Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-10-22
A BLASPHEMER'S DOOM.
TALMAGE DECLARES THE ACCURA.
CY OF AN ASTONISHING
STORY.

In recent sermon the Rev. DR..
Talmage discussed bIasphemy and
its consequences. He drew from
ancient and modern history TOR in
stances Of the sudden and awful
punishment inflicted by divine pow
er upon blasphemers, and warned
his hearers to avoid the sin as one
that brings them into special dan
ger from an offended Providence
His most striking illustration was
an incident that he declared hap
pened only last August. lie gives
to q SuR reporter the foilwing cor
rect version of his narrative:
So common has blasphemy be-
come that the public mind and the
public ear have got used to il, and
a blasphemer goes up and down
this country in his lecturers defy
ing the PLAN law against blaspbe-
my, and there is not a mayor in
America that has backbone enough
to interfere with him save one, and
that the mayor Of Toronto. Pro
family is worse than theft, or arson,
or murder, TOR these crimes are at
tacks on humanity. That is an at
tack on God. This country is pre-
eminent for blasphemy. The crime
is multiplying in intensity. God
very often shows what he thinks Of
it, but for the most part the fatal
ty is hushed up. | give you fact
that is proved by scores of witness
es. This last August of 1886 q
man got provoked at the continued
drought and the ruin Of his crops
and in the presence Of his neigh
bors cursed God, saying that he
would cut His heart out if He would
come, calling him a liar and coward
and flashing a knife. And while
he was speaking his lower jaw
dropped, smoke issued from moutl
and nOstrils, and the heat Of hi
body was so intense it drove bach
those who would come near. Scores
of people visited the scene and saw
the blasphemer in the awful pro
cess of expiring. Do not think tina
God has been silent of your case
o prOfane swearer that He is dead
Is there nothing now in the peculiar
feeling of your tongue or nothing
in the Uumbness Of your brain tina
indicates that God may come t
avenge your blasphemies or is al
ready avenging them There arr
hundreds of such cases. Familiel
keep them still to avoid the horri
BILE conspicuity. Physicians sup
press them through professional
confidence.
Mr.. Talmage was asked for cir
cumstantial account of the blasphe
mer, who was miraculously burned
to death. His response was as fol
lows 81 appreciate the desire TO
further details in this matter, but
purposely avoided locating thu
event, and reasons that actuateC
me then lmpel me now to keep tn
affair from the public. Such al
event is a terrible thing for tn
family and friends of the man win
was punished, and it was out 0
consideration for them that l omit
ted to state where the scene wa
laid. That 1t is strictly true, how
ever, | have conclusive evidence
| forgot just how it was brought t
my attention. heard it reported
by somebody or got my first inior
nation from a private letter, | can
not say which, but ! am inclined t.
think it was the latter. But NJ
matter. | asked a trusted friend o
mine to investigate for me, and h
did so. Some correspondence en-
sued, which he turned over to me
and from 1t am assured that tn
affair did actually and exactly tax
place As | describe it. | have th
correspondence still, but | think
had better keep 1t to myself"