The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-12-04

mas been subjected to the closest scrut1
ny and much of it rejected as folly,
while their ideas of justice and right
nave been repudiated as mistaken.
We now look back with amazement
at centuries OF misgovernment
In the State and superstition in religion,
when the poor and needy had no helpef.
The Italian Renaissance, the German
reformation and the French Restoration
were SO many stopping places TO the new
order which has sprung up in our day
a time ripe for democracy in the State,
the rights of conscience in religion, with
new social order which just now like
Millions lion is paving to get free from
the su perincumbent soil which hampers
it.
The general voice proclaims that in
the political sphere we have had too
much paternalism, in the religious too
much ceremonialism and sacerdotalism,
too much scholasticism, too little pure
religion, as taught by St. James, too
much human speculation and too little
of the truth as it is in Jesus,n whose
doctrine the common people heard gladly
and understood.
Religion and service are twin sisters.
While service was theoretical it was in
the air. Only when it descended to the
earth and relieved the wants of men was
1t OF much value. So with religion. As
we now have applied" science SO we
must now have sappliedn religion
religion must lay aside the silver slip
pers IN which she has consorted with
kings, and put on the robe of righteous
ness and walk with men. keeping steep
with the music of the millions. This is
Gne order which obtains now, and more
mere, we fondly hope and believe, than
anywhere else.
Faith must be shown more by works
than by word. Pious people must come
down from the Mount of Vision, mingle
with the crowd and healythe woes in the
lower levels of life. Worship is no more
acceptable to God than in words to re-
lieve the heavy laden. Christ's minis
tiers must not bind heavy burdens on
mems shoulders till they are unable to
bear them. Complaint that the church
is not cherished, as it was, compensated
poor, aslyums for orphans and aged peo-
pie, for the sick are founded and endowed
in every city. Christianity enters into
and modifies, if it does not control and
direct, the laws and mould the manners
of Christendom.
The duty of the hour, touching novel
theories in religion, politics and sociology
the good Neither in religion or poll
tics or philosophy or science ever has
any one theory been accepted as final or
superior to the questionings off the hu-
man mind. The lesson Of this is not,
however, that we can learn nothing but
that we should clear our minds of
can't and have them ready to accept what
ever can be reached by human faculties.
But ours is a time6 for each to serve
according to his ability. No better time
has ever been known, time to sow
good seed, to speak the truth, to rebuke.
vice, to redress wrongs, to bride selfish
ness and recognize the equal sincerity
and good intentions of those who differ
from US. Narrowness, exclusiveness,
tried long enough. Let us follow the
way of charity, of candor and all things
that make for peace. Above all we must
not let slip the great opportunities of
the present. 1t is, perhaps, our greatest
danger not to realize our advantages till
they are no longer ours. Alas. how true
the lament:
Why do we ever lose
AS judgment ripens our divine powers?
Why do we only learn our gifts to use
When they no more are ours?
These are frequent sayings They have
been true from the beginning. God has
been better to us than ourselves. We
ponder, doubt and our gifts are not
developed. They are all different and it is
human duty to encourage every man to
ascertain what his talent is. It has been
the common fault of mankind toSallow
talent to rust and become useless. In
stead OF seeing his own advantages, man
gazes upon those of others. Thus it
comes to pass that man never is. but
always to be, blest." This is true in
everything. We do not value our health,
our homes our friends until they are lost.
All, if we could realize the worth of our
friends while we have them! But we do
not realize our blessings and thus our
hearts become fountains of discomfort
instead OF gratitude.
In city and time like this can we
find nothing to do but attend to our per-
sonal desires? Can we not realize our
opportunities for advancing the general
welfare until it is too late to make use
of them? ~4
The young do not know that they are
young; the aged are wishing that thew
might have their lost youth again in or
der to improve it. We even enjoy our
pleasures, as little children pick
flower to pieces to see how it is made
All this is true in general life but
much more true in religious. We pick to
pieces even the elements of our worship
and the obligations of morality We thus
destroy our flower and turn our wine to
vinegar.
Do we realize what privilege it is to-
day to be coworkers with God? We con-
SIdUulnUO OURSELVES UQaU we nave
given our money and our sympathies and
are not sitting in the seat of the scorn-
full. But what are we giving of ourselves?
The time will come when you will regret
that you did not come heart to heart,
hand to hand in the work of Christianity
Strictly speaking, worship is not
religion. 1t is the means of religion.
Going to school is not education. It is
the means of it. The old idea was that
a man was religious who was devout in
appearance. Now the true idea is that
not only on the Sabbath but ALWAYS
must we be Christians. A religion that
does not make good citizens is not the
religion we want.
DR.. Dalton closed with touching
reference to his long term of service and
to his advancing years and to the changes
that have taken place in the parish. and
that must take place in the future.
MUSIC AND DRAMA.