The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-13
PORTLAND BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
Address by Rev. n. c. Dunham Of
the New Church.

The annual address In aid Of the Portland
Benevolent Society was delivered al the
First Parish church last evening, by the Rev.
Mr.. Dunhan, Of the New Jerusalem church.
Mr.. Dunham spoke from the text, by this
shall all men know that ye are My disciples,
if ye have love one to another" John xiii
35.
lnOpening, he said that it was in behalf Of
a venerable and worthy organization that
they had come together; an organization
which was born of Christianity, looks to
Christian people for support; seeks each
year the benediction of divine worship in a
Christian church.
The object or use for which the Portland
Benevolent Society was organized by noble
and devoted citizens of a former generation.
and which their loyal children still seek
faithfully to fulfill, is one which forcibly ap-
peals to our common Christian sympathy, to
that beautiful and transcendant spirit which
seeks to unite all the children Of men in one
strong and noble brotherhood, looking to the
guidance and approval of the one perfect
and blessed Master, our Lord and Saviour,
Jesus Christ. 1t Is, therefore, eminently fit
ting 20 speak at this time Of the Master, and
specially Of that sublime and w0ndrous love,
the seal and sign Of Christianity, which per-
clAHtdhy NAldllLcS, duOTnS anu ElOFlHeS III
above all the religions Of earth. Love is the
standard according to which we are TO esti-
mate our Christianity. The Saviour did not
tell men that they should Judge Of one an
others Christianity by their various intel
lectual conceptions of the truth, but He did
say by this shall all men know that ye are
My disciples, If ye have love one TO another"
We now know, as perhaps never before, In
what sense the Master looked for unity
among His followers. The unity which He
desires is unity of mutual love.
Agreement Of opinion" as some one has
aptly said, sis as the concord of melody;
variety Of opinion, maintained in mutual
love, is as the concord of harmony" Now,
in the Christian church il Is prOVidential
and advantageous that there Is q variety Of
opinion, and II we will only maintain our
various opinions in mutual love and kindli-
ness we shall have that glorious, substantial
unity which the Master desires.
Remember, therefore, that love is the
Christian unity. Love is something which
all can have in common. Truth is manifold,
varied, complex and capable Of infinite null
nplication. One may have this truth an
other that; a third a different truth still,
and so on indefinitely. Complete unity Of
all the followers Of the Master, based on the
knowledge and maintenance Of identical
truths, ideas or principles, is therefore an
absolute impossibility, as IL Is most undesir-
able; but, as we now well know, IL Is per-
fectly possible, as well asgreatly 10 be de-
sired, for all earnest and devout Christians,
though differing much as TO their intellectual
conceptions Of 1.-THE truth, TO be linked to-
gether, to harmoni0usly wsrk together, to
enjoy life together in the blissful bonds Of
mutual esteem and respect, in glorious and
substantial unity Of love.