The Portland daily press., 1880-11-27
THANKSGIVING.
It's Celebration in Portland.

l
The favorite New England holiday passed
off quietly in this city. There was slight
furry of snow the night previous, covering the
ground, and giving wintry aspect to the out
side world. The air was clear and crisp the
latter part of the day, but in the morning the
weather was threatening There was very lit
tie riding, and the streets were comparatively
deserted for entertainments indoors and the
new skating rink in the Oaks.
THE CHURCHES.
At the First Parish, Rev. DR.. Hill was as
sisted by Rev. Mr.. Wills. The sermon was on
the "Vastness OF Thought" and the text was
taken from Nahum III, 8: ethiopia and
Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite"
| The speaker referred to the frequency with
| which people used the strongest expressions on
trivial occasions. Infinite has a certain fixed
meaning. 1t is something not only with no
fixed bounds, but boundless. The eye of the
| eagle is keen to detect its prey, and the dog is
| sagacious enough to track its master, but ii is
left to man to trace effect up to cause; it is left
| to him to think, and yet man cannot look into
the infinite but when the soul falls back salts
| fed that tean go further it also is satisfied
| that it b. Immortality; that it was created by
| God to be part OF his own eternity. The
ablest of those who have devoted their lives to
| the study of mathematics and of the physical
| sciences, have gone but little way. The late
Professor Pc rec once said to the speaker, that
| It sent the blood to his veins TO even think OF
| mathematics, because he knew so we'll what
remarkable discoveries are yet to be made
there. In the science of chemistry, the very
elementary substances, some sixty or seventy
in number with all their possible combina-
tions. offer a great field to the student and yet
these sciences are but the lowest mere steps
leading up to the study of political economy, of
international law, and, above all, of theology
Men are nearer to ea-h other than they
think. The aim is the same; they differ as to
methods. Take the subject of state rights, that
divided the nation little while ago; the most
arder advocate Of the right of the State was
willing Liiat the nation should have all the
mower necessary for Its existence and to sup
port national honor, while the most ardent OPP
p0nent of the doctrine was willing to concede
to the States all power not absolutely needed,
in order that the free action of the general
government be not INSTRUCTED within its own
sphere. And so of the tariff question; both
parties agreed that all needfu protection
should be given the industries of the country.
And all men agree that the government shall
not NEEDLE, exceDt it be to prevent injustice
between man and man. We have, doubtless,
reason to complain of our officials, bnt the peo-
pie to day should feel how much better they
are governed than the people of old or the peo-
p,e of elsewhere to-day; and more than all and
better than ALL we have the hope of the life to
come. The glory of man is obedience to God.
The holiness. even. of the saints is as nothing
when compared with that divine and, indeed,
infinite love that seeks the happiness of all
men. The will of man, even, when seeking to
commit all to God, stands in awe before that
will that created the world, and again it feels
that, created in the image of Gods eternity it
is to exist forever. What thanks, what obedi-
ence, is then due to God, who gave and to
Christ, who brought this Immortality to light.
Rev. Mr.. Hincks preached to the Congrega-
tional and Baptist congregations at State ST..
church. His text was in Acts XIII, 9: "And
they that were with me saw indeed the light"
Paul's companions in that memorable jour
ney to Damascus did not see the exalted
Christ. The sole purpose of the heavenly Wis.,
ion was the conversion of their young leader,
and therefore it was fifty hid from all eyes but
his This eternal light which Christ threw
upon men who we're unconscious of his pres
ence suggests feature of that gospel in which
he now comes to men.
The human soul possesses intrinsic dignity.
That this nature which we all share has won
derful capacities and that every one who owns
it can claim the Difference due to a person
born to good inheritance, is a doctrine which
lies very near the throbbing heart of Christ
ianity. Every human being may aspire to the
friendship of Christ. The most highly gifted
of our own race can hope for no higher honor
than this. Nations have learned from Christ
the dignity of man. First see the general dis
appreciation of slavery. Slavery was denial
of the dignity of the soul, wrought into our in
stitutions. When Christianity came into the
world slavery was as respectable as the family, |
From time immemorial captives taken in |
battle had been ensaved by their captors, and |
the custom had had a great influence in
moulding the leading nations of the world.
The people of Athens would not have attained |
their marvellous culture had they not been |
able to commit all the drudgery of life to their
helots The slaves who titled the grain fells
of Italy left Rome free to gather the armies
which conquered the world. To-day the NOR
al sense of the Christian world cannot tolerate
slavery.
A second feature of modern life in which
the influence Of hi. oi.sisslan truth !, on ths
milton Of personal rights by the governments
Of the leading nations. When the gospel car
ried to men the doctrine of the dignity of man.
hood, it also brought to them new conception
of the sacredness of human rights.
Look at the Christian nations and see if such
recognition is not built into their institutions.
Which of them does not recognize the right of
every man to worship God in his own way?
Russia, which has made the Greek church its
established religion, is said to have the least
religious freedom, yet even there men are al
lowed to worship God in way which the
priest calls heresy.
Again see how fully the nations recognize
that right to hold the wages of industry. The
days when kings forced gifts from their SUBJ
jects by imprisonment or torture are over. See
also what recognition domestic rights have
secured. The cruel days when the home of
the defenceless citizen might be invaded by
king or noble bringing injury worse than death
are gone. The gospel has taught the nation TO
guard the home. See too how fast the right to
education is obtaining recognition among ma
tons.
The world has learned from the gospel
second truth, the brotherhood of man. This
the Bible teaches when it bids every one find
in Christ's life an example which he should
give his, neighbor. Tha doctrine of human
brotherhood was one of the most startling nov
elites which the gospel contained. The ancient
world was built upon a directly opposite the O.
ry,-the right of each man to use his fellow
man for his own advantage. Devotion to man
man was thought which found no lodg-
ment in the mind of the world. Can this be
said of modern society? We need not go far
for facts to show that men are to some extent
under the influence of Christ's doctrine. Our
hospitals furnish an example and the various
charitable societies.
The third truth which the world is learning
from Christianity is the majesty and law Of
God. The day of piratical wars is over be-
cause the nations have begun to recognize the
outrageous wickedness of such wars. Anoth.
er thing which Christianity has taught the ma
tiOns is the regard for human life. Our cities
are now disgraced by no gladiatorial contests,
or exhibitions of that sort.
The facts are before us. Society is lllumin-
ed by certain grand truths; we find those
truths in the gospel and we trace their trains
outward to the life that now is, and we see that
whether we recognize Christ as our redeemer
or not, we are living in his light.
At St. Luke's Bishop Nicely preached SER
mon appropriate to the day.
At Chestnut street there was an interesting
union service of the Methodist churches, pre-
sided over by Elder Jacques
At Williston church there was a prayer
meeting in the morning, another at the Casco
street Baptist church in the evening and SER
vices at the Gospel Mission. all well attended.
THE TARGET SHOOTING
At the city range, at 9 a. M, the Portland
Light Infantry held a prize shoot. In the first
class the first prize, badge and book of tao
tics, was won by j. T. Mcdonald, scoring 20
out or possible 25 the second prize, pounds
of Creedmoor powder. was won by e. q.
Holmes, with score of IS; third, primers, by
Walter Scott, score IS; fourth, reoading tools,
by A. o. Fernald, IL fifth, leather medal, by
G b. Blake, score H. In the second class the
first prize, book of tactics, was won by G. A.
Allen, who scored 10 out of possible Is; sec
ond, 2 pounds of Creedmoor powder, by Adams,
score II; third, loading too.s, by F. Norton,
score II; fourth, leather medal, by j. 1. Drink
water, score 2. The range was at 200 yards off
hand.