Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-01-28
JEPHTI[AII'S DAUGHTER.
DIR. TALMAGE'S THIRD SERMON TO
THE WOMEN or AMERICA.


Act So Solemn That to Break 1t Is an
Everlasting Wrong.
BRooKLYN, Jan. 29-Thc Rov. r. Dc Witt
Talmnge, D. D., preached this morning the
third of his series of "Scrmons to tho Women
Of America, with Important Hints to Men,
His subject was, Broken Promises of Mar
riasc," and his text from Judges ri, s.: II
have opened my mouth unto the Lord, and /
cannot go back" He said:
Gen. Jcphthah, the commander in chief
Of tho Israclitish forces, is buckling on
the sword for the determination of the pestif-
crous Ammonitcs, and looking up TO tho sky
victory he will put to death and sacrifice as
a burnt Offering the first thing that comes
cut from tho door of his homestead when he
goes back Tho hurrnhing of triumph soon
runs along the line Of all tho companies,
regiments and divisions Of Jephthall's army.
A worse beaten enemy than those Ammonites
never strowcd any plain with tloir carcasses.
Gen. Jephthah fresh from his victory, is
now on his way home. As he comes over
the hill and through the valleys the whole
march honlewardl for his men is n cheer, but
for him great anxiety, for he remembers
his vow to Stay and barn tho first thing that
comes forth from his house to greot him utter
his victory.
Perhaps it shall be the old watch dog that
shall first come out and who could get heart
TO beat ont the life of n faithful creature like
that rs he comes fawning md barking and
friskng and putting up his paw against his
master in merry welcome after long abSencel
No; it was not that which came forth TO meet
Jephthah Perhaps it might be young
dove let out from its cage i'll the generals
home which, gaining its liberty, may seem to
rejoice in the public gladncss and Auttcr OH
the shoulder of tho familiar head Of the
household But who could have tho
heart to slay such n winged limo
ccnt! Nc; it was not that which came
forth to meet Jcphthah. Or it may be some
good neiglbor that will rush out to greet him
after having first been in to tell the family OF
the near approach of the general. But who
could Stay ncighbor who had come on the
scene to rejoice over the reunited household
No; it was not that which came forth to
meet Jcphthat.
AS he advances upon his homo the door
opens and out of it comes one whose appear
mice under other circumstances would have
been an inslcscribablc JOY, but under the
pledge of sacrifice becomes Il horror which
banchcs his check and paralyzes his form
and almost harris him fiat to the earth His
child, his only clild, his daughter comes skip
ping out to greet him, her step keeping time
to timbrcl which she shakes und smites.
Did ever conqueror's cheer end III such q
bitter groan? No wonder, Dore, in two OF
his masterpieces, presents the scene. And Hem
del made it the last ind climactric work of
his life to put this pathetic end overpowering
circumstance III an orutorio, soven months
toiling amid its majestic harlnonies until his
eyesight gave out; and, us though the sad
scene Of Jcphthah's daughters sacrifice were
too much for mortal vision, tho grand old
musician was led blind into the orchestra for
the first rendering Of "Jephthah.n All the
Clories of victorious war are blotted out from
Jephthuls memory, and his banner is folded
in grief and his sword goes back into the
scabbard with dolorous clang, and the muf-
fed drum takes the place Of the GYM
balls, ard tho "tremolo" the place
of the trumpet, and he cries out:
".Alas! my daughter. thou hast brought
me very low and thou art one Of them that
trouble mo: for have opened my mouth to
the Lord. and cannot so back.n During
two months amid tho mountains without
shelter, the maidens who would have been at
her wedding ranged with Jcphthah's daugh-
ter up and down, bewailing her coming sac
rifice.
Commentators and theologions nre in dis
pusa us to whether that girl was slain or not,
and us to whether if she were slain it was
righ. or WRONG in Jephthah to be the cxecu-
tioner. discussion into which l shall not be
diverted from the ovcinastcring considera-
tion that we had better look out what we
promise, better he cautious what engagement
we mako, better that in regard to all mat
tors Of botrothal and phghtcd VOW we feel
the responsibility, lest we have either to sac
rilicc the truth or sacrifice an Immortal
being, and We he led to cry out with the
paroxysm of Jcphthah: 81 have opened
my mouth unto the Lord, and l cannot so
back"
There is one ward in almost oil the insane
asYlums and large region i'll almost every
cemetery that you need to visit. They arc
occupied by the men and women who are tho
victims OF broken promises of marriage The
women in those wards and III those mortuary
rcccptaclcs are in the majority, because
woman lives moro in her affections than does
man. and laceration of them in her case is
more apt to be demcrtia and fatality. In
some regions of this land the promise of mar
riagc is considered TO have no solcmnity or
binding force. 1t was only made in fun.
They may change their mind. The engage
ment may stand until some ono more attract
e in person or opulent in estate appears on
the scene; then the rings are returned and
the ainutory letters and all relationship
ceases. And so there are ten thousand Jcph-
thah's daughters sacrificed us burnt offerings.
The whole subject needs to bc taken out of
the realm Of comedy into tragedy, and men
and women need to understand that, while
there arc exceptions to the rule, once having
solcmnly pledged TO each other heart and
hand, the forfeiture and abandonment of
that pledge makes the transgrcssor in the
sight Of God prcjurcr, and so the day of
Judgment will reveal it. The one has lied to
the other; and all liars shall have their place
in the lake that burneth with lire and brim-
stone
If man Or woman make promise in the
business world, is there any obligation to
fulfill it? If man sign note for five hun
tred dollars, ought he to pay it. If con-
tract be signed involving the building of q
house or the furnishing of bill of goods,
ought they stand by that contracts sob,
yes,n always answered. Then ask the
further questions: Is tho heart the happi-
ness, the welfare, the temporal and eternal
destiny of man or woman worth as much
as the house, worth five hundred dollars,
worth anything9 The realm of profigacy
is filed with men and women rs result OF
the wrong answer to that question. The
most asgravating, stupendous and God defy
Ing lie is lie i'll the shape of broken espou-
sal
But suppose man changes his mind,
ought he not back out' Not once in ten
thousand times. What if change my mind