The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-26

the hymn beginning;
Awake, my soul, to joyful lays
And sing the great RCdccncr's praise"
The Rev. I. Dewitt Talmage, DID,,
preached, taking for his text: "And these
are they which ye shall have in abomina-
ton among the fowls, the owl, the vulture
and the bat. These also shall be unclean
to you among the creeping things that
creep upon the earth, the chameleon and
the snail. "-Lcviticus, XII, 1880. Follow
ing is the discourse in full:
The Bible offers every possible variety
OF theme, Of argument and Of illustration.
We care not much in what kind OF a
pitcher the water OF life is brought il il is
only the clear, pure water. God gave the
ancients list OF the animals that they
might eat, and list OF the animals that
they might not eat. These people lived
in n hot climate, and certain forms OF
animal food corrupted their blood and
disposed them TO scroiulous disorders, de.
PRAYED their appetites and bemeancd their
souls. A mans food, when hc has the
means and opportunity Of selecting II,
suggests his moral nature. The reason
tho wild Indian is as cruel as the lion Is
because he has food that gives him the
blood OF the lion. A missionary among
the Indians says that. by changing his
style OF food 10 correspond with theirs his
temperament was entirely changed. There
are certain forms Of food that have a
tendency 10 affect the moral nature. Many
u Christian is trying to do by prayer that
which cannot be done except through
corrected diet For instance, he who uses
swine's flesh for constant diet will be dis
Ca.ed In body and polluted OF soul ali his
liturgies aud catechisms notwithstanding
The Gadarenc swine were possessed OF the
uevil, and ran down steep place into the
sea, aud all the swine ever since seem 10
have been similarly possessed. In Levitt.
Gus, God sirutk this meat of the table Of
HIS people ard placed before them a bill
Of fare at once hcalihiul. nutritious and
generous
hut, higher than this physical reason,
there was u spiritual reason why God chose
certain forms OF food for the ancients.
God gave peculiar diet 10 Ills people, not
only bcCaus, lie wanted them 10 be dis
tingushod from the surrounding nations,
but because certain birds and animals, by
reason Of their habits, have always been
suggestive Of moral qualities. by the list
OF things from which they were 10 abstain
God wished 10 prejudice their minds
against certain evils; and in the list OF law
ful things given, lie wished 10 suggest GER
tain forms Of good. When God solcmnly
forbade Ills people 20 cat the owl, tho yul-
turc, the bat, the chameleon and the snail
lie meant 10 drive out Of Ills people all the
sins that were thus cmblcmizcd.
take the suggestion Of the text, and say
that one Of the iirst unclcan things the
Christian needs 10 drive ont Of his soul Is
the owl. The owl Is the melancholy
bird Of night II matches out whole
broods Of supon,itionS II Is dolcinl and
hideous. When II sings, II sings through
its nose. II loves the gloom Of night bet
ter 'han the brightness Of the day. Who
has not slept In the cabin near the woods
and been awakened in the night by the
dismal "too.hoo" Of the owl7 Melancholy
isthc owl thatis pcrched in many Christian
soul. II h an unclcan bird, aud needs 10
be driven away. man whose sins are
parloncdand who's on the road TO heaven
las no right 10 be gloomy. lilo says 81
have 20 many doubts" That Is because
''you are lazy." Go actively 20 work in
Nag ~ IL have lost my property but
reply "You have infinite treasures
laid up In heaven" You say: IL am
weak and sickly, andgoing to de-" Then
be congratulated that you are 90 near cier.
nal health and perpetual gladncss Catch
few morning lnrks for your soul and
stone this owl of your premises.
Asa little girl was eating the sun dashed
upon her spoon, and she cried. 20,
mamma, have swallowed q spoonful Of
sunshinc" Would God that We might al
indulge IN the samo beverage Cheerful
ness, u makes the homeless, face hand
some; II makes the hardest mattress soft,
II runs the loom that wcnyCs buttCfcups
and riinbows, aud aurous God made
the grass black No, that would be- too
sOmbcr. God made the grass rcl9 No,
that would be- too gnudy. God made the
grass green, that BY this parable ~ the
world might DO led TO n subducd cheerful.
NOS Road your Bible In the sunshine.
Remember That your physical health u
closely allied 10 your spiritual. Tho heart
and tho liver are only few inches apart,
and what Affects one affects the olhor a
historian records that by thos0unj Of great
laughter In Rome llannibal's a~uuliing
army was frightened away in retreat And
there 10 IN the great ouibuuiing Joy OF
Christian soul That which can drive back
any Internal beiicgcmcnL Rats love dark
closets, and Satan loves 10 burf0W IN
gloomy b9ul. "Rcjoicc Ia the Lord, . yc
righteous ard again ! say rejoice"
noisi The window Of your 6oul 10 this
tho ~ O'Clock Of your spiiIiuil night Put
the gun 10 your shoulder and aim at the
hl-ck Jungle iiom which the ho0ling
seiqcs, pull the trigger, aud drop that
troalins, l5athsomc. hiicuus owl o fclig.
bse melancholy into Tho BUSHES.
hgsin, taking iio suggestion Of the tuxi,
dive out the vuitlrc .fon your soul God
would not allow the Jews 70 cat IL II
,.ycs on cIfcagscs. Il hitHns smJug tie
dead With lcadon Wing, ]; e.n 'cs about
,aiilc.iclds. Wilson, the Ahri uinlth.
closis,, counted 2J7 yullntu DID. al one
saica 3. II. crossing the dosoii when mere
Is no sign Of wing VA the air, q c'.ncl per.
ifh out Of the caravan, Immediately the
aif begins 10 darkcn with yulturcs There
are many protested Christians who have
vulurc IN their souls. They prey ugor
:hc character aud feelings Of Others. A