The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-05
TALNAaE AT THE ACADEMY.

Some Reductions on the Flight OF
Years-The Natural Inclination OF
People 70 Lilo About Thear Ages-The
Right and the Wrong Way to Meas
ure Life.
Mr.. Talmage gave notice yesterday morning that
the holy communion would be administered IN the
Academy on Sunday after next. His sermon was
upon wrong and right ways OF measuring life on
EARTH He said -
At midnight Of last Wednesday the gate OF
eternity opened to let In amid the great throng Of
departed centuries the soul OF the dying year.
Under the twelfth stroke OF the brazen hammer Of
the city clock the patriarch went out, and the
stars of the night were the funeral torches. 1t is
most fortunate that on this ROAD OF life there are
30 many miicstones on which we can read just
how fast we are going towards the journeys end.
feel that It is not inapt inappropriate ques-
ton that ask to-day when / look into your faces
and say, as Pharaoh did to Jacob, the PATRIARCH
Chow old art thou ?" People who are truthful on
every other subject
LIE ABOUT THEIR AGES,
SO that I do not solicit from you any response,
literal response, 10 the question have asked.
would put no one under temptation; but simply
want, this morning. to see by what rod 1t is we
are measuring our earthly existence. rnere Is
right way and wrong way OF measuring door
- -
right way and q wrong way OF measuring our
earthly existence. 1t is With reference TO this
higher meaning that confront you this morning
with the stupendous question Of the text, and ask
you, Chow Old art thousn There are many who
measure their life by meIe worldly gratlhcation.
That man who measures his life on earth by mere
worldly qualification, Is most unwise man. Lie
lighted hail to quick music It is NOT the frotn OF
an ale pitcher. II Is not a banquet with intoxi-
ladder that mounts into the skies or the rst Step
on road that plunges into horrible abyss. SO
tnat in this world we are only keyiog up the harp
Of eternal rapture, or forging the chains OF an
eternal bondage.
A great many measure their LIE on earth by their
Tnrough the lives OF many OF you the ploughshare
Has gone very deep, turning up terrible furrow'
BETRAYED AND x1sREpREsENrEo
and sgads upon; and slapped Of lmperttnence and
brightest NE must have It's shadows; the smooth
est path It's thorns While Sheridan's comedy was
his sO vHs II Il IL ss ssss
While Bishop Cooper WAS surrounded by the favor Of
learned men nis vie took his lexicon manuscript
threw il into the Dire. Misfortune. trial, vexaton
ior almost every one; Pope, appisudsd or all the
HIM 30 muOn that he has tunnel
dug 50 that he may go unobseryed
% & is 70
with the crucinx that the priest holds before MIN,
because It is such poor specimen Of sculpture.
mans liic BY his misiortunes, because where
Colds and harebels. TnaI is an unwise, nm
grateful unfair. unphilosophic and most un.
man VINO .nG his e on earth BY
peptic 1T, and abuse and sc0rn and terror. Better
measure your lie BY its worldly joys than BY its
sorrows. though either Of them would be un-
christian.
There are many people also who measure their
KNOW arc se vho sk
money as though IL had no value. IL is refinement
ana education, and has 10000 blessed surround.
TRADE IN rULrIr AND LECTURE HALL
against money, az though 1t had no value, is simple
money or thinks OF money as any thing but means
TO an end viii Ind out his mistake when the gilt.
terng treasure slips out o. his nerveess grasp and
he goes out OF tins world without dollar ana
without 3 certificate OF sock. Bonds ana mort
CAGES and leases have their use, but they make q
Again, there are many who measure their life
by their moral and spiritual development. | wish
there were more. II 10 not Sinful egotism for
man than used to be'' Tnere are CnrissiaS men
here who have become swarthy BY hammering at
different plane OF moral character from that which
they once occupied. They are measuring their life
prayer meetings and Communion tables and tSev
are only waiting for the gate to open and the glory
to begin. congratulate them.
Mr.. Talmadge then spoke OF those VINO mea sured
life by the good they could do. and he wished there
were more. There have been men who have given
their whole lives to Christ. They measured their
lives Dy
TIRE CHAINS THEY BROKE OFF.
0y the garments they put upon nakedness, by the
miles they travelled 10 alleviate suffering. DO you
want TO know how old Luther was and Richard Bax-
ter was and Philip Dodridge was why, you can
not calculate the length OF their lives BY any human
arithmetic. Add to their lives 10000 times 1000
years, and you have not expressed what they have
lived or Will live. Oh. what standard that Is to
measure q mans life BY There are those In this
house who IN nix they have lived 30 years. They
will have lived 1,0dO they have lived l,o0o There
are those 50 years OF age who have not even
entered upon their infancy; they must nrst De-
come babes 10 Christ TO begin at ALL
In conclusion tho preacher exhOrted oil to conse-
crate themselves to Christ II you have worldly
means, c0nsecrate them to Christ. II you nave
el0q0ence, use IL on the side that Paul and Wnber
force aid. II you have learning, put II into the