have belongs to
| God, and we must use it to help the Lords
creatures because they are his creatures But
we are also to love mercy. We are not to do
| just as little as poSsible-but our love is to be
overfowing like the love of Christ. He drew
al the poor and sick and sorrowing to him
l <1av, 1ol fo.
us. we ought to be willing to sacrifice some
| thing for him. 1t is one thing to wish that all
may be helped, and quite another to work for
their relief. But we must look at the spirit in
winch we are to do this. We are to walk
humbly before God. Human pride forgets
that all good comes from God and so forgets
God; but the humble will remember this and
do all possible good to all suffering ones, and
thus help Jesus in helping his suffering poor.
WILLIsToN CHURCH
The pastor, Rev. f. e. Clark preached
from Psalms 1877: -. I know of no words in
the Bible better fitted to elevate the mifSds of
men than these of the Psalmist. In no words
of poets are these surpassed. Every one of
the wonderful verses are illustrated by the
achievements of science and knowledge in the
past half century, and who has done all these
things? Man with his life bounded by three
score years and ten, who can be scorched
with heat and frozen with cold Contrast the
power of the creature with that of the
Creator "who upholdeth all things by the
weight of his power With poets vision
David imagins modes of travel like that of the
morning light. We have accomplished much
that is as wonderful in our mode of communica
ting thought that is as rapid as the "wings of |
the morning. If from man, whose means of |
communication is so perfect that the defaulter |
cannot escape how much less can we escape |
from Him who inspires all these things?.
1t is implied that it is impossible to get |
away from God because his power reaches to |
every part of the universe Think of the |
power of the central government of these |
United States which can shield the humbest |
sailor in the farthest part of the world This |
is the power of man. We are dazed and |
struck dumb by the wonderful power of God. |
He indeed is omniscient and omnipotent
What is your relation to this One? Are |
you His friend or His foe? Every invention |
of man urges upon us the question. He who |
gave man all knowledge and who is the en- |
consid of this question.
If you are foe you can we'll echo the |
Psalmist's words Where shall 60" But if a
friend with what joy can you say eff take |
termost parts of the sea, even there shall thy |
hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold |
me-"
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
Rev. Mr.. Anderson preached at the First |
Baptist church from the text in Gen. 1913 |
"In thee shall all the families of the earth be |
blessed We are struck with the unit of |
thought that pervades the whole Bible In |
this book of Genesis we find many truths COM
mon to the teaching of Jesus given some
hons md Lotto md ;,,% Sol
pronounced upon Abraham a full indication |
or conception of the scope of the blessing con-
tanned in the religion of Christ. From these |
words we may learn the ennobling character of |
the Christian religion In its. elevating influence
upon the individual believer. The first char |
acteristic of this religion that we see is its per-
manence. Not one person is to be blessed but |
it is to extend down the ages, and to all men;
and it is to be accomplished by faith in God. |
Again. we see the universally of this religion |
All the families of the earth were to be en-
braced in the blessing. 1t is also beneicent
religion, not selfish in its influence, but it leads
its subjects to work for the good otall others
whom they are able to reach. Look now at
the means by which this religion is to be q
blessing to the world. 1t is through the per-
sonal efforts VI Its possessors; thence we see the
obligation resting upon us. This faith then
elevates its possessor and urges him to work
by giving him an increasing sense of his obi
cation. 1t also inciteS the diligence of its pos
SCISSOR by giving him wider and wider idea of |
the importance and magnitude of the work he
is accomplishing for the world; for he remem-
hers that this religion is to transform the
world. Another ennobling incentive to the
believer in his work is the confidence he has
that the work will be successful. The ennob-
ling influence of this religion is seen in the
elevating character of the motives presented
the Christian seeks to advance great princi-
pies, and for reasons outside of himself. The
work appeals to the noblest elements of the
human character. The doctrine OF personal
immortality is revealed to us; but we are to
seek that blessed Immortality NAV come to
Two thoughts in conclusion: Let us labor
that the families of this state may be blessed
through our influence. Again may cur own
families be blessed through us, and in us.
May God help US to live that the families in
the world at large, in our own state and city,
and the members OF our own families may be
blessed.
HIGH STREET CHURCH.
Miss E. e. Willard. of Chicago President of
the National Womans Christian Temperance
Union, spoke at the High street church last
evening. She is pleasant speaker, and held
the close attention of the very large audience
to the close. Her subject was temperance.
We find that intemperance is intrenched be-
hind the customs of society. Very well, let the
work be carried into society. 1t is intrenched
behind the law. Very well, let the battle he
carried into the government; but governments
depend upon maiorities. Very well, we must
educate the people. 1t is intrenched behind |
the fortress of false science. II so let us carry
the work into the schools. The speaker came
before the audience she was addressing from
the work for the cause in twenty-six States,
and had only good reports to bring back. Still |
the work is not ended. The N. w. c. T. U. is
the sober second thought of the woman's cru |
SADIE. The women went into what they thought |
would be skirmish, and find to-day that it is |
to be long campaign.
yet to contend with. The poet, the novelist, |
the painter still sing, write and paint the |
beauty of the wine cup. as they did in days of |
old. The Christian religion did not reach the |
height to which it has risen till the very best |
talent of the man of genius had been invoked |
The work of the temperance cause must be |
advanced by the leisure class. We must be |