Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-23
Church Notes.

Yesterday morning Rev. Dr. Goodsell preached sermon full of practical thought and suggestions. The words of his text was the cry of the Prophet Amos, "At ease in Zion," being part of the first verse of the sixth chapter of the book of Amos. The pastor dwelt upon the office of the prophet in the days of Amos, and how God sent them before princes and rulers to proclaim His truth. Sometimes they were in such dress that their very looks excited the attention of the people. Others were men of resolute courage, whose arguments were so forcible that their very presence commanded atten- tion and respect They came, the pastor said, not to do their own work, but the work of God, and however unpleasant might be their cry of warning, the people felt the power of their work. One of the offices of the Christian minister is to comfort the peo- pie, and I would always like to do that if dared; but then there are other thoughts, great problems of the ministry, that have to be worked out and presented to the people, which savor harshly, like the words of the prophet. God used these prophets to warn the people. We are also commissioned for like service, and we must not be unwilling to bear the burden. We shut out ourselves from divine blessing because we are at ease in Zion. The pastor reviewed the Christian work in this city for the past few years, and showed the churches to be in spiritual decline. AS we study the needs of to-day, he said, can we but feel that we are at ease in Zion? Does the church do as much aggressive work az 1t ought? When we compare the earlier days of the church, we find we are sadly lacking in this particular. As we become more con- fortable in our circumstances, we seem less inclined to active church york; we lose sight of the social means of grace; we want to delegate our talents to others, yet we must consider that each must give an account for himself. Ought we not to wake up under these thoughts and keep ourselves active in church work, else we may grow less spirit ual? In old times the pastor said, If the king or priest was at ease, the people took tone from them; so this ease in our churches is becoming epidemic, and what we want IS faithful Christian effort among the people. few faithful ones help wonderfully to stimu- late others in the way. What can we do but to spur each other on in this lesson of saving souls?
 NORTH CHURCH.
 The text of Rev. Dr. Hawes' morning ser mon at the North church was the last clause of Mark, vii, 24, tHe could not be hid;" the pastor graphically illustrating this truth, as shown at our Saviour's birth in manager at Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, as fore told in the Old Testament prophecies. The shepherd of Chaldea coming to worship him with costly gifts and incense, led by the de- claration of the angels visit and the new bright star of Bethlehem, was the texts first illustration. The multitudes coming to hear and be healed from all the regions round about, wakened by ''the voice of one crying in the wilderness" to learn the gospels wonderful word of life" The noted mira cles performed could not be unknown. The healed ones themselves witnessed and pro- claimed the Saviour's presence and power. That ''He could not be hid," is fact too plainly shown to need either proof or illus tration. Alluding to this truth as corner stone of Christian faith and doctrine, the speaker said that creeds are the very solid rocks of belief and trust. Eternal, imperish- able, in fact every unchangeable creed cannot change till new race and new order of beings are brought into existence. Our sure. foundations are the all conquering and sub duing truths revealed in the Bible. whose miraculous preservation attests its verity and saving truth.
 Rev s. H. Dana, a young clergyman for merly settled in Stratford, Ct., preached yes terday morning and afternoon at Center church, delivering two excellent discourses.