The Portland daily press., 1896-06-29
THE sEouLARIzATloN OF SUNDAY.
DIR. Blanchard's Sermon at Congress
Square Church Yesterday.

Rev. DR.. Blanchard delivered a sermon
in Congress Square church yesterday
morning on 1.-The Increasing Seculariza-
ton of Sunday" Before announcing his
text DR.. Blanchard said that the sermon
was preached in response to an invitation
from the Evangelical Ministers assooia-
tlon. He was glad to stand with his
brethren in advocacy of better obser-
vance Of Sunday. Although he differed
from these AS to the full use of the day,
he was heartily at one with them in EN-.
phatio pleading for religious observance
OF part of the Sunday.
The text was taken from Hebrews x,
20. Not forsaking the assembling OF
ourselves together as the manner of some
Is" The sermon began with recital OF
d distinguished American artists expert
encs. For over thirty years he had not
been inside of a church Deciding one
Sunday morning to attend he was great
ly astouuded by the thoughts which
came to his mind and the feelings which
arose in his heart. Ee felt mems need
OF having some one greater than them
need Of expression of their alteration in
outward ceremonies; the sermon made
him long to live nobler life. He was
representative in his thirty years
abstention from church, of the great
company Of those who were helping to
secuiarize the Sunday. The preacher
wished that he might also be O represen-
tative of awakened thought. DR..
Blanchard then proceeded to elaborate
three points.
First-The increasing secularization of
Sunday lessons intellectual power. He
dwet upon the recent bicycle procession
to hotel on Sunday, Of excursions BY
boats, on the prevailing love of ease and
search for ministration to the senses.
Fullness of intellectual life requires higA
thought. Highest thought comes only
with highest subjects of thought-God,
Christ, Duty, Immortality. Exour-
siouists are not thinking of these great
themes. A recent company of clergymen
dwelt on the signs of intellectual de-
lyceum system, the poor attendance at
highest musical entertainments, the few
men at literary and scientific lectures
all attest this intellectual deterioration.
The widespread neglect of church is
largely accountable for this. The secu-
larized Sunday does not bring, high
thoughts.
The second point made was this-the
increasing standardization of Sunday
lessons the highest emotions. Theae are
reverence and love of God, the feeling of
duty, the feeling of personal Immortality,
sympathy with the weak, interesting
great humanitarian movements. These
feelings are largely developed in public
worship and pulpit teaohing. The
bicyclist, excursionists, lounger by sea-
shore or mountains is not lifted to
highest feelings.
The third point made was. the in
creased secuAarization of Sunday lessons
moral power. Only religion, conscious
ness of God and obligation to Hin, can
give power to do ones duty. Only the
energize the will. An illustrative story
was given of great Italian statesman.
He was tempted to commit great
political crime. He went into an empty
church, stood before a marble statue of
Christ. "Wouldest thou do this?" he
cried. The answer in his soul was mo, ="
and he went forth the master Of himself.
So Christ would help many O tempted
man. The Sunday, without worship Of
God, without example of Christ, without
appeal of prophet, lessons moral power.
The sermon ended with an earnest ex-
hortation to all believers in the religious
observan ce Of Sunday to become mission
aries to those who are seoularizing it. Tt
is high privilege to help maintain the
sanctity of the day, the worship OF sod,
t he teaching of Christ, the delivering
from selfshness. Let those who thus be-
lieve, speak their convictions to these
sscularizers of the precious day. Let
them rejoice in doing their part in
making the Sunday enlarge and ennoble
the lives of men.