Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-08-14
Its Teachings Fitted for Those Concerned
for Their Souls.
A Plea for the King Of Books in the
Schools.

LAKESIDE, o., Aug. Vast throngs
of people came here to-day from all
parts of the country to hear the Rev.
r. Dewitt Talmage, ID. d., of Brook
Ign. This place is a summer encamp-
mcnt on the C~hautauqua plan, where
meetings are held for several weeks,
and the visitors employ their time in
Bible study, and in listening to scien-
tifc lectures MANY of the guests
spend the whoie sumner here. The
subject of DIR. Talniage's sermon was,
'.TuE KING OF BOOKS"
and the text from psalm xix, s; The
statutes Of the Lord are right" Fol-
lowing Is the sermon in full:
Old books go out of date. When
they were written they discussed ques-
tons which were being discussed; they
struck at wrongs which had long ago
ceased, or advocated institution MS which
excite not u interest. We're hey
books of history, the facts lave been
gathered from the imperfect mass, bet
ter classified and more lucidly present
ed. Were they books of poetry, they
were interlockcd with wild m~ythologies
which have gone up from the face of
the earth like mist at sunrise. Were
they books of morals, civilization will
not sit at the feet of barbarism, neither
do we want Sappho, Pythagoras and
Tully to teach us morals. What do
the masses of the people care now for
the pathos of Simonide,, or the sarcasm
of Menander, or the gracefulness of
Philemon, or the wit of Aristophanesp
Even the old books we have left, with a
few exceptions, have but very little
effect upon our times. Books arc
human; they have a time TO
be born, they are fondled,
they grow in strength, they
have n middle life of usefulness; then
old age, they totter and they
die. Many Of the national libraries
are merely the cemeteries of dead
books. Some Of them lived ilagitious
lives and died deaths of ignominy.
Some were yirtuous and accomplished
a glorious mission. Some went into
ashes through inquisitorial fires. Some
were neglected and died rs foundlings
at the door of science. Some expired
in the authors study, others in the
publishers hands. Ever and anon
there comes into your possession an
old book, its author forgotten and its
usefulness done, and with lcathern lips
it seems to say: 81 wish | we're dead"
Monuments have been raised over
poets and philanthropists. Would that
some tall shaft might be erected in
honor of the worlds bnried books!
The worlds authors would mako Pill
grimage thereto, and poetry, and liter
ature, and science, and religion would
consecrate it with their tears.
Not so with one old book. 1t started
in tho worlds infancy. 1t grew under
theocracy and monarchy. II with
stood
STORMS o.
1t grew under prophets mantle and
under the iisherman's coat Of the
apostles; in Rome, and Ephesus. and
Jerusalem, and Patmos. Tyranny is
sued edicts against it, and infidelity
put out the tongue, and Mohammedan-
ism from it's mosques hurled It's snathe-
mas, but the old Bible still lived. 1t
crossed the British channel and was
greeted by Wickliffe and James |. 1t
crossed the Atlantic and struck Plym-
outh Rock, until like that of Horeb it
gushed with blessedness. Churches
and asylums have gathered al along
its way, ringing their bells and stretch
ing out their hands Of blessing; and
every Sabbath there are ten thousand
heralds Of the cross with their hands
on this open, grand, free old
English Bible. But it will not
have accomplished its mission
until it has climbed the icy
mountains of Greenland; until il has
gone over the granite cliffs of China;
un1l it has thrown its glow amid the
Australian mines; until il has scattered
its gems among the diamond districts
OF Brazil; and all thrones shall be gath
cred into one throne, and all crowns by
the fires of revolution shall be melted
into one crown. and this book shall at
the very gate of heaven have waved in