The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-11-23
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE's sun
DAY SERMON.
Subject. The Chain of Influences, ="

TIKI: "Maks a chain. n-Ezekiel VII, D
At school and in college in announcing the
mechanical powers, We glorifiet the lever,
the pulley. the inclined plane, the screw, the
axle and the wheel, but my text calls Us 70
study the philosophy OF the chain Ihese
links OF metal, one with another, attracted
the old Bible authors, and We hear the chain
rattle and see its coil all the way through
from Genesis to Revelation, flashing as an
ornament, or restraining as in captivity, or
holding as in con junction as IN case OF ma
chinery. To do him honor Pharaoh hung a
chain OF gold about the neck of Joseph, ana
Belshazzar one about the neck OF Daniei-
The high priest had on his breast-plate two
chains Of gold. On the canlSls' necks, as the
lshmaelites drove up TO Gideon, Iingied
chains Of gold
The Bible refers to the Church as having
such glittering adornments, saying; my
neck is coInely with chains Of gold" 0n tne
other hand, chain means captivity. David
the psalmist exults that power had been
given over his enemies, ito bind their kings
with chains The old missionary apostle
cries out: .-For the hops of Israel, am bound
with this chainn In the prison where Peter
is incarcerated. you hear one day great
crash at the falling OF Of his chains. ST.
John saw an angel come down from Heaven
70 manacle the powers of darkness, and hav-
ing "a great chain in his hand, )" and the
fallen angels are represented as ''reservel in
everlasting chains, while in my text, for the
arrest and limitation Of the iniquity OF
his time, Ezekiel thunders out: Make a
chain.n
What l wish to impress upon myself and
upon you is the strength inright and wrong
directions, Of consecutive forces, the superior
power Of a chain OF influences above one in
huence, the great advantage OF eongerles
of links above one link, and in all family
government and in all effort TO rescue 0rnaFz
and IN all attempts TO stop iniquity, take the
suggestion Of my text and make chainl
That which contains the greatest import
ance, that which inclOses the most tremen-
dous opportunities, that which OF earthly
.hings is most wretched by other worlds.
that which has beating against its two sides
all the eternities, is the cradle. The grave
is nothing in Importance compared with it,
for that is only gully that we step across
in a second, but the cradle has within it a
new eternity, just born 1..i ;.s==sF 10 cease
When three or four years ago the Ohio River
overfiowed its banks and the wild freshets
swept down with them hsrvests and cities.
one day was found floating on the bottom Of
the waters a cradle with child Ia it all un-
hurt, wrapped up snug and warm, and its
blue eyes looking into the blue of the open
heavens Il was mentioned as something ex-
traordinarY. But every cradle is, with
its young passenger, floating on the
swift currents OF the centuries. deem
calling 20 deep. Ohios and st. Lawrences
and Mississppis of influence bearing it on
ward Now, what shall be done with this
new life recently launched Teach him an
evening prayer That is important, but not
enough. Hear him as soon as he can recite
some gospel hymn or catechismi That is
important, but not enough. Every Sabbath
afternoon read him a Bible s,oryf That is
important, but not enough. Once in a while
a lesson, once in a while a prayer. once in a
while a restraining inhuences All these are
important, but not enough. Each one of
hold him in the tremendous emergencies of
life Let It h constant instruction, constant
prayer, constant application Of good in;lu-
ences, a long line OF consecutive Impressions
reaching from his first year to his fifth, and
from his fifth year to his tenth, and from
his tenth to his twentieth. Make chain ~
Spasmodis education, paroxysmll dis
cipline, occasional fidelity, amount TO nothing
You can as easily hold an anchor by one
link as hold child to the right by isolated
and intermittent faithfulness The example
must connect with the instruction Tho
conversation must combine with the actions
The week day consistency must ccnjoin with
the Sunday worship. Have family PRAYERS
by all means; but be petulant and in
consistent and unreasonable IN your house
hold and your family prayers will be a
blasphenous farce. So great in our times
are the temptations of young men TO dis
sipation, and young women to social 70 lies
that IL is most important that ths first
eighteen years Of their life be charged with a
religious noyyer that will ho,d than vvha.