Milford chronicle., 1888-05-11
LOSS AND GAIN.
DIVINE SERVICES AT THE eRooK-
LYN TABERNACLE.

Text with Characteristic ClearneSs and
orlginaIity--A False aud Malicious Re-
port CONCERNING the Doctor Denounced.
BROOKLYN, May 6-The Rev I De Vita
Talmage, b d told the congregation at the
Tabernacle today that a malicious faisehood
had gone through the country, saying that a.
a recent meeting OF the officers Of the Thir-
teenth regiment at his house. he had set be
fore then four kinds Of vine lie said. Il
will pay 81 .0UO To any charitable institution
If It can be proved chat one drop OF wine or
any other Intoxicating liquor wes offered in
my house that evening. The twenty five
gentlemen present may be called upon for
testimony Amy three respectable clergy.
men OF lawyers or detectives may be selected,
they also 70 decide what charity shall have
the money ! ask the newspapers all over
the land, which have been misled by the
falsehood. to correct it,"
The opening hymn of the service begins;
Salvation Oh the Joyful sound,
"riS pleasure 10 our ears
DR. ralmage announced as the subject of
the sermon Loss and Cain" and his text
was. What shall it profit man. if he shall
gam the whole world. and lose his own
soulf'-Mark viii, So
am accustomed, Sabbath by Sabbath, to
stand before an audience Of bargain makers.
There may be men in all occupations sitting
before me, yet the vast maiority of them,
am very well aware, are engaged from Mon
day morning to Saturday night in the store.
In many OF the families Of my congregation,
across the breakfast table and the tea table
are discussed questions OF loss and gain. You
are every day asking yourself "What is
the value OF this What is the value of thatiN
You would not think of giving something Of
greater value for that which is of lesser
valus You would not think of selling that
which costs you SO for s.. If you had
a property chat was worth $4,000, you
would not sell it for $4,000 You are intelli-
gent in all matters of bargain making Are
you IA wise IN the things that pertain to the
matters OF the soul Christ adapted his in
structions to the circumstances OF those to
whom he spoke When he talked to fishermen
he spoke of the Gospel net When be talked to
the farmers. he said "A sower went forth to
sow When he TALKED &C the shepherds, be
told the parable of the lost sheep. And am
not right wien speaking this morning TO an
audience made up of bargain makers. that
1 address them in the words OF my text, ask
ing What shall is profit man, if he shall
/ propose, as far as possible, to estimate
and compare the value OF two properties.
First. / have &c say that the world is a
very grand property Its flowers are Gods
thoughts in bloom Its rocks are Gods
thoughts in stone Its dew drops are Gods
thoughts in pearl This world is Gods child,
a wayward child. indeed. it has wandered off
through the heavens. But about SIS years
ago one Christmas night. God sent out
sister world to call that wanderer back, and
1t hung over Bethlehem only long enough TO
get the promise Of the wanderers return, and
now that lost world with soft feet of light,
comes treading back through the heavens.
The hills. how beautiful they billow up the
edge IF the wave white with the foam of
crocusesl How beautiful the rainbow, the
arched bridge on which heaven and earth
some and talk to each other in tears, after the
storm is overl How nimble the feet Of the
lamplighters that in a few minutes set all
th. lome of the night ablaze with brackets
of fire. How bright the oar Of the saffron
cloud chat rows across the deep sea of
heaven How beautiful the spring, with
bridal blossoms in her hairi / wonder who
It is chat beats time on June morning for
the bird orchestra, How gently the harebell
tolls its fragrance on the airl There may be
grinder worlds. swarthier worlds, larger
worlds chan this. but think that this is a
most exquisite world-a mignonette on the
bosom of immensely! "Oh." you say, take
my soul give me that world 1 am willing
to take it in exchange. am ready now for
the bargain 1t is a beautiful world, 80 sweet
world so grand a worldT
But let US look more infinitely into the
value Of this world You will not buy
property unless you can get good title to it.
Afaef you have looked at the property and
found out that it suits you you send an at
torney 10 the public office, and he examines
the book OF deeds, and the book Of mort
cages, and the book of judgments, and the
book of liens. and he decides whether the
title is good before you will have anything
tc 30 with it. There might be a splendid
property, and in every way exactly suited to
your want, but if you cannot get good title
Won will not take it. Now, | am here this
morning tc say that it is impossible to get
good title to this world. If I settle down
upon it, in the very year | so settle down
upon il as permanent possession | may be
driven away from it. Ay, in five minutes
after give up my soul for the world l may
have to part with the world, and what kind
OF a title do you call thatl There is only one
way in which can hold an earthly posses
sion. and that is through the senses. All
beautiful sights through the eye, but the eye
may be blotted out; all captivating sounds
through the ear, but my ear may be deaf
ened all luschiousness Of fruits and viands
through my taste, but my taste may be de
stroyed. all appreciation Of culture and OF
art through my mind, but may lose my
mind. WHAT a frail hold, then, have upon
any earthly possessionl
In courts Of law, if you want TO get man
OFF property. you must serve upon him
writ of ejectment, giving him a certain time
70 vacate the premises. but when death
conner to US and serves a writ of ejectment,
he does not give US syne second OF forewarn-
ing He says. "Oh Of this placel You have
no right any longer in the possession" We
might cry out Z" gave you 100000 for that
property /" the plea would be OF no avail. We
might say: ave have warrantee deed for
that property" the plea would be Of no avail.
We might say: 1--WE have lien on that
store house, that would do us no good.
Death is blind and he cannot sec a seal, and
be cannot read an indenture. So that, first
and last, want to tell you that when you
propose that give up my soul for the world,
YOU cannot give me the first item of title.
Having examined the title Of a property.
your next question is about insurance You
would not be silly enough to buy large
warehouse that could not possibly be insured
You would not have anything to do with
such a property Now, ask you what as
suranct cal you give me that this world is
not going tc be burned upl Absolutely none
Ceologisu tell US that it is already on fire.
thai the heart Of the warld is one great liv
ing coal, that it is just like ship on fire at
sec. the flames not bursting out because the
hatcheg ART kept down. And yet you pro
pose tc palm of on ms in return for my
soul, world for which, in the first place
you give no title. and in the second place,
for which you can give no insurance. "Oh.
Won Sav ''the water of the ocean will wasf
over all the land and put out the fire" Oh.
no. There are inhammable elements in the
water, hydrogen and oxygen. Call off the
hydrogen, and then the Atlantic and Pacific
oceaus would blaze like heaps OF shavings
1 You want me to take this world, for which
! vou can rive no roSsible insurance.