The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-05-25
INNOCENT PASTIMES
AS Necessary For Saint as For
Sinner.
Dyspepsia and Bad Liver Often Mistak-
en- For Religion by Those of
Warped Ideas.
T. DE WITT TALMAGE.

this world, as not abusing it,"
For the last hundred years the Church
has been denOuncing dangerous and
hurtful amusements, a cautiOnary word
most important and necessary. But it
seems to me that we have stopped short
of the mark. We have been so long tell
ing the people what they must not do,
it seems about time that we tell them
something they may do. My text i'm
plies there is lawful use of the world,
as we'll as an unlawful abuse of it, and
the difference between the man Chris
tian and the man un-Christian is that
in the former case the man masters the
world, while in the latter case the world
masters him. For whom did God make
this grand and beautiful wOrldP For
whom this wonderful expenditure of
color, this gracefulness OF line, this mo-
sale of the ground, this frescO of the
sky, this glowing fruitage of orchard
tempest, in which the tree branches
flute, and the winds trumpet, and the
thunders drum, and all the splendOrs Of
earth and sky come clashing their GYM
balsp For whom did God spring the
arehed bridge of cOlors resting upon
buttress es of broken stOrm-clOuds? For
whom did he gather the upholstery Of
fire around the window of the setting
sum- For all men; but more especially
for His own dear children. If you build
large mansion and spread a great feast
after it to celebrate the completion of
the structure, do yOv allow strangers to
come in and occupy the place while you
thrust your own children in the kitchen
or barn, or the field? Oh, no. You say,
81 am very glad to see strangers in my
mansion, but my own sons and daugh-
ters shall have the first right there"
Now, God has built this grand mansion
Of the world, and He has spread glOri-
GUS feast, and, while those who are
strangers to His grace may come in, l
think that God especially intends to give
advantage to his own children, those
who are the sons and daughters of the
Lord Almighty, those who through grace
can look up and say: abba, Father"
You can not make me believe that God
gives more advantages to the world than
he gives to the Church bought by His
own blood. If, therefore people of the
world have looked with dOlOrOus sympa-
thy upon those who recently have con-
nected themselves with the Church, and
have said: Those new converts are 60
ing down into Jerusalem and into hard
ship. why did not they tarry little
longer in the world and have some of
its enjOyments and amuSements and
recreatiOns~ say to such men of the
world. you are greatly mistaken"
And, before L get through, will show
GLhI buOS6 p6OpI6 WIN SIdy OuG VI Iu6
Kingdom of God have the hardships and
self-denials, while those people who
come in have the joys and the satisfac-
tiOn.
This morning, in the name of the
King of Heaven and Earth, l serve a
writ of ejectment upon all the sinful
and polluted who have squatted on the
domain of earthly pleasure as though it
belonged to them, while claim in be-
half of the good, and the pure, and the
true, the eternal Inheritance which God
has given them. feel we have no right
to stand before men and women, in
whose heart there is desire for recTea-
tiOn amounting to positive necessity,
denOuncing this and that and the other
thing when we do not propose to give
them something better. God helping me
this morning, and with reference to my
last account, l shall enter upon sphere
not usual with Sermonizing, but sub
ject which l think ought to be present.
ed at this time. l propose now to lay be-
fore yOC some of the amusements and
recreatiOns which are not only innocent
but positively healthful and advantage
Gus: In the first place, recommend
among indOOre amusementS music, VO-
cal and instrumental. Among the first
things created was the bird, so that the
earth might have music at the start.
This world, which begun with so sweet
serenade, is finally to be demolished,
amid the ringing blast of the alchan-
gels trumpet,sO that as there was music
at the start there shall be music at the
close. While this heavenly art has often
been dragged into uses of superstition
and dissipation, we all know that it may
be the means of high moral culture. Oh,
it is grand thing to have our children
brought up amid the sound of cultured
voices and amid the melody of musical
instruments. There is in this art an in
describab'e fascination for the house
hold. Let all those families who have
the means to afford it have flute, or harp
or piano or organ. AS soon as the hand
IS large enough to compass the keys
teach 1T how. to pick out the melody.
Let all our young men try this heaven
ly art upon their natures. Those who
have gone into 1T fully have found in it
illimitable recreation and amusement,
Dark days, stormy nights, seasons of
sickness, business disasters, will do lit
tie toward depressing the soul which
can gallOp off over musical keys or soar
in jubilant lay. 1t will cure pain. 1t
will rest fatigue. 1t will quell passion.
1t will revive health. 1t will reclaim
dissipation. 1t will strengthen the i'm
mortal soul. In the battle of Waterloo
Wellington saw that the Highlanders
were falling back. He said what is
the matter therep" He was told that
the band OF music had ceased playing,
and he called up the pipers and ordered
them to strike up an inspiring air. And
no sooner did they strike the air than
the Highlanders were rallied, and help
ed win the day. Oh, ye who have been
routed in the conflict of life, try by the
force of music to rally your scattered
battaliOns. am glad to know that in
our great cities there is hardly a night
in which there are not concerts where,
with the best musical instruments and
the sweetest voices, people may find en-
terta1nment. Patronize such entertain
ments when they are afforded you. Buy
harmonic and the Handel and HAYDN
Societies. Feel that the dollar and a
half or tw, dollars that you spend for
the purpose of hearing an artist pIay or
sing is a profitable Investment Let