Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-05-29
ON TRIAL.
oera-Houses, Theaters, Bowling.
Alleys, Skating-Rinks, Etc.

,,,,rhts Drawn from the Destruction of
,he Temple by samson-sermon by
Rev. T. De Witt Tai
mage, ID. d.
NJ Talmage recently preached in the
brooklyn Tabernacle on the subject:
pnnera- houses, theaters, bowling-al-
skating-rinks, and ali styles
amusement. good and bad, on
r;ol" The text was from Judges,
vi %: "And it came to pass when their
carts were merry that they said: Call
For Samson, that he may make us sport.
nd they called for Samson out of the
trison. house, and he made them SPORT"
Il. Talmage said:
There were three thousand people as
ambled in the Temple of Dagon. They
nd come to make sport of eyeless Sam
on. They were all ready for the enter
ainment. They began to clap and pound.
inpatient for the amusement to begin, and
(hev cried: "Fetch him out! Fetch him
butn.' Yonder I see the blind old giant
Fming, led by the hand Of a child into the
Eerv midst of the temple. At his first ap-
earance there goes up a shout of laughter
nd d%erision. The blind old giant pretends
is tired and wants to rest himself
cainst the pillars of the house. So he
avs to the lad who leads him: "Show me
where the main pillars are" The lad does
o. Then the strong man puts his right
band on one pillar, and with the might:est
bush that mortal ever made throws him
[ef forward until the whole house comes
aown in %thunderous crash, grinding the
audience like grapes in a wine-press.
AAnd so it came to pass when their hearts
Fere merry that they said: Call for
samson, that he may make us SPORT And
khey called for Samson out of the prison.
house, and he made them SPORT" In other
words, there are amusements that are de-
E~tructive and bring down disaster and
death p the heads of those who prac-
ice them. While they laugh and cheer
bev die. The three thousand who per-
she'd thatday in the GAIA are as nothing
rompared with the tens of thousands who
nave been destroyed body, mind and soul
BY had amusements and by good amuse-
nepts carried to excess.
In this course Of sermons l am now
preaching you must have noticed that 1
lave no sympathy with ecclesiastical
trait iackets or with that wholesale de-
b@uuciation of amusements to which many
ire pledged. There are a great many who
benounce ball-playing. They hate puz-
lies. They despise charades. They alb
bor tableaux. They say: "Away with
III parlor games" They talk as if they
you'd like TO nave our youth dressed in
bue uniform, like the children of an orphan
lsylum,. and march down the path of life
0 the tune of the "Dead March in Saul"
hey hate a blue sash or a rosebud in the
ar or a tasseled gaitet, and think a man
lmost ready for Sing Sing who utters a
mundrum. Young Mems Christian Assoc
iations of the country are doing a glorious
PORK. They have fine reading-rooms, and
1.-THE influences are of the best kind, and
Ire now adding gymnasiums and bowl
ns olleys, where, without any evil
urroundings, our young men may
ct physical as well as spiritual
Improvement. We are d%windling away
b a na~rrow-chested, weak-armed
eeble- voiced race. When God calls us to
work in which He wants physical as
veil as spiritual athletes, I would to God
hat the time might soon come when il
ll our colleges and theological seminaries,
at Princeton, d gymnasium shall be
Established. We spend seven years OF
lard study in preparation for the minis
dyspepsia and liver complaint, and Their
fawl up into the pulpit, and the people
ay; Don't he look Heavenly" because
e looks sickly. Let the Church of God
rect rather h attempt to suppress the
eslre for amusement. The best men tina,
pc world ever knew have had theil
ports. William Wilberforce trundled
o9p with his children. Martin Luther
elled dress the Christmas tree. Minis.
efs have pitched quoits. Ph%ilanthropists
ave gone a-skating. Prime Ministers
ave played ball.
nhow Inc a man who never lights ur
'ia a sportfulness and has no sympathy
'i The recreations of others, and l will
~" You a man who is a Stumbling blocl
'he Kingdom of God. Such men are
features of religion. They lead young
eopie to think that a man is good in pro.
Uaoli as he groans and frowns and looks
aio", and that the height of a mans
lF'ssian Stature is in proportion to the
AS,n Of his face. would trade off five
INJURED such men for one bright-faced
AN'@hV Christian on whose face are thu
u"s; REJOICE evermorew Our reli'
WI Is a bright ~angc5-feet bright, eyes
isnt' wings bright. Taking her place il
uue soul, she pulls a rope chat reaches
'ae Skies and sets all the bells of Heav.
s'cal'ning. There are some persons
~ When talking to a minister always
- poiltlc to look lugubrious. Go forth
rv'Pie, to your lawful amusement! Goo
: you to be happy. But when there
many sources Of innocent pleasure
; camper with anything that is dan
a'ps and polluting?
Now, all cpera-houses, theaters, bowl.
@'eys, skating rinks, and all styles o.
Aaseolent, good and bad, 1 put on tria
na as' ana judge of them by certain car
principles. First, you may judge Of
aIusement by it's healthful result, o,
w. oaie1ul reaction. If an amusement
80 son home at night nervous SO yor
\ Lo' sleep, and you rise in the morning
'eSauSe You are SILENT ont hnt hecauSt