The Portland daily press., 1884-10-20

truth that God is love Z" and sain: Is there a man
or woman in this audience that woul stay away
from God If they knew God loved them? Every
man and woman that stays away from meetings
don't believe that God is love. Love begets love.
and hate begets hate. We are told how Christ
proved His love. He knew that one of His twelve
disciples would betray Him. 1t broke Peters heart
as he thought that God loved him. Love is natural.
You might we'll ask why the sun shines as to ask
WHY God is love. The greatest example of human
love is the love of the mother for the child. Man
and wife can be separated and SO can the father
and but nothing in the vide world can separate
the true mother from her child. My own little boy
said, Il love you more than you love me-" But it
is not so love him the most If he were wing
me to the grave, he would scarcely k ow what it
meant; but if he should die, would understand it
better.
At the trial of one of the most noted criminals Of
Vermont a woman went to court every day, the
murderer being her son, and everything which
went against him struck like daggers in her heart.
" hen the sentence of death pronounced pecta-
tors in court shouted but she wept and was not
ashamed to be known as loving the boy. After the
sentenceof death was executed she went to the gov
ernor and gged the body OF be son that she might
nave the privilege of burying the child she SO
dearly loved.
One thing is stronger than death al d that is the
mothers love-. But Gods love is more pos erful
still. 1t was the trust of the Prodigal son in his
fathers love which brought him home. He knew
it WAS unchanged and ever faithful. If you do not
have the love of God it is because you spurn mm
"Greater love hath no man than this that he lay
down his life for his friend.' "God SO loved the
world that he gave his only begoten that who
soever believed on HIM might not perish but might
have evs rlastiIg life" 1t was the calamity
Adam that made God love him. Some people APP
parenJly thought nothing of the prosperity of Chi
cago; but when the 'espatch went over the wires
that Chicago was on fire, and ten thousand people
had become homeless on the praires IL aroused
love and sympathy. People gave money aud sent
dispatches that aid was Immediately coming. 1t
was Chicsgos calamity that touched the hearts of
the people 1t when Adam fell that the love
OF God came. God loves every soul; might go
from Genesis to prove that. Nothing warns up
the poor soul like the love of God.
Isaac had grown till Abraham delighted in
him. God then told Abraham to take Isaac and
offer him as a s.clihce. Next morning there was
great commotion when he took Isaac aud started on
his jomn ney. He looked at the boy; how fair; how
beautiful! He looked many times upon him, How
often on the road must he have turned aside to
weep. AT last at the altar, how 1t must have sunk
deep into his heart when Isaac said "there is the
tire but where is the sacrifice." Abraham to d him
how the other night he had communicat offer
him as a sacrifice. All is prepared and while wait
ing Tor the last KISS an angel from Heaven calls
Abraham, Abraham" And abraham said, "Here
Am l." And be said. "Lay not thine h md upon the
lad, neither do thou anything unio him. Abraham
oehed q ram caught in a thiclzet and he took the
ram aud offered him instead of his son. All this
shows Gods love-
How car you look upon the scene of Calvary and
not believe that God loves you? What struggle it
must have been for Abraham to think of giving up
Isaac his son; ard what a struggle it must have
been for God TO give up His only begotten S that
he might open the g.tes of heaven to all believers
Christ tells of His love when He says 40. Jerusa-
lem, Jerusalem. b W oft would have gathered you
as hen gatherelh her chickens under her wingsr
DO not let any .ne make you think that you not
d to come to Lhrist; that you have too much sin:
that You must frst be cleansed. Come just as you
are with all your sis.
hink Of the feeling when Charley Ross was lost
and the efforts made to find HIM. Suppose his
mother had come into our meeting and found bi,u
ragged and untidy. Do you think she would have
washed, before she would have embraced him? No
she would go AMI take him in her arms at once So
WITH Christ. He Will take you just as you are. with
foreigner in Cuba was condemned as a spy and
SO fenced to be shot. He applied to the Englisb
aud Americ n c)u-uls who found him innocent
The hour for his death came and the coDsu could
not get word to their governments in time to
help him. They finally went and wrapped the Eng
soldiers TO ire upon those fl 4gs. The condemned
man was thus saved. So may you be saved in COM
a ing undes o Gods banner Same Of you may say II
God Ia heaven more for our Affections than for our
JOYS on earth. If you are PASSING through some
affiiciion, cont let Satan ret the best Of you
Affection either drives us to or from God If we
look at these truths in the right light they will do
us much good.
his flock across stream. He went into the wat
and the sheep would not follow him. He took up
one lamb, then another and wenG back into the
water. AID when the mother saw her Ian bs upon
the other side she followed, then tho " hole flock
followed and were taken over into green pasture.
Some one here may complain because little one
has been taken away; it is in this way God makes
Heaven all the dearer to US. man lived for his
child and not for God. He lost his child and was so
throne if he could. Whe he came home from the
burial and his home as dark as the grave (some
Of US have known this feeling he lay down. lie
thought he would hear the voice aud The patIerng
feet of his loved one, but he knew they were silent
in the grave. Then he wept and afterward fell
asleep and dreamed; 1t more like vision He
thought he stood on the bank of a river and saw a
most beautiful land on the other side where there
was no tror bic. He saw beings among whom was
his own little Child whose voice sweeter than
ever before. She called to him to over. The
was no bridge, no ferry. Come right this way, it's
teautiful here" she sad All at once he heard
voice saving Il am the way no man cometh unto
the Father but by Me-" He was converted and ex-
pected to come into the Kingdom of God. he
might never have been saved had not this child
Are not such cases here to-day? Have you not
mad friends who We're dear to you when alive?
Would they not neckon you TO come? There is not
soul here that has not some loved on the other
SIDE
Mr.. Moody closed with a prayer, and then
requested the congregation, as many as would
like. to remain thirty minutes for the prayer
meeting.
While the congregation were singing hymn
many people went out, but the vacancies were
quickly filled, and there was a great rush for
seats, Mr.. Moody taking great interest in seat.
ing the newcomers. "One hundred of you
people," said he, "come fill up around the
aisles." There was a crowding back and forth,
change of faces. but the dark line of people
srouad the outer aisle remained as before.
Prayers were offered by several clergymen
on the platform. Then Mr. Moody requested
all to bow their heads in silent prayer; then
he said: "If any one of you would be prayed
for, rise aud take your seat again, while all
others will keep their heads bowed" Ten
arose in thirty seconds. After fifteen, mostly
young men, had arisen voice said "a young
lady in the gallery makes sixteen" Prayer
Immediately followed, the benediction was
pronounced, and the immense crowd quietly
dispersed.
TIE Evening Meeting.
Equally great crowds gathered at the eve
ming meeting, aud for bali al hour or more
bsiore the hour of service, Mr.. Moody kept
the choir engaged 10 singing gospel hymns,
directing, prompting and crit csiag their per-
formance until it came more nearly to his idea
of what it should be. At twenty minutes to
seven o'clock Mr.. Moody gave out the hymn,
"Gulde me, Oh thou Great Jehovah" which
the congregation sang standing. The choir
then sang, 81 am trusting, Lord, in thee" and
Rev. Mr.. Hallock of Willston church follow
ed in prayer. The choir sang the hymn
Peace, be still"
MR. MooDY's EVENING DISCOURSE.
The preacher then said he wished to give them
three texts con- aiming question, a exhortaIion
aud Command In John 20, We find the words,
sWhat seek YEP" These the first words LLat
John reports our Lord to have spoken in Lis public
ministry. Many soughs Christ for some elfsh end
hey had eaten OF tie loaves in the wilderness and
sought again to be fed with this miraculous bread.
Others sought Office wishing to stand bigh in his
earthly kingdom. But some sought him because
they wished TO be saved. We shall find to Je
all to us that we wish him to be. The selfish
seekers received no benefit from his coming; but
Peter, James, John and Others found him to be all
to them that they had hoped. and q thousand times
more Ii should ask You, what you all came here
for thisievening, what strange variety of
truth would require you to give. Some of You
came to see the preacher, because you had no
where else to go; or because some friend ame; or
perhaps because pious mother asked you 10
promise to come. But You here; and, whatever
The reason, you are within reach OF salvation.
The second text is an exhortation, 'Seek We the
Lord while he may be found Call ye upon him
while he is near" But rome will say that they
ha'e been seeking God Tor years, and have not
found him. They are mistaken. No man will seek
God with ali the heart without at once finding him.
The Lord is too anxious TO save the VINO is
in What is it to seek him with all the heart?
II is to seek Goa as you seek wealth, you seek
honor or heath. But is not God, and what he
does for us, TO be sought for more earnestly than
wealth, or riches, or honor, even health? What
is the wealth of the world in comparison with eter-
nal hfe2 What is the wurld's honor compared wi III
the ete nal blessedness of heaven? Do you believe