Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-16
The Revival
at Monmouth.


Methodist church This church will seat
about SO more people than the Congre-
gational church and has the addition
al advantage of a vestry to meet va
rious needs of the services. The meet
ings today were very gratifying to the
Christian people Of Monmouth. In spite
of the severe snow SnorIn. which lasted
the day. large congrega-
lions were present morning and even
ing.
At the morning service Mr.. Sterling |
sang as solo, '"Therc is No Room in
the nm" with violin obligato, Miss Lii
liam Cochran. violinist, Miss Wini-
fred Colt. accompanist Mr.. Hofstead's |
sermon was based on the parable of
the 10 virgins. While we cannot even
approximate the impression received
from hearing the sermon, We may set
forth its general teachings in the fol-
lowing:
Everything around us is i'll motion.
The earth moves. the clock ticks, the
heart beats and we. like everything
around us. are going, going, and soon
shall have been gone. And yet, there
are large numbers who go forth in life
without any fixed purpose, regarding
life rs a pleasure excursion or sum-
mer picnic Ten virgins went forth, five
wise and five otherwise-that even the
foolish had n definite object, it was to
meet the bridegroom. Far too many to-
day make wealth or fame the goal of
their ambition. preferring money to
manhood. to be rich than right. Men
should choose between self-aSgrandize-
ment and service. If I am in a profess
sion for the size of the fee / am choosing
a second best, to say the least, but if
I am in it b. rause love humanity,
love is an attribute of God himself. If
I am in it because l love justice, JUS
tice, too, is an attribute of God. Or, if
he an agriculturist l labor for that
which perisheth, have my reward. but
if ! have in mind the thought that my
produce is going to weigh down heav-
lily the tables Of the human family
then my service transends
To serve the present age
My calling to fulfill
Oh. may it all my powers engage
To do my Masters will.
The speaker charged those present if
they had not some well-defined plan in
life to take account of stock and lay in
what they didn't have. Many sleep
while the great issues Of life arc un-
settled, and some, alas, sleep in their
church pcwS, but this does not absolve
US from our duty. The midnight cry
will startle US. Behold the bridegroom
cometh," greeted the ears Of the sleep
ing virgins. then followed regrets, dis
appointments and vain attempts to re-
trieve the past. but the door was shut.
If the door of heaven is shut against
any soul it will be because man him.
self shuts it. God does not do it.
The parable Of the prodical son was
the subject of the evening sermon.
Two elements enter into parabolic
teachings, the elements of imagery
and of reality. The younger son de-
mands that the father give him the
portion of goods that falls to him. This
is at once a bold and ungrateful thing
to do. although nothing of its ante
ccdents are given. This climax was led
up to by certain events. Psychology in
forms us that no great event stands
alone in the life of any man. All i'm
portant events are gradually led up to,
SO it was impossible for the prodigal,
as ii was impossible for Judas to come
to a bold attempt without previous
plans. In the case of the prodigal it
was the work of evil companions.
A boy or young man is easily lured
by tales and descriptions of life away
from home and parental oversight.
Men do this despicable work and fill
boys unfolding minds with thoughts
which should never enter the mind Of
man. They put in rhyme or put into
terSe epigramatic sentences to readily
fast2n the memory. The boy has been
spurned on. He is vertically beside HIM
self. He knows not what he asks or
does He covets the experience of the
fast young man. He is shining hard.
His father gave him his portion of
goods. still hoping he would remain at
home. In this imagery mans free
| moral agency is portrayed. 1t were no
credit to us that we remain at home if
there were no alternative. There is
simply no goodness in an enforced
goodness. We may only be good when
we have an option and choose the best.
Shakespeare admonishes us there is a
tide in the affairs of men which taken
dt us liOOu ledOS OIL 10 fortune. MS
young man. and thousands Of them.
may have known this truth and
thought to open the human dykes only
little way and close them at will
But when a man begins to go down he
travels faster than he knows and may
get into the rapids which will carry
him over the precipice when he would
fain call halt. The momentum of his
own moral action will swing him on
when he would fain stop. for the law
Of compound interest holds good in the
matter of moral character. There are
ways that seem right at the first, but
the ends thereof are the ways of
death" Notification may be found in
the case of any man who has gone the
pace that kills. Multitudes owe their
downfall to the first misstep. 1t was
only one tick at time, but the MAIN
spring ran down at last. The safe
course is to remain at home and never
to forsake the paths Of rectitude and
truth.
A curious will dispute has recently been
Hh1