The Portland daily press., 1898-12-05

SuOuiO 1dtO EOAiOs \ 40 JtsooSHG~
was unusually large and 1t seemed as =
there was sort of panic to get on boaru'
He spoke of an attendant of his OWL
church who ran all the way to the wnafi
but failed to catch the boa5. A THIRD az
grayation lies in the fact that we have NJ
details. A fourth is that it comes 50
close to our own city and another 1na0
SO few of the bodies have yet been founo.
Then he drew some of the lessons Oh Dno
calamity. He thought it was calculator
to make men more humble in the pres
ence of the Omnipotent one. u We haVe
found out SO much about how GOO WORKS
that we have been in danger Of forgetting
that He still lives. In admiring the ma
chine We have forgotten the power benlna
it. de referred to frequent expressions thai
a screw steamer ought to have been in the
Portland's place but while that would
have been better boat yet she would not
haveH been invulnerable. The power OF
the Omnirotent cannot pe dsfed. MIR.
Freeman dweit upon the democracy OF
death. 1t embraces all alike We are
taking char ces every day, all of us. Life
is always uncertain and few men die as
they might be expected to die. We are
generally surprised when anybody dies.
Such things should not make us afraid.
1t is just as safe to go to Boston in the
boat now as 1t was before. He went to
Boston on the train last week, not be-
causs it was safer, but because the hour
Of leaving was convenient There is peril
everywhere and we can't get away from
it. The thing is to SO live as to be ready
And while he urged life insurance on
the one hand he also referred to eternal
insurance. He was glad life was uncer-
tain. He was willing to go quickly and
had no sympathy with the petition for
deIiverance from sudden death. We like
way and drowning is not a hard death to
die it would be comfort if we could
find the bodies of the dear ones lost but
probably that will only be the fortune OF
a few. Some day we shall understand it
all. 1t was quiet and deeply interested
audience who listened to Mr.. Freeinan's
words.
ST. LAWRENCE CHURCH.
At the St. Lawrence Congregational
church Rev. MIR. Wright otferd feryent
petitions for the bereayed families and
the desolated homes of those who met
their death in the terrific storm of the
previous Sabbath.
At the close of his sermon Mr.. Wright
smoke of Gods voice in the terrible calam-
ity that has shrouded our city in gloom,
calling us to enter in the fellowship OF
a great sorrow and admonishing us to
remember how frail and perishing is this
mortal life. There is, too, call to sym
pathy and charity. Many households are
bereaved not only of fathers and sons but
of all means of support We must be
ready to respond to calls for aid and thus
give practical expression to our sympa-
thy. The choir and congregation appro-
priately closed the solemn service by sing
ing Hastings familiar hymn, Jesus
while our hearts are bleeding DER the
spoils that death has won."
THE ABYSSINIAN CHURCH.
The Abyssinian Congregational church
suffered more LOSSES, in the re-
cent wreck than any other con-
gregation in the city, having lost 10 OF its
parishioners. and last evening memorial
services were held which were attended
by a large audience and were conducted
by the pastor Rev. j. A. Smythe.
Miss Alice Love was orxanist and
after appropriate musical numbers, prayer
and scriptural reading, the pastor
preached sermon, taking his text from
Malachi, 8: II, ''And they shall be with
me- said Jehovah, in tho day that am
preparing, peculiar treasure, and will
spare them as man spareth his own
son that seryeth him..
He showed that those lost souls are
precious in the sight of GOO because of
their variety, rarity and value. He dwslt
upon their safety in the hour of death
and said that at the day of Judgment
the Lord viii collect them and in heaven
they will be set as gems for His crown.
To the listeners he gave words of COM
fort and consolation and assured them
that in heaven there is a more enduring
substance for their friends and their in
terest in heaven should be deeper because
of their having lost mes there.
This death is q vicarious one, because
Of the additional precautions which other
companies and steamers will adopt for
the safety of the travelling public, there
fore it should he comfort to them that
in death their loved ones have become
saviours for others, Safe in the arms of
Jesus"
CONGRESS SQUARE CHURCH.
Or. Blanchard preached zermon on
Abraham's faith in God in bis hour of
trial. After reciting the charming story
Of his lifs as tolda in Genesis, and showing
that Abraham believed that God was
guiding all events and that he spoke to
him bidding him to put away all fear,
assuring him that he should have great
reward and that he would tenderly direct
his steps. Itwas shown how Jesus and
the Pilgrim Fathers were helped by
Abraham's faith and it was urged tina
we who have sorrowed over the disasters
1f tho rcaort ctor,,, cho,,JJ 1narn of