The Portland daily press., 1880-04-26
SUNDAY SERVICES.
NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.


The Rev. Mr.. Smythe preached from Gen.
xviii, regarding the stopping of Isaac's
wells by the Philistines The latter envying
Isaac's prosperity endeavored to drive him
from the country by filling up his wells Water
signifies truth, and wells symbolic truth in
the mind. Being digged in the time of Abra-
ham indicates that it is divine truth. for Abra-
ham as the father of the chosen people sym-
bolizes the Lord. To all of us is given this
divine truth. The very heather have. i'm
planted in them consciousness of Supreme
Being which is capable of becoming celestial
spring of real water. The Philistines, who
fill these wells with earth, represent those ene-
mics OF the true Church who know the truth
but fail to live it, who teach that faith without
works is means of salvation; thus choking the
wells OF truth in our mind with selfishness
and worldly ends. The belief in divine Al
mighty Being is a deep we'll in the mind,
who has this in his mind finds himself con-
stantly in conflict with selfshness and worldly
desires; and If he yields to them, the we'll be-
comes choked. There is no virtue nobler than
the principle OF chastity, which is a we'll of
heights of heaven; but let a mans thought be
filthy and how soons this pure spring is
stopped The lesson which we have to learn
from this is, that we should keep these wells
open, draw freely from them, and drink of
the heavenly water. In Palestine can be seen
wells filled by destroyers, mute evidence of
former warfare. We see not the destruction
OF to-day, but how many choked wells there
are are among us. Let US take heed that we
are not too proud or too selfish to strive for
and drink freely of the heavenly fountains,
for whosoever will, can take of the water of
life freely.
PAYsoN MEMORIAL CHURCH.
AT the Payson Memorial church, in the
morning, Rev. Mr.. Dickinson preached upon
the character of Saul the first King of Israel.
The preache referred to the brilliant promise
of his early life and reign, and to the sad
eclipse of that bright vision, resulting from his
ungoverned passions and disobedience to God,
and ending in the loss of the kingdom and
dishonored death. From the study of his
wasted life the preacher derived valuable les
sons for the guidance and warning of those
living now.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
Rev. Mr.. New preached in the after
noon for Mr.-Andersen at the First Baptist
church. His text was taken from Rom. 81, s.
The doctrines of the gospel were not mere abb
stractions to the Apostle. With what vivid
ness and reality dees he speak of the doctrine
of justification by faith, in previous chapter.
In the text he speaks of the atonement; and in
his mind it becomes living power and active
principle. The atonement commends the
love of God to us because it is the work of
God. He originated it in order that man
might be saved. God devised it, He accom-
plished it, and in it showed His great love to
lost men. There is no revelation of salvation
in nature; but in His word God reveals a way
of salvation from sin. Again, the love of God
is commended to us, in that He has made
known to men way of escape from the pen
atty OF the law which we have broken. That
penalty is death; the nature of this penalty
tells us of Coils estimate of sin. But the atone
ment seeks for mans salvation even while man
is in the midst of transgression. While we
were enemies to God, Christ died for us. Here
we may remark that salvation is wholly of
Christ on account of the feeling of his great
slnfulness. Again, the love of God in the
atonement is commended to us in this that the
character OF the one sent is so exalted 1t was
exalted; but it was Gods beloved and only be-
gotten Son-the Son of His love; and yet this
exalted heing was the one through
whom the atonement was made. Again,
in the atonement God CONNIE nded his
love to us in that Christ died for us. Yes.
Jesus did not come merely to show us an ex.
ample OF holy living, but to suffer, and die for
us, so to atone for our sins. But we may ask
II this idea OF atonement by the death of
Christ was not notion of the Apostles, rather
than the teaching of Jesus. We should re-
member that Christ came rather to make an
atonement than to preach it; and yet his words
and his acts were full of teaching the atone
ment; and especially does the establishment of
the supper, his last act before his death, tell of
his thought concerning the atonement for sill
But how does his death commend Gods love
to us? Because God permitted it, arranged it,
and directed and controlled all the events that
led to it. Gods hand was behind all those
events; and all came to pass in order that his
love might bring salvation to men. The
whole tenor OF Christ's teaching to his disci-
pies, and the whole substance of the APP ostles'
preaching was that the death of Christ was
the browning act of the atonement for sin
which God made through Christ. But some
may say that it was not just for an innocent
person to die for the guilty. But Christ chose
to do it. And in doing it Christ waived his
right. Again one may say it was not just for a
father to to devote his son to death to atone for
the sins of his creatures. But God was more
than the father of men, he is also their ruler
and Judge; and his law must be sustained and
vindicated. And it is God himself in Christ
who suffers in order to magnify and vindicate
his own law. Nor does it do injustice by in
tiicting the penalty twice; nor does it loosen
the claims of morality. inasmuch as it exalts
the law and fulflls it,