The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-02-23
TALMAUE'S SERMON.
Third Discourse OF the Series to
the Women of Am erica.
The "lsroken Promises of Marriage"-
The Two Sides of the Conjugal Re-
lation Considered-Divorce Last
Resort for Marital Woes.

his series to the women of America, Rev.
L. Dewitt Talmage took the ''Broken Prom
ises of Marriage" his text being:
I have opened my mouth unto the Lord,
and can not go back.-Judges XII, 49,
He said: general Jephthah, the COM
mander in-chief of the Israelitsh forces,
is bucklfng ON the sword for the extermi-
nation of the pestiferous Ammonites, and
looking up to the sky he promises that if
God will give him the victory he will put
to death and sacrifice as a burned Offering
the first thing that comes out from the
door of his homestead when he goes back.
The hurrahing Of triumph soon runs along
the line OF the companies, regiments and
divisions of Jephtha's army. A worse
beaten enemy than those Ammonites
never strewed any plain with their car
cases. General Jephthah, fresh from his
victory, is now on his way home. As he
came over the hills and through the val
ieys the whole march homeward for his
men is cheer, but for him a great anx-
iety, for he remembers his VOW to Stay
and burn the first thing that comes forth
from his house to greet him after his vic
tory.
Perhaps it may be the old watch dog
that shall first come out, and who could
get heart to beat out the life of faithful
creature like that as he comes fawning
and barking and frisking and putting up
his paw against his master in merry well
come after long abssnces No; it was not
that which came forth to meet Jephthah.
Perhaps it may be young dove let out
from its cage in the Generals home,
which, gaining its liberty, may seem to
rejoice in the public gladness and fiutter
on the shoulder of the familiar head of
the household. But who could have the
heart to STAY such winged innocent?
No; it was not that which came forth to
meet Jephthah. Or it may be some good
neighbor that will rush out to meet him,
after having first been in to tell the fami-
ly of the near approach of the General.
But who could Stay neighbor who had
come on the scene to rejoice over the re-.
united household? No; it was not that
which came forth to meet Jephthah.
As he advances upon his home the door
oper's and out of it comes one whose ap-
pearance under other circumstan noes
would have been an indescribable Joy,
but under the pledge of a sacrifice be-
comes horror which blanches his cheek
and paralysis his form and almost hurls
HIM fat to the earth. His child, his only
child, his daughter, comes skipping out to
greet him, her step keeping time to a
timbrel which she shakes and smites. Did
ever conqueror's cheer end in such a
bitter groan? No wonder Dore, in two of
his masterpieces, presents the scene. And
Handel made it the last and climacteric
work of his life to put the pathetic and
oVerpowering circumstance in an oratorio.
seven months toilng amid its majestic
harmonies until his eyesight gave out,
and, as though the sad scene of Jeph-
thah's daughters sacrifice were too much
for mortal vision, the grand old musician
was led blind into the orchestra for the
first rendering of Jephthah. All the glo.
ries of victori Gus war are blotted out
from Jephthah's memory, and his
banner is folded in grief, and
his sword goes back into the scab.
bard with dolorous c,ang, and the
muffied drum takes the place of the Gym.
balls, and the "tremolo" the place of the
trumpet, and he cries out: "Alas, nv
daughter, thou hast brought me very low,
and thou art one of them that trouble me:
for have opened my mouth to the Lord,
and | can not go back" During two
months amid tie mountains, without
shelter, the maidens who would have been
at the wedding ranged with Jephthah's
daughter up and down, bewailing her
coming sacrifice.
Commentators and theologians are in
dispute as to whether that girl was slain
or not, and as to whether, il she were
slain, 1T was right or wrong in Jephthah
to be the executioner, a discussion in to
which shall not be diverted from the
overmastering consideration that we had
better look ont what we promise, bett er
he cautious what engagement we make,
better that in regard to all matters of be-
trothal and plighted VOW we feel the re-
sponsibility least we have either to sacri
lice the truth or sacrifice an immortal
being, and we be led to cry out with the
paroxysm of Jephthah: 81 have opened
my mouth unto the Lord, and I can not
go back"
Ii man or woman make a promise in
the business world, is there any obliea-
tlon to fulfill it? If a man sign a not a
lor nve hundred dollars, ought he to pay
10! LII contract be signed involving the
building OF house OF the furnishing of a
Dill OF goods, ought they stand by that
contract? "Oh, yes" always answered.
Then ask the further question: Is the
heart, the happiness, the welfare, the
temporal and eternal destiny of man or
woman worth as much AS the house.
worth five hundred dollars, worth any
hing? The realm of profigacy is filled
with men and women as a result of the
wrong answer to that question. The most
aggravating, stupendous and God-defy.
ing lie is lie in the shape of broken
espousal.
But suppose man changes his mind,
ought he not back out? Not once in ten
thousand times. What if l chan ged nv
mind about promissory note and de-
clined to pay it, and suddenly put nv
property in such shape that you could not
collect your note? How would YOU like
that! That, You say. would be fraud.
80 Is the other fraud. and punish it God
VIII, certainly as you live and just as GER
tainly If you do not live. I have known
men fstrothed to loving and good woman.
MOOD tssigning their engagement, and the
victim went down in hasty consumption.
while suddenly the recreant man woud
go up the aisle of the church in a brilliant
bridal party, and the two promised ~
Will" with solemnity that seemed in
surance OF life time happiness. But the
simple fact was, that was the first act of
a Shakespearean play entitled, flaming
the Shrew." He found out when too
late that he had not married into tho