Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-02-25
CONFIRMATION
At Christ Church

cese of Harrisburg, was present at
Christ Episcopal church Sunday
morning. He preached q sermon, in
addition to which the sacraments OF
the holy eucharist and confirmation
were administered. six persons being
admitted to the full privileges OF the
church and strengthened for the full
fllment ofsChristian duties.
Bishop Darlingtons sermon on the
occasion was an able and chAraoterist-
ic'effort, founded on the last verse OF
the eighteenth chapter of st. Luke
And Immediately he received his
sight and followed him, glorifying
God; and all the people when thev
saw it gave praise unto God. "
The theme of the discourse was
1.-THE Need of God in Our Lives.
! The sermon in argument was most
convincing and abounded in beautiful
| conceptions.
/ The sneaker alluded to the begin
| ming OF lent on Ash Wednesday OF the
present week. He expressed hope
that it would be devoutly kept-more
so probably than in the past. In this
connection he dwelt upon the numer-
Gus blessings that we have to be thank
full for 1t is good thing to think
over these, he said. Persons troubled
with insomnia have been advised to
count hundred or more with the
hope of inducing sleep. To sleepless
persons he would give the advice that
they count their friends and this Will
lead them at last to God, the one real
and true friend, who surpasses all
others
He dwelt most interestingly upon
the peculiar Significance OF the num-
ber "seven" not only as revealed in
the scripture hut also in the prayer
book ot the church. In the bible tn
number seven recurs increasingly.
There were seven days during crea-
tiou; the Hebrews laws were outlaw.
ed after seven years, or seven times
seven: seven blasts of the rams horn
our Lord stood in the midst OF seven
candlestioks and the command was to
forgive not seven. times. but seventy
times seven. In the prayer book the
predom nance of "seven" is not al
WAYS noticed. but it is none the ess
significant. As an illustration he oit-
ed Ash Wednesday and the six Sun
days following.
Epiphany was also significantly
woven into the sermon and the visit
Of the Magi of the East TO Bethlehem
to see and worship the child Jesus
was employed with effect.
Great painters, he said, in concetv-
ing of heaven always painted the faces
OF babes as the best idea of life be-
yond. Very beautifully he enlarged
under this head explaining how many
a person is brought back.to the path
of righteousness or held there by a
baby hand-a star of life eternal.
Marriage, the speaker remarked, is
sacrament. but he regretted that
lll6 10 IOO OItCh % sshSA'AS ~
rather than a sacrament. He alluded
to the presence of Christ at the we'd
ding feast and the fact of.his miracle.
The savior made wine, but the speaker
regretted, that the fact is seized upon
at the present day as an excuse for in
dulging in beer and whiskey. We havn
none Of Christ's wine-made from
water-with us at the present day.
Let Christ be invited to every we'd
ding feast and there will be no ques-
tion as to the kind Of enjoyments that
will be selected. Let welded couples
live near to Christ and life in the mar
riad state may be made divine.
In succession the speaker took up
each Of the Sundays following Epiph-
any, drawing from it some lesson to
aid in living Alright.
Among those in the congregation, he
said, we're some who came because
they desired to; there were Others
who were there because some one had
prayed for them. Prayers offered up
long before, which we're unheeded
then, and which were thought to be
lost, now in later years are coming
back.
The wise men who came to the Grad
lie of Christ were able to sec the guild
ing star only in the night. In the
same way we may first see our Epiph-
any star. when most needed, in times
of trouble and sorrow. Many person
who has wandered far astray is brought
back to the paths of reotitude by the
Epiphany star. which was first seen
| by them on bed of sickness.
The speaker urged the exercise Of
charity. When it is demonstrated that
through methods other than those of
our own church man has found the
Epiphany star, then, he said, it is our
duty to recognize it and say that God
! is with him.
In conclusion he urged his congre-
CATION not to be led astray by false
Christs. Some men, he said, show new
methods of healing, but we are warn
ed in the bible, he said, against false
Ohrist's who would show signs and
! xuonIars He nr-al 10 oa,-rouak;ap