Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-04-21

sung at the Tabernacle this morning, be
gins with the words:
$50 let our lips and lives express
The Holy Cos pei wc profess
After reading appropriate passages or
scripture. the Rev. 7. Dewitt Talmagc,
ID. D.. preached on the habit OF cursing
and swearing. lis text was from the
Book Of job, chapter 2. verses :, 8, and
9th:
$50 went Satan forth from the presence Of
the Lord and snote 100 with sore boils from
the sole of his foot unto bis crown. And hc
took him u po,shrrd 10 scrapr h~imselfwlthal
and he sat down among thc ashes Then said
his wife unto hiln, 'DJ~t thou still! retain thy
inteCritys Curse God and die"
A story oriental and marvellous. job
was the richest man in the east. lie had
canals and oxen, and asses and sheep,
ard what would have made him rich with
out anything else, seven sons and three
daughters. 1t was the habit of th.se
children to gather together for family re-
union. One day job, is thinking Of
his children as gathered together at a ban
quet at an elder bro'hCr's house.
While the old man is seated at his tent
door, he sees some one running, evidently
from his manner bringing bad news.
What is the matter now? "Oh,' says
the messenger. "a foraging party Of Sa.
beans have fallen upon the oxen and
asses, and destroyed them and butchered
all the servants except myself." Stand
aside. Another messenger running.
What is the matter now? oh" says
Vie q 'the lightning has struck the
sheep and the shepherds. and all the shcp.
herds are destroyed except myself. "
Stand aside. Another messenger running.
What is the matter now? "Oh," he
says, "the Chaldeaus have captured the
oept myself. Stand aside. Another mes.
scuger running. What is the matter
now? ooh" he says, "a hurricane
struck the four corners Of the tent where
your children were assembled at the ban
suet and they are all dead"
Joss AFFIICTIoN.
But the chapter Of calamity has not
ended. Job was smittcn with clcphan-
siasis, or black lcprosy. Tum0rs from
head 10 foot-forchead ridged with
tuberclcs-cyci0ehcs fall out-nostrils
excoriated voice destroyed -intolcr-
able exhibitions from the entire
body, until with none TO dress his
sores, he sits down in the ashes with moth
ing but pieces of broken pottery to use in
the surgery Of his wounds. AT this mo
mcnt, when h. needed all encouragement,
and all consolation, his wife comes in, in
a fret and II rage, and says; This is in
tolerable, Our property gone, our chill
drcn slain, and low YOU covered up with
this loathsome and Disgusting disease.
Why don't you swear Curse God and
aicr'
All, job knew right Wei that swearing
would not cure one Of the tumors of his
agonizcd body, would not bring back one
of his DESTROYED camcls. would not re.
store one of his dead children. He knew
Mat profanity would only make the pain
more unbearable, and the poverty more
distressing. and the bereavement more
cxoruciating. But Judging from the pro.
family abroad in our day, you mightcome
to the conclusion that there was some
great advantage 10 be rcapcd from pro
family.
Blasphcmy is al abroad. You hear il
in every direction. The drayman swear
ing a. his cart, the erwing girl imprecat-
ing the tangled skciu, the accountant
curing the long line Of troublesome
figures. Swearing at the store, swearing
in the loft. swearing in the cellar, swear
ing on the street, swearing IN the factory.
Children swear. Men swear. Women
swear Swearing from the rough calling
Oh the Almighty in the low restaurant,
clear up the reckless 20 Lord of a gilt
tering drawing room; and the one IL as
much b~lasphemy as the other
PROFANITY CURSED LAND.
There are times when We mus, cry out
10 the Lord by reason. of our physical
agony or our mental distress, and that is
only throwing out our weak hand toward
the strong arm o. "a father. 1t was no
profanity when James A. Garfield. shot
in the Washington depot, cried out: My
God. what dops this mean?' There's no
profanity in calling out upon God IN the
day OF trouble, in the day of darkness, III
the day of physical anguish. in the day
of bereavement; but | am speaking now
Of the trivialitv and of the recklessness
with which the name of God is sometimes
managed. The Cwholc land is cursed
with il.
A gentleman coming from the far WesI
sat in the car day after day behind TWO
persons who were indulging IN profanity,
and he made up his mind hat he wouid
make q record Of their proianltles' ana AZ
the end of two days several shee's Vi
paper were covered with these imprecs'