The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-08-06
PULPIT. AND PLATFORM.
cHEsTNuT STREET cHuRcH.


pastor. Rev. DIR, Bashford. The closing por-
lions of the sermon, which we give entire,
were devoted to the changes in the church.
The text was as follows:
He healeth the broken in heart. Helblndeth up
their wounds. He teleth the number OF the stars.
He calleth them all by name.-[Psalms LAT, 3 4.
Our age is practical. As Christians. our
eyes are upon our duties rather than upon
our enjoyments. We try to use God as a
divine means for accomplishing certain re-
suits, rather than as source Of strength and
inspiration. Our prayers are in the main
supplcations. Mr.. Beecher called attention
to the fact that while our hymn books con-
tanned vigorous exhortations to praise. they
possess very little praise itself. We use the
Bible as an arsenal from which 10 draw wea-
pons of offence and defence, not as parlor,
library, and dining room, in which we
may entertain our friends and be fed. and
rested, and strengthened and inspired our
selves. This practical tendency often leads
to disappointment at our conversion and a,
our conservation. Instead of rejoicing in
Christ who Is near to us, and in whom we
nave all riches, we attempt to secure from
Him deposit Of wisdom and strength tc
ourselves. for the accomplishment of cur ex-
ternal plans. The Roman Catholic church
claims to have such a supply of grace in her
self, independent of Christ. Protestants,
not content with common supply of faith,
Independent Of God, claim, each for himself,
such supply of wisdom and of strength
The Christianity of the West has yet to learn
striking lesson from the Christianity of the
Orient-a lesson of rest and trust in an Al
mighty Power; the deep peace which the
consciousness of our union with God brings
to human souls.
Our present system Of competition in bust
ness, and of laying up wealth, is not the
ideal system. 1t is a system growing out of
and perhaps necessary In, a state of indus
trial warfare. Perhaps the Lord has per.
mitted this system In order to arouse us from
the lethargy and carelessness of barbarous
tribes. In the present state of society II
would be unwise, and even wroog, for you to
make no provision for sickness, old age, and
for members of the household. Butupon the
other hand. we cannot think OF Christ laying
aside money while his brothers and sisters
in heather lands, yet suffer for the Gospel
We are now at the dawn of the new civiliza
ton, in which we shall live in God and il
each other. more fully than we do today
That we may help ourselves into this higher
and better stage Of Christian living let us
upon this Sunday dismiss all thoughts of du
ties and responsibilities, and dwell only upor
the omnipotence and watch care of our Hea
yenly Father. "He healeth the broken il
heart, He bindeth up their wounds. He
telleth the number of the stars. He calletf
them all by name"
1--WE have an evidence Of our Heavenly
Fathers power in the size Of the eartl
Illustrations Of this size by description HI
showed how 80 days steady travelling by the
most rapid methods of conveyance was nee.
essary to encompass the globe. But ever
then only a line has been drawn around it,
Its surface still remains unexplored. II
would take 800 years TO see 1t. spending 1.
hours day. in ordinary sight seeing. The
speaker then described the sWiftnesS witt
which our Heavenly Father moves the globe
which we inhabit, through space, and yet not
dew drop stirs on a single flower. Oul
Heavenly Father made this great globe, as
well as moves it with such wonderful speed.
You say then that He bias not time for little
things lie Is so engr0Seed in great things, and
yet consider how he takes care of the leaves
Of the trees SO that they may leave the tree
In autumn and the tree itself safely bear the
rigors Of winter. IL our Heavenly Father
doesn't forget a single one of these leaves,
do you suppose He would forget one of us?
2-The chapter from which the text is
taken speaks of the stars. The speaker
then gave absorbingiy interesting statistics
in reference to astronomy; the work of God
among the Heavens.
3-Let our imagination run on. Let us
take the star Sirius and remember that it is
3,315. OOO.0 600 times as large as our globe, and
that i would take COG, 900 years for a train Of
estly when he called It s''the footstooI q
God" Our Heavenly Father made Sirius
Can you trust His power today? Yousmay
say that one engaged Id such great things
cannot think Of you. And yet look at the
perfection Of q bees sting, which, under a
afraid that being who takes SO much pains
with q bees sting has overlooked the inter.
ests Of your immortal soul?
5-The great comet of 1858 was used by the
speaker to illustrate the wonderful laws OF
God by which that great body, seen in 1858
is the wonderful control exercised by Hin
surely He is able 10 control the proyidences
that give us our daily bread, and to oyerrule
disaster which threatens US with ruin
,6-Bpt few Of the stars have been spoken
OF. On going home tonight gaze at the
heavens and in the innumerable ones that
meet your gaze; consider how many more
the telescope discioses, and then think o1
the millions you cannot see. Our Heavenly
Father made them all. He controls then
all. Ii we can realize His tenderness and
greatness we shall find ssch perfect peace in
Him that this day will indeed prove resi-
to our souls. -
Dear friends: our coming back to Won is
not with unmixed joy. We are panied by
faces.
Every large circle of friends both of this
church and congregation present, is con.
stantly passing through the shadow
Of some great SORROW. Our dear
old church seems poorer, this after
noon by the loss OF the gay and noble
James Bragd0n; by that Father in Israel,
Harris Barnes; Of the unselfsh brother,
Jos. Staples, by Sister Cole and Mrs. Hager,
whose home lives were SO beautiful. by Mrs,
DR.: Clark, whose sanity life was the fruit
OF three generations of Methodist cOnsecra-
ton and culture; by Brother Jackman who
to be with Christ; by Abial Foster and Mrs
Willard and Mrs. Callahan, whose confidence
In Christ glorified her life of piety and toll,
by the self.sacriicing Luella Kittridge who
did her work so uncomplainingly that before
we mad time to learn Of her sutferings or to
wire our sympathy, she had vanished through
the mist, into the golden city; and for her
who has just been TRANSPORTED, Mrs. Jennie
Remington. l confess / feel lonesome when
! think shall not again grasp the hand of
that brother whose sterling manhood and
unnexible integrity made him an honored
treasure for nearly twenty years; or receive
the hearty welcome Of that noble minister
q Christ, worthy to rank with the beloved
Payson, as the twin saints of yonr beautiful
city by the sea.
.Oh for the sound of silent voice
ana the touch OF a vanished hand"
How much you miss these absent ones,
only the lonely hearts and homes carefully
know. But as we think of Gods infinite
worlds beyond our petty globe and as we
learn OF His care of the smallest insects.
dare we think that He has no better place
than this sinful earth for his beloved ones.
And when we forget our selfish needs and
tnlnk only OF their blessedness, If one sim
g,e WORD won would call them back f.om heaven
speak s that wor a. o Sne dear would oId
church is not poorer for her losses. She has
had no losses. She has simply stood upon
the Mount Of Olives and seen some of her
members follow the ascending Lord. Never
were THESE members SO much:aliye and SO
worthy OF care and tenderness from us as
since their ascension. Shall we:not nrejoice
that SO many OF our members are safely
nome, and shall we not trust this father Of
INFINITE love and power to bring us also to
heaven. "
FREE STREET CHURCH.
Very many people gathered In Free Street
church yesterday morning to listen to the
Rev. o. p. Clifford Of the Warren Avenue
church, of Boston,
The text, which furnished the foundation
for the discourse. was from the Gospel of st.
John, oh i, VS.. In Him was life and the
life was the light of man. In the gospel we
have four-fold biography Of Jesus Christ,
composite photograph of the Son of Man.