The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-06-07
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.


NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH.
The Rev. w. B. Hayden supplied the pulpit
yesterday, preaching from Matthew XII %, 90
and: "Come unto me all ye that labour y II y
for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. :"
He compared the route (which leads forth to
the Holy City to the road which confronted
the Israelites,with danger before them and the
Egyptians behind. But the coming of the
Lord has smoothed the road, and made the
burden light. He has made his teachings so
plain and simple that it is easy to walk in thu
path which he points out. But, as we walk
on, mountain appears in our path, and we
find the distance from him greater than wa
supposed. We find it harder to keep His com
mandmentS than we supposed Here halts
many weary soul. But perfect conformity
to the Divine law is not at once required: we
are not asked to climb the mountain at one
step, to begin the ascent. Those who cannot
bring in sixty-fo!d are commended if they
brig lnsthirty. Job says ''even the heavens
are not pure in the sight of Jehovah" The
yoke is easy because the Lord is our compan-
ion every step of the way. For our sakes he
has borne every burden. He broke up and
abolished the evil powers. He lends us a por-
ton OF that strength by which he overcame.
Soon the burden which was crushing is easily
borne. lie does not relieve us of our duty
but helps us to sustain it, 1t is the gift of
power to become Sons of God The yoke is
easy because we have only the duty of to-day
to perform. Yet it is the anxiety for the NOR
row that weighs upon us. Buff we perform
well the duty of to-day tomorrow never comes
We are told that the happiness of the angels
consists in their delight fin the present duty,
and so will our duties be pleasant and our bur
dens light if we cheerfully perform each day
our Christian work.
STATE STREET CHURCH.
The morning services yesterday were con-
Quoted by Rev. Mr.. Mariner who preached an
able and obstructive sermon from Hebrews xiii
15:-"By Him, therefore, let us offer the sac
ritice OF praise to God, continually, that is,
the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His
name.''
The fruit of the Christians lips is She prod
uct of the truth in his heart. Five poirt are
suggested. 1st. Christ expects of every
Christian the fruit of the lips, as we'll as the
service of all his other powers. Gospel in the
heart will produce gospel on the lips. I'd.
This expectation of Christ is no peculiar de-
mand, for it is only natural that truth
in the heart should show its fruit in the utter
ance of the lips. Sd. Christ, himself, makes
this criterion and test of personal attach
ment to Himself. 4th Piety itself needs to
bear the fruit of the lips; it needs expression,
without which it will become sickly, feeble
and deformed. Religious expression is neces-
sary to the church and to the propagation of
the truth. 9Th. The utterance of tthe Gospel,
in all its freedom, power and beauty, is the
greatest reliance of evangelization..
In the evening the Sabbath School connected
with this church observed its twenty-eighth
anniversary by interesting and appropriate
exercises From the reports read by Mr.. A. G.
Dewey, superintendent and Mr. j. A. Small
secretary and treasurer, the following statis-
tics were gathered, viz: The total member
ship of the school is 296; new scholars "a;
whole number of classes30; average attendance
179; books in the library 700. During the year
two scholars have united with the church and
two have died, viz: Miss Maria F. Libby and
Miss Susan A. Taylor. The floral decorations
and memorial emblems were very beautiful