Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-06
IN THg CHURCHES.

IN The CHURCHES.
Services we're held in thu churches yester-
day as usual. La the First Baptist Church
the hand of fellowship was extended to con-
verts. In Calvary Baptist Church the sacra-
ment of baptism was observed. In ST. PauFs
preached at IL A. NJ. from Matthew Xxx, 6 :
"Why stand ye here all the day idle?" He
said that no sentence could better express in
so few words the coming season of penitence
and prayer. To-day the Church would re-
mind US that there are times for other
thoughts than those of praise and thank5giv.
ing to God, for His great goodness in mani
testing tho glory and power Of His blessed
Son. Praise and thankfulness are right and
our bounden duty, but they are not enough !;
stronger evidences than mere words are nee
essarY TO show our appreciation of this loving
and beneficent gift Of God. And so, in the
midst of our Joy and happiness, lest in our
pursuit of pleasure we should forget our
higher duties and aims, she appoints for us
the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.
We may not understand its full meaning, but
we may draw from il one or two practical
lessons.
The householder, he said, represents G nd
himself; the vineyard is His kingdom. The
day and hous have been yariousiy inter.
preted. Fancy, which roa,ns at will over the
| field of parallels as over that of prophecy, may
think she discovers. in the different hours at
which the laborers were called, the different
periods in the history OF the church. Through
all the different periods, the Jews only were
called Until the eleventh hour, when the Gen
tiles and heather also were called to equal
rivileges-called within the pale of a church,
which, made for mankind, recognized no
eternal distinctions, knowing men neither as
Jew or Greek, barbarian or Scythian, bond or
free. Another Interpretation, more instruc-
tive perhaps, would refer these hours to the
different periods of our earthly ife-child-
hood, youth, manhood and old age-to show
that the call is made again and again.
He asked, shall we interpret the penny as
temporal reward? Notice, it is paid at the
end of the day. Temporal blessings always
accompany; eternal reward follows. 1t seems
far better to interpret the penny as eternal
salvation. Nor need this make it a mere
matter of wages. The gift of eternal life is
gift of grace, not of merit, and in point of
fact tkat is the chief lesson of this parable.
It is a warning against sel6shness and self
righteousness. In the preceding chapter we
have the account of the young man who came
to Jesus to know what he should do to have
eternal life; but, on being told, he turned
away sorrowful-the price was too high, be-
cause he acted from regard to self and not
to God, and sought eternal life on the score
of his own merits and not on the ground of
mercy. And the question of st. Peter, i'm
mediately following. shows a no more worthy
spirit. We can, he said, have no claim upon
the kingdom of God. We cannot hope to be
worthy OF it, and yet we may expect to
reach it, if we will but be diligent in our
calling. The primary application was I'M
doubtedly to the Apostles, then to the Jews
nationally, and Individually it is to all who
hear the gospel. And the comparison should
be made not only as regards time, but also
opportunities, talents or other advantages
We have here the truth that many mot ally
first shall be last, and many mot ally last,
first There is much encouragement to those
who are called late, but solemn warning to
those who are called early.
And to-day, said the speaker, the question
comes home to us, Why stand We here all
the day idle ?" Can we who have been baptize
into the Church of Christ, who have read the
Bible from childhood, who have heard it
preached from Sunday to Sunday. can We
say, "No man bath hired us?" Truly
not ! Ali our lives have we heard it,
but have we needed il? If you are
not in the vineyard, for what are you wait
ing? The eleventh hour? II is not impossi-
and-salvation being of mercy, not of merit
one last dying, believing look turned on the
cross can save soul on the very brink, ere it
passes over; even as in the camp of Israel
lit came to pass that if serpent had bitten
any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass
he lived" But what assurance have you
that when the eleventh hour comes you will
be ready TO enter the vineyard? When the
eleventh hour will be we know rot. Work
=. Il IL Al L
when no man can work" Those who
were called at the eleventh hour heard the
call for the first time ; they did not reject l..
Finally, the speaker asked, Shall we murmur
if some brother, who has not toiled quite as
hard, has gained the prize? Nay, we ought
rather to be thankful, knowing that though
we bear the heat and burden of the day we
shall be more than amply rewarded. Do you
think there is no work which you can do ?
Look around you see on all sides the lack
of fidelity and interest in the Lords work.
Behold the poor and sick and needy uucared
for and unattended. Look into the heart
are ell its ways lovely ; is there nothing you
would change? All, there is work enough,
and more 1.-THE harvest is great, but the
laborers are few" and the Master is ever
calling. Enter the vineyard and let US take
care that our portion prove not barren and
unfruitfui spot. Look to the Father Of all
mercies for help, and press onward faithful to
the end
FAMILY JAR.-On Saturday night the
neighborhood in the vicinity of Third and I
streets was aroused by the loud screams of
woman. Upon inquiry it was ascertained
that naturalized citizen, who has consider
able of reputation as wife beaten, was up
70 his old tricks.
INCREASE OF CAPITAL STooK.-The Di-
rectors of the California Vilgoret Powder
Company, of San Francisco, have fled with
the Secretary of State their certificate of an
increase in their capital stock to 81, 800, 600,
divided into SO, 900 shares.
PARALYTIc STROKE h. NJ Odel, we'll
known citizen, who resides at Seventeenth and
n streets, has been confined to his residence
for a few days with stroke of paralysis. He
was some better last evening.
New CITIzEN.-Francis Hurst, a native Of
Germany, on the testimony of John Oschwald
and Michael Miller, was naturalized in De-
partmeat Two of the Superior Court on
Saturday last
LATE ARREsTs.-Up TO IL o'clock last
night the following arrests had been made
Mrs. O'Brien, drunk, by special Ferral; Joe