Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-12-03
TIE wAxoxrALmAeE.

The Rev. L. Dewitt Talmsge is liberia
thinker, and an able, eloquent speaker, and a
he utters his sentiments in strong and vigor
GUS lauguage-"hsws to the line let the chip
fall where they maybe is made the con
slant target of vili6cation and calrmny A
few weeks ago Talmsge disgraced himself and
desecrated the cause OF religion by daring to
preach a sermon against infdelityl This il
regarded as diabolical offense-a crime SO
heinous that no pious minister of the Cos.
pei can engage in it without committing an
objectionable sin, and of course the followers
of Ingersoll are defaming the reprobate who
has prostiluted his pulpit by such blssphemy.
Ingersoll does not practice the federation he
advocates. For ten years he has been scott
ing al the Christian religion and reviliug
ministers OF the gospel, aad when Tslmsge
turns upon his assistant, he manifests
all the bitterness and intolerance which
he so loudly condemns. The personal enc
mies of Ialmage have joined in this war, and
such scene has been enacted in romance
or reality since the Lilipudans enveloped
the sleeping Guliiver with pack-threads
to secure him from doing them harm.
DIR. Talmage, with many cratic ideas,
has great abilities, possesses a soul which
he dares call his OVID, ventures 10 speak
what he thinks, and, as a matter OF course,
is traduced ami slandered. His enc
mics have ransacked his life in the hope
of digging up something to blacken his
name. But after all their researches
they find that he has only committed
two crimes. One is that he believes
the Bible to be true, and the
other that he believes with DemosiheneE-
that no speaker can be effective without
action, and therefore works with the energy
OF = steam engine in the delivery Of his ser
mons. These are grave charges. AS to the
6nst, we advise DR.. Tslmsge 10 make an
unequivocal confession ard throw himself on
the mercy OF the public. He ought to be
forgiven on the ground that he is a Bourbon,
"who forgets nothing and learns nothing" and
that belief in the Bible is so deeply ingrained
into every fiber and ligsment of his nature
that he cannot be other than its faithful
interpreter. The eloquence of Patrick |
Henry saved the parsons arrested during the |
of Jesus Christ, but Talmage must trust TO |
some divine power to save him for the crime |
Of preaching against Infdelity. DIR. Tai |
mage is no doubt bold, energetic man." He |
feels the importance of his subjects, and that |
they ought to be discussed with the energy OF |
Vesuyius in eruption and as if the world |
needed to be set on fire. Judging from his
popularity and the large audiences tn at crowd
he Tabernacle, it would seem that his man
1er of speaking is satisfactory to the world,
md his sermons as published are read |
~ millions of people. His tropes descend
n showers and are always forcible and ap-
'ropriate, and his illustrations are of the
most stattling and thrilling character. His
ermons are occasionally rough, bnt they are
nll OF imagery, combined with deep thought
nd profound logic. No man can be great
pesker without vehemeucc and energy, and
y this we do not mean the rant of the
pesker who makes up in sound and fury
'r his deficiency in intelligence and
less. Ii John the Baptist were still liv- |
lg his preaching would not suit the defamers
Talmsgs, for like all men who have been
icees'tul he was utterly at war with The re-
gious customs of his times. He abhorred
I'D Journalism and perfunctory unreal-1
y. be had no stateliness, iciness of cere-
ony, no smOothness of speech. He felt in
nsely, and spoke as he felt. To him the 9
mes Uers out of joint; religion 4 tradition, '
e church corrupt and the people astrav. 0
nd 90 he told them, in phrases that were as .
sorous as they we're eloquent and truthful. a
this earnestness he startled the careless Il
I'd converted the sceptical. Men crowded j.
hear him, and the bigger the crowd the
erner he preached. All trembled as they
tened. There was profound emotion and
despread esrnestness, and ss that Il
rnestness flashed frat of all in his 3
IN eye and uem5led in his voice. +
was strAightway reflected through all b.
E motley crowd TO which he spoke. His py
arers were al once aroused and stirred TO 10
cir very depths. The speaker was vehe- :. ~
ept, and there was vehement outcry. and cs