National Republican., 1882-12-21
THE BRIGHT sIDE
AS Shown by the Rev. 7. Dewitt Tallmage
Of Brooklyn
In His Lecture at the Congregational
Church.

satile Rev. r. De Witt Talmage, who for an
hour and a half pictured TO delighted COM
pany a series of mental photographs. The
title he gave these was "The Bright Side of
Things" lie was introduced by Rev. DR..
Rankin, VINO happily quoted Luther's saying
that when one is a friend of the Lord Jesus
Christ he is sure to have the devil for his
enemy, and that when one has the devil for
his enemy he is equally sure to have the Lord
Jesus for his friend.
The lecturer said by way of preface there
had been mistake in announcing the sub
ject. Modern infdelfty he might treat later
in the season, but in the near approach of the
domestic joys of the holiday time he believed
brighter picture would be more pleasing
now. He had recently met man who was
looking on the dark side. He had lost, he
said, everything he had in the world. Wish
ing him to see that there was some brightness
in the world he asked him, Have you q
wifeP YES" Have you child?" "Yes."
well, how much will you take for the first
Will you take millionp "No." "How
much for the last? Will you take million ?"
mo" "Well, then you have not lost all.
You are worth two millions by your own
showing"
This was very good world to live in, and
this very good time to live in it. He would
rather live ten years in the present than FIVE
hundred years of the time of, say, Methuselah.
In picturing characters he would try and
give the results of his own observation, avoid
ing the mistake of the English clergyman
who delivered a very fine sermon made up in
large part of quotations. When he finished
his first quotation without giving credit q
wag in the audience called out, "That's from
Taylor" Next, "John Wesley" Then,
George Whitfield" The minister, getting
out of patience, called out, "Shut up, yeS
old fool" "Thats your own" What he
would give would be his own.
The faulttinder was pictured, in contrast
with the man who is pleased with everything.
He goes to place of amusement with his
family, scolding all the way. He has not the
time and cannot afford the expense. The or
chestra may give the most delightful music,
and when the family, on the way home, begin
to praise, he spoils all with "Didn't you see
that fat musician who got so red in the
faceW or, "The woman in the solo sang with
a squawk."
| The i'll hammered was the second character
pictured, contrasted with the gentleman. No
tailor could make gentleman. God only
coilld create that large-hearted, noble being.
striking contrast to good manners was
the dialogue between a dying man and his
wife. Wanting to say something pleasant he
began, =" am going to die. Going to hea-
ven." g pretty looking thing you would be
stuck up in heaven" "Son, hand me the
broomstick that may wallop her again be-
fore CO." Flashes like this show the char
acter of those emitting them as accurately as
| fifty years life with them could.
There are some people who in five minutes
make you feel stuck full of pins and needles.
An illustration was the boy in market who
hailed another, Jim, you are going to lose
| on them green peas" When he heard that
greeting he was going rapidly along, having
na,,fh h,cin nbn l,,t h.. ~
stopping and saying: "Suppoes he does.
Won't he find it out quick enough without
your telling him of it?"
When he lived in Philadelphia he went to
New York to attend the May anniversaries.
Arriving late because car had broke down
on the way, flushed and excited because of his
involuntary breaking of his engagement, he
said to the janitor of the church, where may
l put this carpetsack?" i don't care where
you put it," was the answer. "Will it be safe
| in that roomp "Yes, if some of these minis
ters don't steal it."
He had brother living in Brooklyn, who
was accosted on the street with, care you
the man on this street dying with the con-
sumption2 "No, / am in good health"
well, you look delicate and thought as I
was hunting man on this street dying with
the consumption, that you might be the man"
well, 1 am clergyman, and being q good
part OF my time indoors, l may look q little
pale. But in the fifteen years of my minis
try have buried about fifty fat-looking meu
like you"
Eccentricities of people in general are the
cogs in the wheels which make the machinery
1 of society spin around smoothly. Some &C.
centricities are overlooked by good breeding
but there are eccentricities that are very bad
manners, and their showing up encourages
the growth of their contrasts.
| Gen. Scott was once visiting the home of
gentleman in New York, when his little boy
was brought in and told, "This is Gen. Scott"
The boy, looking at the hero, said, "Be you
the Gen. Scott that was at Lundy's Lane?"
Yes was at Lundy's Lane" "Be you the
Gen. Scott that was in Mexico2' "Yes, was
in Mexico" "Be you the Gen. Scott that run
for president and got licked ?" 81 was a can
didate for president but failed of election"
Be you, the Gen. Scott they call Old Fuss
and Feathersp" "Run out of the room, boy.
won't have Gen. Scott insulted," the father
shouted, full of vexation. There are multi
tudes of instances of similar character.
In Washington public men are objects of
proper curiosity to visitors from every part of
the country timid visitor calling on a
want~ Nothing" was the answer in hesi-
tating voice. Then get out" A brighter
side OF character was shown by Henry Clay.
A young man calling at his house was
met with the greeting, ~ am very
glad to have you call on me, but
am very DuSy JuSU now, DuU mere are
books and pictures Take q seat and mako
| yourself at home. And in u moment he was
as much at home as in his fathers house.
This element of Clay's character gave him
such power with men that when he occupied
the chair as presiding officer Of the senate
the light tap of his penknife ON the desk (he
never used the gaveD always brought instant
silence and attention.
| Other characters pictured were loungers,
the public speaking bore, the man who always
has the blues. No character is SO unhappy
and disagreeable as the one who always looks
on the dark side of things. They develop
character eventually, laconically, but properly
| styled touchy. They are like an old mare his
father once got in trade in which he was
badly cheated. Grooming usually SO kindly
received by horses generally had TO be done
very carefully at long range, and often led to
kicking. She was finally given away-the
only time his father cheated in business
transaction.
In political discussions it is we'll to look on
the bright side. The republic will live even
when tho republican. democratic, native
American, and Brooklyn lecturer parties all
alike have passed away. The country de-
pends not on parties, but on God. Twenty
| years since he saw the fire at the Smithsonian
sending a lurid light toward the sky.
In that fire many precious articles We're
changed to ashes, and the loss was
felt to be very great. Turning from
the flaming building eastward, there
stood up against the horizon the beautiful and
vivid structure of the nations capital, build
ing in its beauty as enduring as the earth on
| which il stands. The thought comes that the