The Portland daily press., 1896-01-06
REV. Mr.. WRloHT's NEW YEARS
SERMON.
Reviewing His Passionate in Portland of
Twenty five Years.

church yesterday. His text was;
Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. "
q. Sam. VII: 12
He said: Between Mzpah and Shen,
the prophet judge of Israel set up stone
for memorial of God S help. He named
Ii "Ebenezer'' 'the stone of help" and
said Hitherto hath the Lord helped
u.s." Samuel's design was not only to
memorabilia a recent decisive victory
achieved over the Phillstinss, but to COM
memorate broader and more glorious
truth, viz: That through all he past
years of his jugdeship over Israel the
Lord had been Israel's help, working in
behalf of His people, and guiding and
blessing their leader
We raise here to-day our Ebenezer to be,
In the eyes of this people, memorial of
the divine goodness and help which
enabled u.s. as people and pastor, to
dwell together in the blessed bonds of
Christian love and service for quarter
of century.
The review of this long period, during
which we have walked and worked to-
BcUuor Al pSdCcs VIA, oiuSo, SCIto w
strengthen our confidence in the truth
that the Lord does indeed work with
those who work together for Him.
1t must be a cursory and rapid review.
That it should be infinitely circumstan-
tial is neither possible nor desirable. 1t
must necessarily be to some extent sta
tistical
The preacher here described his first
visit to Portland just after the desolation
of the great fire of 1866, while its ruins
we're still smoking. He then referred to
his call to the church on December 10,
1870, and the fisrt Sabbath of his minis
try, January ist, 1871 Some reminis-
cences of his frat acquaintance with the
first impressions of the St. Lawrence
Street people was given. He next allud-
ed to the event Of his formal installation
over the church as it's pastor, which 90
CURED April 10Th, 1871, and to theiper-
sonnet of the council The installing
prayer by the late DR.. J. J. Carruthers,
the moderator of the council; the charge
to the pastor by DR.. E. Y. Hicks of An
dover, then the new minister of State
Street church; the right hand of fellow
ship by the Rev. William T. Obear of the
West End church; the charge to the peo-
pie by the pastor of the now extinct Ply
mouth church, Rev. M. II. Williams :;
and the sermon of the pastor of his
youth, the Rev. William Carruthers then
8 of Cam bridge. Mass, were each recalled.
Especial reference was made to the
strong and impressive charge Of Prof.
Hincks. "The tall, commanding figure
of this young and able preacher, which
lowered upon the high pulpit platform
above me, and his long, uplifted finger
accompanying those solemn words which
he several times repeated: 'Abiel
Holmes Wright, charge thee;' made a
profound impression upon my heart and
I felt that was indeed set apart to be
your minister"
Mr.. Wright next referred to the person
mel of the church in 1871. 81 found my
self. he said, surrounded by an earnest
and spiritual brotherhood Strong and
able men, wise and devoted women were
my helpers. They carried this church on
their hearts and distinguished them
selves by their constancy and fidelity
They were deeply imbued with the evan
gelistic spirit and there were among
them men and women of spiritual power
They were the leaders and their young
pastor was ably and strongly supported
by their counsels and labors.
''In 1871 the church was thirteen years
IL = lo1 L. L, i
and sixteen; not more than seventy three
of this number were resident members
The population Of Mnjoy Hill was a
floating one. The Sunday school mum
bered two hundred. Twelve only of the
twenty-five original members of the
ohucrh we're with us in 1871. Since then
l have ministered at the funerals Of them
all.
"One-half at least of that resident
membership of seventy three were active
in some form of church work. I could
speak the names of at least twenty other
men and women who were engaged as
teachers in the Sunday school, or work
ers in the prayer meetings, or interested
In the social and charitable work of the
church.
EST. Lawrence Street church was a
small church in 1871 and by no means
a rich church, although it's mem brship
represented more wealth than it does to-
day but it was a live ohucrh. OF all the
membership of 1871 not more than TWEEN.
ty-fiVe are residing among US today"
Mr.. Wright then considered some OF
the stepping stones of progress in the life
and work of the church since 1871.
FIRST was the wiping out of the long
standing debt on the original building
when, in 1872, one thousand dollars was
raised for this purpose. This incubus
out Of the way, the parish began in 1875
to think of enlargement. The old church
was moved to the center of its lot, raised
up and commodious vestries finished be-
neatht this gave us work shops. The
work exceeded the original estimate OF
cost by three thousand dollars and left
thu parish six thousand dollars in debt.
Supplied with better accommodations,