Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-03
THE NEW YEAR.
Rev. DR.. Conrad breaches a Ser.
mon Appropriate TO the Day.
Open Pews For the People at Evening
Services Of Old South Church in the
Future-The Day in the Churches.

The promise of the new year and
Gods mercies during the year just
closed, formed the theme of many SER
mons Sunday in the various churches.
In most cases there was special music,
and decorations of evergreen added
brightness The day was perfect, clear
and cold, and not a cloud fiecked the
sky which arched the snow covered
landscape. The attendance at the var
| ious churches was very large.
Immense congregations greeted Rev.
DR.. Conrad at the Old South Church
at both the morning and evening serv-
ices. At the morning service the church
took most important action in a rising
unanimous vote to have open pews at
| Sunday evening services in the future
Dr. Conrad's topic was Thank God and
J take courage" and his text was from
| Acts xviii, Is. AT the close of his re-
marks he asked the church to cooperate
| with him in two things during the COM
ing year. The first was a willing con-
! tributlon along all lines necessary to
carry on the church work, and the sec
|
evening services He asked all who fav-
! ored the latter suggestion to rise, and
| the vast audience arose with much en-
| thusiasm The action extends the hos
| pitality of the church to the general
| public, and in future all who come will
| be seated without waits.
! DR.. Conrad's evening sermon was in
! the nature of a New Years greeting
| under the subject of ''The song of 49,
| His text was from Psalms xl, 8: "And
he hath put a new song in my mouth
In part he said:
The new song of which the psalmist
speaks is first of all deliverance. The
| great occasion for gratitude at the open
/ ing of the year is the thought Of the re
| deerning grace of Christ. To begin the
| year unfettered, untrammeled, in the
enjoyment of true liberty, this is the
| blessed privilege and rich experience of
| the children of the king. We must ap-
preciate what this liberty is. We might
well hesitate to renew our resolutions
| which we have found ourselves so re-
| peatedly disposed to break, if we had
! to depend upon a mere reconstruction
| of character. Reconstructions are never
contemplated IN Gods word. Regenera-
! ton is vastly more than this. 1t is re-
| creation, and the basis of our hope of
| lettering the condition of the past is
/ the recreating power of God.
I Can the beautiful flower which has
/ once been plucked be placed back upon
! the stem? No more can the flowers of
the heart which has once been ruthless
j ly torn by sin be placed back again.
j New flowers may be developed by SOW
/ ing the seeds of divine truth and love-
/ and under the nurture of heaven there
/ may be a new recreation, but not re-
construction. Reconstruction is world
1 process, not a heavenly.
hA II -,
J The gospel of Christ is tranquilizing. 1t
acts not at all as an opiate but rather
as soothing, calm cordial. This peace
| is assured to us when we have entered
into treaty with heaven, into a COW
enant with the eternal. The soul is
not disturbed which is full of faith.
There is consciousness that infinite
love IS ever over us, waking or sleeping,
| walking or waiting.
IL is song of abundance There are
no. earthly wells that do not dry up
when the soul is really thirsty and
drinks deep. Soon life's pleasures fail
to satisfy. Even life's successes do not
crafty. There is no merely earthly
benefit that is permanent Health gives
way to sickness. Prosperity finds its
! reverse, but the abundance of God is
never exhausted, and spiritual health is
possible in all ATTITUDES, under all suns.
under every circumstance The song of
| abundance comprehends also power 1t
IS the song of certainty that Gods
mighty energies are forthcoming in the
day Of need. We must feel that we will
be able to meet the emergencies of 1898
or the song will die on our lips, the
flush will pass away from our cheeks
and languidly and indifferently we will
move forward dreading the events
which we fear may overtax our
| strength. The song of abundance sug-
gests protection. God will throw round
about us the halo of his own glory, the
light of his own love, so that there shall
be no darkness and no approaching foe
Will advance into our presence 1t is
only after we have exhausted our re-
sources that God sends on his reserves.
We must use to the uttermost all he
bestows upon us, else we cannot expect
that aid will be forthcoming as we shall
require. The power must be within us
You will find an abundance of cheer and
happiness and strength in the journey
Of 1898, providing you take it with you.
Begin the year right, continue agrees
sively, eagerly, earnestly and the album
dance of God will be your perpetual
joy.
The new song is the song of progress.
More and better in 49, should ever be
the motto of each Life at best is never
too good for any We must not be con-
tented with the passably good when the
u highest hottest and best is offered free
/ ly to us long life is not necessarily
significant. 1t is a question of how it is
lived, If it does nothing but croak, the
world Is not adVantaged. 1t is the life
which sings and scars that blesses hui
mainly. Communities churches and
even homes have their croakers What
is needed is music of sufficient volume
and sweetness to drown out the des-
pairing, pessimistic wall Of Jun believing,
diSagreeable degenerates who would
make the world a sort of mausoleum
and would have the song a dirge
Finally our song is the song of hope
Good cheer breathes through every
phrase of the music. 1t lightens the
burdens which are to be borne and gives
new elasticity to all Of life 1t breathes
forth confidence. 1t is anticipatory. 1t
looks to the larger life, the deeper, more
! abiding joy. Enter intoNhe Joys of the
4 New Years song and you Will feel the
inspiring touch of your lord and leader.
/ Let us not expect the coming year to be
void of dangers. Nets will be sagac-
I iously laid, traps win be carefully set,
4 temptations viii test us; but if the new
song Of courage and hope is upon our
lip, we can burst asunder the bonds of
any evil habits or impulses and sweep
on to the open sea of Gods love.
4 Wherever we are, we need never be cut
loose from the exhaustless ocean of in
finite love. God places us In this world
! where the temperature is low where the
4 chill and frosts of unkindness are
about US everywhere, that we may well
Il come to our hearts-which shall never