The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-27
THE NEW CHURCH.
Continuation of the Meeting of the
state Association.

state Association.
| Especial Correspondence OF the Press.l
FRYEBURe. August 26.
Saturday evening in the meeting Of the
| New Church after the devotional exercises
which were conducted by the president.
Rev. S. f. Dixie, the subject of the evenings
discussion was introduced 1t was the
mission of the New Church." and was
| presented from four standpoints. Rev. Dr.
| Dixie, who was the first speaker, spoke of the
origin of the New Church. The distinctive
| feature of our age today is reason. So even
| the little belief and knowledge of spiritual
| things that prevails must be placed before
men in a rational form. When this state
| came about the Lord established the New
| Church among men. This truth could not
| be given to the old church because all its
| forms of doctrine and thought are diametri-
| cally opposed it. God must bend the human
mind, and If he cannot do this the minds of
| men cannot receive the truth, science,
| agnosticism and unbelief prevail throughout
| the world and these cloud the avenues of
| religious perception. The spiritual occupies
| il this age only small place in the lives of
| men. We need In order to understand this
only to look into our own hearts and see the
ambition and other passions which are the
ruling motives. Still the world is every
| where seeking truth and many find it in the
| lower forms of scientific and natural knowl-
edge if it cannot quench its thirst at the
| highest fountain. feel the band of God is
| in this work and that he will lay in these
| lower forms of truth deep and firm founda-
tion for his spiritual church. The mission
of the New Church is n0bler and greater
than any of its predecessors and 1t is more
| than an honor and more than glory to CO.
operate with the Lord in his divine work of
saving men.
Rev. VIM. B. Hayden spoke upon the rela-
tions of the New Church to the Christian
world. was once asked by a gentleman l
met while travelling to give him the sub
stance of the New Church in nutshell. l
replied that the time at our disposal was too
limited to allow me to give an adequate con-
thought that could have answered the ques-
ti0n by saying that it was tho New Jerusa-
lem foretold In the Books of Revelation as
coming down from God out of Heaven. Then
the thinking mind. learned in science and
history. could have turned and sought the
truth in its pages. The state Of the Chris
tian world is well described in the words of
the Epistle, We now see through the glass
parts. The reation 9 Of the pSieSs New Chuacb % to
this state is that 1t has fuller and more per-
feet revelation of truth than is found in any
church of 1.-THE past. We have abundant
proof that clearer light has come into the
werld, and with it new age. Everywhere
there prevails spirit of universal fellowship
and charity. Christianity is seeking for
unity and for common platform. The sec
ond coming of our Lord has brought this
There has also come desire for better un-s
derstanding of the Bible. This has led the
English speaking people to have a new YER
sion uf the Scriptures. All this is truly an
on earth. The Heavenly church thus
draws nearer to men. Each of the tribes of
Israel, when marching through the desert,
had its own place in the line. When the sill
.nk or 6x.d -.
bearing the lion of the tribe of Judah, ans
wered the cali first, and took the lead. The
Lord, Himself, is the lion; the New Church
is the tribe of Judah, and bears the stand
ard. The silver trumpet of truth has sound
ed forth again to all the churches of the
world, and the New Church has simply
heard and answered the call. The new
truth is that Christ is identical with Jeho-
this great one, and if these are spoken in
love many will be glad to listen. The New
Church can answer the doubts and questions
to which the doctrine of the tri-personality
of God gives rise. The spirit and the bride
say come, and bids him that heareth say
come. Let each one of us, with earnestness
and zeal, answer the call by giving the truth
in word and deed.
Mr.. A. L. Simpson then spoke briefly upon
the relations of the New Church to the re-
forms of the day.
Rev. II. c. Dunham also spoke briefly up
on the growth and progress of the New
| Church. He said that there are two classes
| in the New Church, the progressive and the
| conservative. The one believes in going
| forward and in forming church organizations
| and in doing distinctive work in the world.
| The other believes in no outward organiza-
| tion whatever, but that the church consists
in the internal spirit of truth. Therefore
| the visible body of the New Church does not
| fully represent the number of the denomina-'
tion. An illustration of this is found in the
| anti-slavery cause before emancipation. The
| New Church is growing more outside of the
church than it is within. The mission of
| the New Church many think is to revive the
| Christian Church, and we can do this best
| by being good and true Church organiza-
tions and missionary work are essential aids
in the work OF our development and growth.
Rev. G. IL. Mann spoke upon the relation
| of the New Church to the heather world.
| He said the Christian church has taught
that mankind must all be saved in one way.
The New Church is so broad that it teaches
that there Is a possibility. that all are
salvable. The trouble came to the American
Board because some of its candidates for
| missionary work ventured to entertain the
idea that perhaps some of the heathens
whom the Bible had not reached might be
saved. This all arose from a false concep-
tion of salvation. 1t is kind of life and it
is infinite in its variety. 1t is of all degrees
| from the highest to the lowest Some spirit
ual life exists in all heathen religions. The
New Church does not claim any special IA
vor of God in this matter. We seek to give
to each person the form of truth best adapt-
ed to bring the birth of divine life into the
soul. We do not say to the heather that un-
less he gives up his religion he will be lost,
but we say come and take something better
than the faith you have.
Sunday morning a large congregation as
sembled for divine worship, After the ap-
propriate lessons and responses had been
Rev. b. N. Stone, Rev. c. ii. Mann, editor
of the New Chnrch Messenger, preached
fine sermon, founded upon John, 18th chap
ter, part of the 7th verse: What do
thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know
| hereafter"
In the afternoon, the holy supper was Gel
ebrated by Rev. S. +. Dixie, assisted by Rev.
ii. G. Dunham and Rev. b. n. Stone. There
were large number of communicates pres
ent.
In the evening another large congregation
| gathered in the church. The services were
conducted by Rev. II. c. Dunham of Port
| land. After the usual preliminary services
I Mr.. Dunham preached fine sermon, found
part of the 10Th verse: "And he shall shew
you large upper room furnished"
The church was very tastefully decorated
on Sunday, with white flowers and green TO-
liage, on the pulpit and IN IN iroat , OF the COM
a mound of bright blossoms, and also in
front of the repository; lilies and ferns
graced the front of the pulpit, and bouquets
were on the organ.
The music, which was rendered by the
choir Of the church, under the direction OF
Mics M. Z. Warren, was pleasing to the peo-
pie. Miss Grace Warren officiated very ac-
ceptably at the organ.
Universaiist Grove Meeting,
VAssALBoRo, August 26.-The Universal
ist grove meeting held here today by Rev.
H. Gledhill of Massachusetts,, assisted BY
Prof. Stanford Mitchell. has been the larges
in. the history of the association. Meeting
were held last evening in different parts O.
the town, but today the exercises have al
been held in the grove near the Oak Grow
Seminary, most beautiful location. Full.
: 5000 people were in after ance. and the grea
majority came in tht morning, bringing
their picnic dinners ant .,fepared to spen,
the day. Special trains brought large mum
). bers from Oakland and Gardiner and inter
| vening stations
, Prof. Mitchell preached very full sermo
in the morning, and Rev. Mr.. Gledhill an
/; other this afternoon. -
!. Today has been one of the most chaTmin
8 of the season, and the occasion one long I
be remembered. The great majority droy
in from Fairfield, Clinton, Augusta, Water
IL