The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-16
DIR. TALMAGE.
DISCoURSES or ''TzYE PRESENT EPI-
DEMTC OFSUICIDE."
INFlDELIT7 THE CAUSE OF CRIME.
Soathing Review of the Present
Prevalence Of this Crime-How
the Bible Presents It,

BDooNLYN, n, y, October III Especial, J.
at the Tabernacle this morning, the Rev. 4.
Dewitt Taimage ID, took for his text,
Acts chapter III, verses 10 and 20. lie drew
cut his sword and would have killed himself,
Iupposng that the prisoners had been fed.
But Paul cried with loud voice, saying, DO
myself no harm" The sermon was as fol-
lows:
Here IS a would-be suicide arrested in his
deadly attempt. lie was n sheriff, and accord
Ing 10 the Roman law, a bailin himself must
suffer the punishment due an escaped prisoner;
and II tho prisoner breaking jail was sentenced
to be enduueeoncd for three or four years, then
The sheriff must be endungeoned ior three or
four years and II tho prisoner breaking Jail
was TO have suffered capital punishment, then
the sheriff must suffer capital punishment.
The sheriff lad received especial charge TO
keep sharp lookout for Paul and Siias. Tho
government had not had confidence in bolts
and bars to keep safe these two clergymen,
about whom there seemed to be something
strange and supernatural.
Sure enough by miraculous power, they are
free and the sheriff, waking out Of a sound
sleep, aud supposing these ministers have run
away, and knowing that they were to die for
preaching Christ, and realizing that he must
therefore died, rather than 90 uuder.thesexecu-
toners axe ON the morrow and suffer public
disgrace, resolves to precipitate his own de-
cease Blu; before the sharp, keen, g.ittering
dagger Of the sheriff could strike his heart,
one of the unloosenod prisoners arrests the
blade BY the commando. ado myself no
harm"
In olden time, and where Christianity had
not mtcricred with IL, suicide was considered
honorable and sign Of courage. Demosthenes
poisoned himself whom told that Alexander's
ambassador had demanded the surrender OF
The Athenian orators. Socrates killed himself
rather than surrender 10 Philip of Macedon.
Cato, rather than submit TO Julius Caesar,
took his own life, and after three times his
wounds had been dressed, tore them open and
persisted. Mthridatos killed himself rather
than submit 10 Fompey, the conqueror. Ham
nibal destroyed his life by poison from his ring,
considering life unbearablc. Iycurgus sui
eide, Brutus suicide. After tho disaster Of
Moscow, Napoleon always carried with him
preparation oil opium. and one night his servant
heard the ex-empcror arise, put something in
glass and drink IT., and soon after the groans
aroused all the attendants and 1t was only
through utmost medical skin he was rosuscita-
ted FROM the stupor OF the opate
Times have changed aud yet tho American
conscience needs to be toned M on the subject
OF suicide. llase you seen paper in the last
month that did not announce the passage out
OF lie by ones own bohest? Defaulters,
alarmed at the idea Of exposure, quit life pre-
CipllaillF. Wth ioslltS large fortunes go out
OF the world because they cannot endure
earthly existence. Frustrated affection, do
mcstc inielcity, dYspeptic impatience, anger,
romOrse, envy, Jealousy, restitution, misan-
thropy, are considered sufficient causes for alb
sconaing from this life 10y Paris green, by
iaudantm, by beiladonna, by Othel-
los dagger, by halter, by leap
from the abutment OF bridge, by
firearms. Moro cases Of felo dc SO In the last
two years than any two years Of the worlds ex-
F4tf al fIR ln lnQt tts4s, q,
any twelve months. The evil Is more and
moro spreading.
a pulpit not long ago expressed some doubt
as to whether there was really anything wrong
about quitting this life whom IL became dis
agreeable, and there arc found in respectable
circles people apologetic for the crime which
Paul in the text arrested. j shall show you
before get through that suicide is the worst
Of oil crimes, and shall lift a warning unmis-
fakAbe, But in the early part OF this sermon
] wish TO admit that some OF the best Chris
tians that hayo ever lived have committed self
destruction, but always In domentin, and not
responsible, 1 have no more doubt about their
eternal felicity than l have OF tho Christian
who dies IN his bod in the dolirium Of typhoid
fever. While the shock of theTcatastrophe
IS very great, charge all those who have had
Christian riondsunderl cerehal alteration step
of the boundaries OF this lifo, to have no
doubt about their happiness. The dear Lord
took them right out of their dazcd and frenzied
state into perfect safety. How Christ feels
toward the insane you may know from the
kind way He treated the demoniac of Gndara
aud the child luuatio, and the potency with
whicA no flushed tempeSta eithor OF sea or
brain.
Scotland, the land prolific of intellectual
giants, had none grander than Hugh Miller.
Great for science aud great fer God He came
OF the hast Highland blood, and was a de-
Hcendant ot Donald Roy, man eminent for
pety and the rare gift Of seoond-sight, His at
talnmcutt, climbing up as he did from
the Quarry and the wan OF. tho stone
mason, dew forth tho Gstonished admiration
of auckland and Murchisnn, the scientists.
and Dr. Chalmers the thcologlan, and held
universities spellhound while he told thom Tho
story Of what no had seen Of God in the old
red sandstone.
That man lid more than any being that
ever lived 20 SHOW that the God of the hills is
tho God Of the Bible, and he struck his tun-
ing fork ON tho rocks OF Cromartv until he
brought geology and theology aceordant In
divine NoisAip. His two books entitled ''Foot-
prints OF the Creator" and the Testimony ~
the Rocks" proclaimed tho bapns Of AN ever
lasting marriage between genuine science and
revelation ON this latter book he toled day
and night through love Of nature and love OF
God, until he could not sleep, and his brain
gave way and he was found dead with re-
voNer Is his side the ecruol instrument
having had two bullots--one for him ana
the other for the gunsmith who at
the coroners inquest WAS examining II and fell
dead, tsaYC you any doubt Of the bcatifica-
ton Of Hugh Millor, after his hot brain had
ceased throbbing that winter night In his study
st Portohollo? Among the mightiest OF earth,
among the iaightioSt ci heaven.
IaNO oHe doubted q, o pety OF William Cowper,
the author Of those three great hymns, "Oh,
Sor closer walk with God" "Mhat various
hindrance wo meet There Is q fountain
flllod with blood" William Cowpar, who
shares with Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley,
the chief honors Of Christian hymnology. In
lypochondIia he resolved 20 take his own life,
ana rode "a the river Thames but found n
man seated on some goods at the very point
from which he expected TO spring. and rode
back 10 his home, and that night
throw himself upon his own knife but the
blado broke and then he hanged himself 20
She ceiling, bat the rope parted No wonder
shat whon God Incredibly delivered him from
that awful demcntia he sat down aud wrote
that other hymn just as memorable;
God moves in 3 mysterious way
llls wonders 90 peri0rm,
lie plants lis footsteps IA the sea
Aud Rides upon the storm
Blind uuhcilef Is sure TO CIR
ANa sean his WORK i'm vain:
GOD Is HIS own interpreter.
Aud No wsll make Ii plain.
Whila yVe make this f,Qrrifnl nva richtro,,s