The Portland daily press., 1886-02-01
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
w1LL1sroN CHURCH.

The fourth lecture IN the course Dy Tile
pastor, Rev. L. III. Hallock, was delivered
last evening to large audience. The inter-
est in these lectures has rather increased
week by week, showing a desire on the part
of the hearers to follow out the argument.
The subject of this lecture was, 'After Par
don, What?" being sequel to the third lee
ture, "The Governors Pardon" AS this
dwelt upon the fullness and completeness of
the pardon it seemed necessary to inquire
how the pardon leaves the convicted person
it will be impossible to convey clear idea of
the lecture from the brief synopsis we are
compelled to give. A pardoned man lust
leaving prison has mingled shame and joy.
He thinks every one knows his history.
Now he begins to think ''what shall do ?"
He don't want to go home; he don't care to
meet his mother; but he does want to see
the Governor who has pardoned him, for
gratitude prompts that. The pardon has
not set him up in business, it only puts him
where he can start again. Well, he goes
hack to his old ways; he don't mean to; he
won't 90 back to jail day after day to see
how it will seem; no, he will keep as far as
possible from the prison unless to try to help
a poor creation, if possible. Now, IS 1t any
different with Gods pardon? Will the par
doned singer hunger for the husBs with
which he sfavedP After pardon, righteous
ness. Pardon gives no license to sin. Would
a pardoned convict have his clothes made in
prison style? Would a pardoned man hang
around the PRESS office for fear MS name
should appear as free once more? would ~
not be more manly and natural 10r MIN 10
want to tell every one that he is free
Again, pardon does not reach SINS TO be
committed. $50 and sin no m0re; Il am a
Calvinist," said the speaker, and believe IN
the perseverance of the saints; but II is only
when they perseyere in righteousness. on u
can't make luscious cherries by laDeing
chokecherry tree ''ox-heart A Chrlstlan
who sins may find his pardon revoked, ana
he called to answer for former as well as
present sins.
Pardon places men under great obhgatlons
to the governor, and anything that he can do
to honor one who has done so much for him
he ought to do it cheerfully. While you
can't pay Christ for what he has done for
you, you ought to do everything he asks you
to do Pardon gives liberty, not license.
Since you are free enjoy your liberty, but it
does seem that a pardoned man ought to
honor him who has pardoned him, Graft
tude and loyalty demand this
The subject of the next lecture will be
"What wages shall have"
FIRST PARISH.
The services at the First Parish were made
noticeable yesterday by the fact that Mr..
Roderick Stebbins, of the Cambridge Divini-
ty School, filled the pulpit which his father
occupied so many years, and that yesterday
was the 31st anniversary of his fathers ap-
pearance in that church as pastor. Mr.. Steb-
bins preached in the morning from Isaiah
XII, 10, and in the evening from Matt. lvii,
13. He possesses a fine address, and his SER
mon was thoughtful and well expressed. The
church was very full at both services, and
much pleasure was expressed by his hearers.
The choir sang several selections very finely.
SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.
The ST. Lawrence street Sunday School OBJ
served its twenty-eighth anniversary llast
evening, with some very interesting exer-
cises, consisting of songs, recitations, etc.
members of the school. An extended ac-
count of any part of the programme would
be invidious, as all were so well taken and
delivered The condensed history of the
school by Mr.. Benz Thompson, unlike most
articles of that character, was made enter
tanning as well as instructive. He stated
that this school started twenty-eight years
ago this very day, with membership of 97'
and numbers at the present time 335. Mr.
Thompson also alluded to the severe losses
by death which the school has sustained in
the last few years, and to its recent blow in
the death of Mr.. E. S. Wright.
The pastor, Rev. A. III. Wright made some
interesting remarks, and pleased the chill
dren with his customary entertaining story.
In front of the altar were some beautiful
emblems of flowers in memory of Mr.. e. 5.
Hoyt, who had been faithful teacher OF the
Bible class for many years.
REV. ASA DALTON AT CHESTNUT STREET
CHURCH.
Chestnut street church yesterday after
noon was filed to listen to a sermon upon
John Wesley, his life and his work, and the
words of those who have followed him. by
Rev. Asa Dalton. Mr.. Dalton's text was
taken from John l, 6-7. After expounding
the text, he made full comparison between
Judaism before the time of Christ and dead
orthodoxy before the time of Wesley. He
claimed that as Christ brought new life into
the world, and as the Apostles introduced it
into the first century so Wesley reintroduced
that new life into the church of the 18th CEN
tury. He made comprehensive review Of
the growth of Christianity down to the time
of Constantine, and its gradual loss of life
down to the time of the Reformation, and
the great reward of primitive Christianity
under Luther, and compared this movement
with the gradual loss of vital faith in
Professionalism during the 18th century and
its revival under Wesley and his coadjutors
He showed that Wesley's influence was by
no means confined to his own church, but
uplifted every Protestant church, and that
every evangelical denomination was now
glad to acknowledge his influence. In Eng
land, Wesley had, according to Leckey, ere
ated the great middle class, so that the lift
ing up of the masses and the great movement
in favor of democratic institutions was the
outcome of the Wesleyan Reformation.
When people ask what Christianity has done
in modern times, we can point to this great
movement for the uplifting of the masses,
and claim it as the direct result OF the Cos
pei preached to the poor, and cite such mas
terly historians of a rati0nalistlc faith, as
Leckey is ample vindication OF our state
ment.
Turning to our own century, he claimed
that it was due to McthOdism more than TO
any other power that great continent had
been settled at a rate Unprecedented IN MS
tory, and had leaped at once into the hlghest
civilization, yet developed without passing
through state of semi-barbarism. In con-
clusion, he said that the Pope of Rome had
preached you this text when John Sobieski
had beaten back the Turks and saved Chris
tian civilization to Europe. Much more ap-
propriate was it to John Wesley, who had
beaten back the powers of darkness and re-
vived primitive Christianity for the 18th and
10th centuries.
NOTES
At the Chestnut street church last even
ing the vestry was crowded, and at the close
of the meeting seventeen came to the altar
for prayers.
p. 3. C. Debating Club.
The first meeting of the Debating Club