The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-03
COMFORTERS.
Rev. DR.. Talmage'S Sunday Sermon.
Why Did God Let Sin Come Into
the World?
A Question Not To Be Answered
by Morta, Man.
Persons Who Are Incompetent to
Give Sufferers Comfort.
"The Grave Is Only the Place Where
We Go to Dress for the Glori-
Gus Morning OF the Res
direction"
special Dispatch to The Appeal.


EAST HAMPTON, N. Y, Sept. 2.-The
Rev. T. Dewitt, Talmage, d. d., who
spends a good part Of his summer rest
here, took for the subject Of his vacation
sermon OF this date, ''Pasters that will
Not Stick" His text was, Miserable
comforters are ye all. job, xvi, 2.
Following is the sermon:
The man of Uz had great many trials
the loss OF his family, the loss of his
property, the loss OF his health; but the
most exasperating thing that came upon
him was the tantalizing talk Of those who
ought to have sympathized with him.
Looking around upon them, and weighing
what they had said, he utters the words
OF my text.
Why did God let sin come into the
world2 1t is a question often hear dis.
cussed, but never satisfactorily answered.
God made the world fair and beautiful at
the start. II our first parents had not
sinned in Eden, they might have gone out
OF that garden and found fifty paradises all
around the earth-Europe, Asia, Africa,
North and South Anerica-so many flower
gardens, or orchards OF fruit, redolent and
luscious. ! suppose that when God poured
out the Gihon and the Hiddekel, lac
poured out at the same time the Hudson
and the Susquehanna The whole earth
was very fair and beautiful 10 look upon.
Why did 1t not stay so? God had the
power TO keep back sin and woe. Why
al hn ht not
every cloud roseate, and every step JOY
and every sound music, and all
ages long jubilee OF sinless men
and sinless women? God can make
n rose rs easily rs he can make a
thorn. Why, then, the predomnance
Of thorns2 lie can make good, fair ripe
20 fruit as well rs gnarled and sour fruit
Why so much, then, that Is gnarled and
sour? lie can make men robust in health.
Why, then, are there 50 many invalids2
Why not have for our whole race per-
pctual leisure, instead Of this tug and toll
and tussle for liyelihood2 | will tell you
why God let sin come into the world
when ] get on the other side OF the river
OF death. That is the place where such
questions will be answered and such mys-
tcries solved. lie who this side that
river attempts 10 answer the question, H.
Illustrates lis own ignorance aud incom.
potency. All know is one great fact
and that Is, that herd OF woes have come
In upon MS, trampling down everything
fair aud beautiful. A sword at the gate Of
Eden, and q sword at every gate. More
people under the ground than ON il. The
graveyard In vast majority. The 1900
winters have made more scars than the
5000 summers can cover up. Trouble has
taken the tender heart OF this world in lis
two rough hands, and pinched IL until the
nations wall with the agony. II all the
mounds of graveyards that have been
lifted were put side by side, YOU might
step on them and on nothing else, going
all around the world, and around again,
and around again. These are the facts
And now have 10 say that, in world
like this, the grandcst occupation IL that
of giving coincidence. This holy science
OF imparting comfort b. tho troubled We
ought all Of Us TO study. There are many
OF YOU Who could look around upon some
Of your very best friends who wish you
well aud are very intelligent, and yet 10
able truthiully 20 say 90 them In your days
OF trouble, Miserable comiorers are 70
ALL"
remark, In the first place, that very
yolublc people arc incompetent for the
work Of giving comfort. Bildad and Eli
phaz had the gift Of language, and with
- their words almost bothered Jobs life out.
Alas for these voluble people that 20
among the houses Of the afflicted and talk
and talk aud talk and talkl They rchcarso
their own sorr0ws, and then they tell tho
poor sufferers that they feel badly now,
but they will feel worse after n while. ST.
lcnccl DO you expect, with thin court
plaster Of words, 10 heal a wound deep as
the soul7 Step very gently around about
broken heart. hlk very softly around
those whom God has bercft. Then 60
your way. Deep sympathy has not much
60 say. A firm grasp Of the hand, a com.
passionate look, just one worl that means
as much rs n whole dictionary, and YOU
have given, perhaps all the comfort that d
soul needs. a man has terrible wound
In hH arm. The surgeon comes aud binds
Il up. "Now," he saws, carry that arm
In d sling and be very careful II. Lot no
one touch H." But the neghbon have
heard Of the accident, and they come ill.,
and they say. "l.ot us see it, Aud the
bandagc IN pulled of, and this one aud
that ono must feel Il aud see how much II
IL swollen aud there h irritation aud In.
nammaiion and evaporation, where their
ought 10 be- healing and cooling. The sur
pc0n comes Ia and says "What does al
this mean7 You have no business I,
touch those bandagcs. That wound viii
never heal unless you let Il alone X
there are souls broken down la sorrow
What they most want is rest, OF very care
ful aud gentle treatment but the neigh
bors have heard Of the bereavement, OF y
the loss, aud they come In 10 sympathzo
and they say "Sh0w ~ the wound
What were his last wOrls7 Rchoauc nov
the whole scene. How did you feel Nhci
You found that you was an orphanY
Tearing of the bandagcs here, aud pullinl
them On there, leaving a ghastly woun,
I. that the balm Of Gods grace had alruad!
begun 10 heal. oh, let no loquacious pco
pie with ever rattling tongues, 70 into IN,
homes Of the distressed
Again remark that all those peraon
arc incompetent 20 give any kind Of com
fort who act merely ~ worldly phloso
pliers. They come In and say: "Why
this Is what you ought 10 have expected
The laws Of nature mus, have their way,'
and theu they get eloquent over sOncthiu