The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-21
ThLTAGE's TaaERNicLE.

Going Astray and Coming BaclS-A Com mon
Sense Discourse " Rev. DIR. Taimage.
The tabernacle on Scnermernorn street was
crowded yesterday morning by q fashionable anu
attentive congregation. Many people were obliged
10 stand daring the services as all the pews were
occupied.
MI. Tamage's sermon yesterday was a plain and
sensible talk to his people, founded on the sixth
verse OF the fifty third chapter OF the book OF
Isaah:-"An we like sheep have gone astray.n
The preacher said:-The Bible is
THE MOST UNCoMPLlMENTARY BOOK
IN all the world. 1t gives one race or condition
OF men superiority over another race
or condition On the contrary, with
one announc ement it declares that we have
all gone astray. Now II you have been much in the
country you VIII know that when sheep breaks
from Inc lod anu gets up into the mounta IL can
not find lta way back again. Cattle may stray OF
and VIII lind tner Way home; put MOI 50 wan the
sheep. when IL Is lost 1t Is lost, and when
you 90 out to ind It 1t fees from
your presence. IL has an idea that you are
gong 10 do IL some damage, though WINE In the
farm yard 1t is comparatively lame Remember al
these things aud then come BACK 10 tne lnterpreta-
ton OF the text. stated that
the SHEEP WAS THE HARDEST CREATURE
in all the world to nnd It's way back home but re-
call that. There Is another more incompetent TO
find his way back aud that is man, When he mas
wandered from Inc paths Of reeutude and CHRISTIAN
Tnere are great many good books that see In tha
them most excellent counsel, BAT mere Is very little
counsel In them telling inen now when he IS once
astray to come back. Nearly ali tue books take IL
MAN HAS NOT GONE AsTRAY.
III there be IN this house this morning one man
who Considers himself outside tue circle OF CHRIS
tan sympatny--n there be- in this house one man
Is not bc preached to-l give him my right nand
and say. Look up; all Is not lost, there Is glorious
! Mr. Taimage then said that he proposed in his
sermon set forth what he considered co be Oh
stac.es In the way Of ne.r coming oacs 10 God and
| then tell them how tnes might snrnount those Oh
stacles. The first dlficulty they would hnd TO be
thrown iuto the Air there law that brought It
TO the ground again, ana Just so there was force OF
MORAL GaAyIrATIoN
taking us downward 10 was easier 10 go down
than 10 go up, anu IL was easier 10 do wrong, he
sad, than to do right. Then yon say, "!f we all
have this tendency In the wrong, teacn how we
come to the right" IL aight be resisted our souls
mad a tendency downward, but the Lord Jesus
Christ by His grace TOOK hold Of us aud Aied up
towards heaven. There Was tins force OF moral
gravtaton tending TO take us down; but by the aid
OF God we might be lifted up. Ihis iogcc OF moral
gravitatiou would have TO be met.
The second dincuity WAS the force OF habit. Hs
had often heard people say that they could break
any OF their habits II they wanted to- and he knew
men VINO were
Bouhp HAND AND FOOT TO TUE DEVIL
who said they could break their habits Ii very
easy 10 iloAt down stream, but head up
stream ana see how you get along. AS long
a wen we We s5sa s were we % got be ana
track OF bone breaking Jnggernauts. When man
tried to do right 1t seemed ii ali the tures OF ne
were against Alm. just a man thought he was
over nab the Old habit cam. on him, and perhaps
nall dozen Otner habits came
LIKE A PACK OF HOUNDS.
When a man wished to abandon EVIL practices
clety repulsed him. He said TO his companions, ~
can 60 with you more; can't have any
thing to do with you" and he came to
church, where he had not been for many years. He
IS met by clnrch Official who says, lis That you
why, am astonisled; thought you never went to
church; suppose can hnd a seal somewhere for
YOU" instead OF saying, 81 Will give you the best
seat In the church." and putting him in the pulpit
In order TO overcome these evil Tenderness Mir. Tai
mage would first advise all TO throw them elves
God. This was not point upon which people gen.
orally began.
IT DID NOT TAKE
any long prayer to move Gods mercy. The trouble
was that people had not been earnest IN their
prayers. Tney should Danish from tner minds the
idea that reformation iron sll was Impossible,
They SHOULD also seek good counsel. There were
great many people who were kept out OIL the paths
OF Cod because they would not talk to anybody
about their souls. lie implored them to go 10 some
warm-hearted Christian man and talk with nin He
knew mat there were many men who were SO
REPULsIyE IN THEIR CHRIST. ANiTY
that they could not be approached; but he urged all
VINO desired TO return " TIE path OF rectltude TO
push forward ana they would he saved. In con-
Guiding his discourse MIR. Talmage addressed hin-
sell particu ariy 70 young men, 10 whom he gave
some excellent words OF counsel, importing them
above all 10 seek after God