The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-03-18
q8Itscel1msnms.
THE HOLINESS OF INSOLVENCY.


On the 9TH inst, and according to an
uouncement, Mr.. Talmage celebrated the
eleventh anniversary of his pastorate in
the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and it may be
said that the occasion was marked by
several very high jinks. In the first
place the Tabernacle was crowded as it
has not been for many Sabbaths. The
star of gas.jets which surmounts the big
organ was lighted for the first time in
the recollection Of any morning attend
ants. Large vases filed with callas and
pensively dropping green things stood
on high pedestals at either end OF the
platform, and on smaller standards were
pots of other flowers here and there
over the green-covered arena. Against
the shining pipes Of the organ back OF
Mr., Talmage were the two numbers
"69" and $780," written in white camel
las and red roses. Mr.. Morgan played
as if his life depended upon getting all
the sound there was in it out of the or
gan, and Professor Ali, who has the priv
ilege of picking his tune, for the ofertory
chose the pleasing sentimental ballad,
"Oh, Alice, where art thou2" The fes'
tivities were further egged on by the
fact that Mr.. Talmage was called upon
to give the fright hand of fellowship" to
q score or more of brethren and sisters
who, for the purpose of receiving his
friendly grip, stood themselves in row
along the left-hand side of the center
aisle, and received with downCast eyes
the hearty "God bless youW of the Tab
ernacle pastor. All these preliminaries
having been attended to, and woman,
who presumably overcome by them had
tainted on the spot, having been tender
ly carried out by the Major and another
deacon, Mr.. Talmage announced his
text. 1t was Nehemiah, v. "a: "We
have mortgaged our lands, vineyards
and houses that we might buy corn be-
cause of the dearth we have borrowed
money for the kings tribute" 81 will
be doing a good thing this morning."
said Mr.. Talmage, having made few
fiippant remarks about the rate ofinter'
est paid by the Israelites on the mort
gage mentioned in the text, "If / show
you the blessings and evils of mortgages.
This was certainly subject which the
Tabernacle congregation had reason to
be interested in and it priCked up it's
ears aCcordingly,] Much has been said
about the evil of loans, but if were to
ask those of you who haYe never
taken loan to rise up in your seats the
only man who would remain seated
would be some man that had always
been so bad that nobody would ever
trust him. [Appreciative laughter on
the part of the congregational Borrow,
ing money is necessary for civilization.
The young man who has only quarter
of the amount necessary to the purchase
of house ought to pay that down, put
mortgage for the other three-quarters
on it and marry good, strong, sensible
girl. IT would be folly for him to wait
until he had the whole amount Why,
our very nations are built on mortgages.
Pull the mortgages out from under them
and Europe and America will totter
back into barbarian. Now, there are
people who talk good deal of nonsense
about church debts and say no church
ought to be dedicated until it is clear of
all membranes. This is all nonsense
The Collins Steamship Company went
into bankruptcy, but before that event
happened it transported thousands of
emigrants. If every one of the three
fourths of our churches which are mort.
gaged-and l believe that is about the
Oportion-should 90 down under the
Sheriff's hammer, the fact would remain
by them. Why shouldn't churches be
mortgsged? Isn't the Lord as good
pay as the RothsChild's, the Astors and
the Vanderbilts2 Of course he is, and
tell you capitalists that a mortgage on a
church is about as good security as you
can have for your money. It's hard
work to kill church, and a man had
Detter brace himself and get good and
ready before he attempts to throw the
Almighty. When the world pays cash
down the Church of God will pay cash
HAun In fhn Doaonkfvon thia Qlsrc,
against church mortgages must stop
Men who loan to churches not only get
6 per cent. interest, but they get the
benediction of God as well they have
for security not only the property but
the name of Christ on the bond.
ut is well, however" continued Mr..
Talmsge gracefully veering round to-
wards the goal of his undertaking, 'to
pay off our debts as soon as we can.
lSensation Now, when a Church is
kept busy in nursing It's mortgages these
mortgages had better be amputated.
There is no Church in either hemis-
phere more popular than ours. Ap-
plause. We have millions of friends
and we are power for Christianity, but
IL our Church were once free from debt
land Mr.. Talmage gave his arms an old.
time latitude of motion) we'd shake the
seas with the thunder of our 'Megednon.'
/ ask for nothing this morning but your
prayers, but l have a plan which be.
lieve comes from God. 1t was put into
my head by letter written from some
out-of.town reader of my sermons, who
said: 1T is shame that DR.. Talmage
should be abused about this debt. Give
us chance and we'll pay it, And so |
have prepared card which propose to |
insert in many of the papers, and which
my friends here Of the press, whom l |
have learned to love (Mr. Talmage
Dmiled upon the reporters), will give |
wide currency to. 1t reads as follows:
~ ask for ST. By enlarging our old |
chapel one year, building our first Tab.
ernacle the next year, then enlsrging |
that on the succeeding year, and after its |
total destruction by fre, building the
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