The New York herald., 1876-12-25
BROOKLYN TABERNACLE.

THE JOY OF RELIGIoN-sERMoN BY REV. T..
DE WITT TALMAGE.
The Brooklyn Tabernacle was well filed yesterday
forenoon during the services The pastor, Rev. T.
De Witt Talmage, who hasj ust returned from lectur
ing tour in the West, in reading the usual notices.
tended an invitation to his congregation to call upon
him at his residence, No. / South oxford street, on
New Years Day. The text Luke, H., IA The
reverend gentleman said that learn from story
OF the birth OF Jesus, in the first place. that indgence
is not always significant OF degradation. When
princes born heralds proclaim 1t and
flags wave It, and cannon thunder 1t and
tidings; but when Christ was born there no
demonstration of earthly honor or homage. In all
ages OF the world there had been great hearts throb-
bng under rags gentle spirits under rough exterors
gold in the quartz in the very stable OF poverty
and penury wonders of excellence that been
glory OF the heavenly host The great devercrs Of
nations have not come iran the homes of afuence
but by the discipline of their own hardship learned
speak aud write ana nght Tor the poor and the
oppressed How seldom II is that you find man
starting out the world to accomplish any great
sion who has had hard struggles the start. Men
IL whole nations could on the crust OF their
hardship and pcnrry SUCH men have broken the bread
of knowledge and Righteousness Tor the starving nil
lions OF the Poetry, science, law, constitution
and commerce, like Christ, born IN a manger,
trec ON which the centuries turned started In
some obscure corner, and had Herods who tried
to slsy them, and lscarots who uujusty
denounced them, and rabblcs VINO crucied
them until they broke forth again glorious
ton. Men are like wheat-worth all The moro for
beng failed. The Lords dear children are In novels
OF want. You find them IN tho most unexpected
places They have all hardship all privaton, all trial
here, many OF them; but they shall reign with Christ
forever Again, learn from the text that IT Is when
We are engaged in our lawful occupations that
we have divine manifestations made TO II
these shepherds mao zone ina, M, nsn. INTO sne
would not have heard the song oil tie angels He
most OF God and Heaven who minds his own business.
only when al the post OF duty that dIvine
exhibition made TO We are all shepherds, aud
have large hocks OF cares, and must tend them.
know there are great many busy men who say, "lf
had the days, months and years to devote TO the sub
jcct OF religion should be Of the best Christians
The busiest generally the best men, There Is
views Of duty than at the merchants counter
or the accountants table, or on the
mason's wall John and james wero mending
their nets when Christ demanded that they become
fishers OF men. Ii they had been snoring IN the
God would not have called them from their indclence
to the apostleshp The prodiga son would not have
reformed desired 60 home II be had not frsi gone
into business, though II was swine feeding; and there
is not chance out OF thousand for mans becom-
ing Christian II ho Is azy-given up to thorough in
dolcnce, wiiu and voluntary idlcncss. When we are
like the shepherds of the text, watching our nocks,
then the glory oil the Lord shines about US.
JOY ANGELS ANTHEM
The music that Lroke through that famous birth
night was not dirgc but an anthem. IL shook JOY
over the midnight hills. The religious life Is mol all
weeping and signing and ssbearing and warfare.
Around the temple Of Christ, IN the heart, ought
to plant not SO much nightshade and weeping willow
cedar and triumphal palm Religion is not groan,
but song In worla where there IS SO much SIN
and there arc SO many scpulchrcs there must be
troube but Christ breaks through all this with in
Unite consolation, anu IN tho darkest night
the heavens part with angelic song Ii God
that Ho drops the natural night, SO that you
may the stars. Unos religion is not to be caicu
lated by an elongated face or tho cut OF the garb
Christianity not irown and rccrc.
atoms Religion rs neither cynic nor q snrew; It
chokes laughter, II quenches 10 light Among the
happy II Is the nappcsI Christ died that might
live; He walked that we might ride; He wcpt that
we might laugh. Gather home your children aud mako
the days and the nights AS merry AS you can. Drive
care from the heart and gloom the face, un-
harness yourselves DO not take next years work and
trouble tho charmed circle of days Let the
old forget their staff, and they who with
anxietcs and troublos for short while bc happy.
Love and JOY earth are types OF something better