The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-04

better, and he prayed most fervently for the
! suffering President The evening missionary
meeting was changed to prayer meeting in
aid of the nation.
At Plymouth Church Rev. DR.. Seward, in
his prayer, made fervent plea that God would
! save the nation from the great calamity with
which it was threatened and spare the life of
the President. The sermon was from the SD
verse of the 18th chapter of Luke, and was a
| clear and earnest presentation of Christ as the
Fey to the most important and vital of all
knowledge-a knowledge of Gods character
and will. Unless we accept Him as the Mes
! slah, we have no key with which to solve the
great problem contained in the prophecies.
sacrifices and ceremonies of the Old Testament.
1t is true that many kinds Of knowledge NAV
be gained without this key, yet it is only by
this that we can know and appreciate the
| grandest and most sublime truths in science,
| art, or history. ChriSts life pours q flood of
| light upon all these, but far above stands the
! great and essential needs of man, an intimate
| and spiritual knowledge of God. In Christ
we have new revelation of God, correct
| portrayal and illustration of His holiness, His
| justice, His mercy and His love. Christ as
Mediator represents both God and man. The
| great question in all ages has been how shall
we know God9 Christ is the key we must use
| if we would gain that knowledge, which lies
| nearest to mans present and future welfare
| Man may live and enjoy life without many
| kinds OF knowledge, but without that knowl-
| edge which comes through faith in Christ he
| loses the highest and noblest of all joys.
Without this knowledge the world puts low
estimate on human life, and we have acts of
nihilsm and such shocking deeds as the at
| tempted assassination of our President. Christ
| brings new and higher estimate of mans
worth. He is the true key to unexhausted
stores of happiness and hope, to an unfailng
fountain of life and strength, to boundless
treasures of knowledge and wisdom. To all
these He gives man access through prayer,
obedience and love.
Rev. Mr.. Gibbs of Congress Square, Univer-
salist, took his text from / Timothy 10. The
subject was "The Republic" The idea ad-
vanced was that this was not the first republic
Rome and Greece had been republics be fore
us. He pictured how luxury, license, corrup-
ton slew both of the latter, and that if We
would preserve our own republic three things
| were necessary. First the cultivation of in
dustry; second, the cultivation of intelligence
third, the cultivation of morality and integri-
ty. If all men are taught to work for their
living and not to hope for a comfortable exis
tence from the labors of others, then we shall
be free not only from the danger that has men,
aced us from a single tramp, but also from
those from the whole army Of tramps. II ed
ucation is widely disseminated then all will be
fitted for whatever duties they may be called
upon to perform. II integrity and morality
are inculcated then it will be impossible for
men of small calibre who are perhaps, fitted
for small offices to push themselves forward
into positions for which they are not fitted,
since the people themselves will not allow it,
and thus run the chance of their dsgracing
the proud station they occupy. Here in Port
land, said the preacher, we might as well COM
mence as anywhere. If we follow out this rule
here, other cities will be compelled to follow
our example Then the "spois system" will
be an impossibility. The preacher announced
his resignation of the pastorate, to take effect
the end of August.
Bishop Medley of St. Lukes, in his prayer,
deprecated any connection between the work
of a maniac, or a loafer, and any party Or poll
tician. He prayed that the President might
be restored to health speedily. He read des-
patch announcing the removal of the bullet
from the President and his improving condi-
ton, and thanked God for the news
At St. Paul's Episcopal church Rev. Arthur
w. Little said: Gin view of the fact that tho
President of the United States has been
wounded by an assassin and now lies in the
T. l.. r:
full prayers of this congregation are asked, that
God in His mercy may spare our Chief Magis-
trate, and DO gracious to our beloved coun-
try"
In the sermon which followed Mr.. Little, in
speaking of the love of the ancient Hebrews
for their land, took occasion to point out the
religious element in true patriotism and
s'the duty of loyal allegiance to those whom
God has placed over us in the state" Hethen
made a touching and eloquent alusion to
the President and the awful affair of Satur-
day. AT the afternoon service special prayers
were again offered.
At Park street church Rev. Mr.. Alger offer
ed prayer for the President and delivered a
strong sermon on patriotism.
AT State Street Church, Prof. j. P. Gulliver
of Andover, preached from Proverbs xiii.
"The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord
and the rivers of water; he turneth it witherso-
ever he will" In ancient days and despotic
countries, the king represented the civil state.
In our day and country, the nation is king
the ultimate power, public opinion. The
preach er went on to show how civil war had
swept away a regard for Gods laws, and
brought sudden wealth and positions to people
who hadn't earned them. Years of business
depression that have followed the war, and
immense contraction of values, have been nee
essary to train up young men to learn that
if they want living, they must work for it.
More: The effect of the doctrine of spoils has
been to create slavery to party leaders that is
only paralleled by the secret police of Russia
or the assassins of the Seraglio. Shall we say
some OF these p )lltical leaders employed the
assassin? Mol that would be unjust and prob
ably untrue: but it would be true to ascribe it
| TO their teaching and spirit. Admit fool did
this deed, is it best to give fool ideas which
| are dangerous for wise man? Admit ma
| MAC conceived this tragedy, it is not safe to
| give him notions he is liable to convert into
| bullets. The conviction that the President
| owed him an Office for political services, which
| fired the assassin's pistol yesterday, is the
| Identical principle that made great politician
| declare few weeks since the President owed
| him custom-house. Lincoln received the
| crown of martyrdom from. the black hand of
slavery, although sentimental rhadman set it
| on his head. Garfield received the shot load
ed and pointed by party politics, though
| mailman fred it.
Rev. I. D. Anderson, Jr, of the First Bap-
| fist Church, offered a fervent prayer that God
| would hear the cry of this whole nation for
| the life of its chief magistrate; that the votes
| of millians might not be negatived by the act,
| of one; that Mrs. Garfield, who had just been
brought safely through severe bodily illness
| might be sustained under;this severer expert
ence of mental sorrow; that they both might
| be able to rest upon the everlasting arm which
| had not failed them in times of previous trial;
and that in answer to the earnest prayer of
| millions, the husband might be given to the
| family, the individual to the people, and tn o
| chief magistrate to the nation.
At Williston church prayer meeting was
| held in the evening at which Rev. Mr.. Clarke
was thankful that the deed had no political
| significance but was the work of a madman
and that the sympathy expressed by the peo-
| pie showed their love for him, which he
trusted would result in higher respect and