The Portland daily press., 1891-07-27
STATE STREET CHURCH.
Sermon by the Rev. Edward Y. Hincks
ofAndover,

At State street church yesterday morning
Rev. Edward Y. Hincks, formerly pastor of
the church. but for the past ten years pro-
fessor in Andover Seminary, preached very
acceptably. The years have touched Mr..
Hincks very lightly. little grayness in the
beard. which he wears full. but quite short,
being the only telltale mark of advancing
time.
Mr.. Hiccks took his text from from First
John, 217, sand the world passeth away,
and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the
will Of God abideth forever"
One might safely say that scarcely anyone
who has ever lived has known Christianity
so thoroughly as the writer Of this epistle.
What he wrote about 1t came out Of his
heart and was testimony Of what he found
it to be. and should always be read as rec
ord Of his experience and carrying the wit
ness Of his life.
So when we hear him saying that though
the world and its lust pass away, the man
who does Gods will abides, we must recol-
lect that he is speaking of something which
he has found to be true, inasmuch as he has
had 1t in himself, that he Is bearing witness,
after trying Christianity for two.thirds of a
century, that it gives feeling of perma-
nence to him who has it; that 1t makes him
sure that the changes of life cannot touch
him ;ltbat he endures.
Christianity satisfies the desire for perma-
nence which every man has in his heart. 1t
seems to be part of our self-respect to wish
to continue to be ourselves. Improvement
we shall be glad Of, but not essential all
teration. Because we are not things, but
persons, because our personality has in it
separateness something valuable, some se-
cret OF power and capability of virtue not to
be found elsewhere. we desire to be our
selves always.
We wish our higher feelings to remain I'M.
changed Even such alteration of them as
the advance of life necessarily brings is un-
welcome.
1t is not without touch Of regret that
strong man thinks Of his boyhood and youth.
Those glad years had something which ma
turity has not. Manhood had brought bet
ter thlDgs-the trained character, the rip
ened mind the stored experience; yet one has
to admit that some good things were lost
with boyhood.
We desire permanence Of influence. The
longing for posthumous fame shows how
deeply this desire Is rooted In the heart OF
man. Great geniuses in their longing for
fame, which they achieve by their writings
which live and teach men centuries after
for permanence of influence.
The world passes away and the lust there
Of, but he that doeth the will of God abides
in his work forever. Not more truly are the
apostles living forces in the world today
than are the holy members of this church
who are not here now. This conviction of
the permanency Of Christian work was never
stronger and more inspiring than it Is to-
day. The worldwide scope Of Gods good
purpose has come home to men as never be-
fore.
We know that the desire to do an abiding
work Is an impulse which He has awakened.
1t Is therefore a sign that what we do at His
bidding shall endure.
An agnOstic writer has recently said :
why should man hunger for immortality
mere existence, yesi But of life, likened TO
dod's, devoted TO His ends and inspired by
his spirit, no. A man ought to be ashamed
10 make his life SO cheap a thing as to be
willing to have 1t ever end. If living means
loving and serving in love, then 1t ought to