The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-11-22
EQUALITY OF REWARD.
DR.. TALMAGE's 6ERMoN ON MANS
USE OF HIS ENDOWMENTS.

USE OF HIS ENDoWMENTS.
The Parable of the Talents Inferiority
of Gifts No Excuse for Indolence-The
Degrees of Happiness in Heaven in Pro-
portion to Degrees of Usefulness.
BRooKLYs, Nov. 1e.-At the Taber-
nacle this morning the acclaim of the
worshiPcrs was very great as they
Joined Il s'le opening Dozology. Pro
fessor Browne rendered exquisitely
the ore. solo, sonata in @ minor
Rhcinhe on. TO pastor, the Rev.
I. Dc VIZ Ialr1ecc, D. d., took for
his text Unto one lie gave five talents,
TO another two, and to another one; to
every rlaa according to his several
ability" (AIati. XIV, 15) Ee said:
Many parable3 cf Jesus Christ were
more Graphic il the times in which he
lived than they are now, because cir
cumSt2nces have so much changed.
In oldcn times, vixen man wanted
to wrcals Il grudge upon his neighbor,
after the farmer he'd scattered the seed
ing the harvest, his avenger would go
across tho same field with sack full
Of the seed of darnell grass, scatter
ing that seed all over the field, and of
course it would sprout up and spoil the
whole crop; and it was to that Christ
referred in the parable when he spoke
of the tares being sown among the
wheat. In this land our farms are
fenced off, and the wolves have been
driven to the mountains, and we cam
not fully understand the meaning Of
the parable in regard to the shep-
herd and the lost sheep. But
the parable from which [ speak
today is founded on something we all
understand. 1t is built on money, and
that means the same in Jerusalem as in
New York 1t means the same to the
serf as to the car, and to tho Chinese
coolio as to the emperor Whether it
is made out Of bone or brass, or iron or
"copper" or gold or silver, it speaks all
languages without stammer. The
parable of the text runs in this wise:
The owner of o large estate was about
to leave home, and he had some money
that he wished properly invested, and
so he called together his servants, and
said:
II am going away now, and wish
you would take this money and put it
to the very best possible use, and when
come back return to me tho interest" !"
To one man he gave $9, 400; to others
he gave lesser sums of money; to the
least he gave 81, $3.50. He left home
and was gone for years, and then re-
turned. On his arrival he was anx-
ious to know about his worldly af-
fairs, and he called his servants to-
gebher to report to him. LET me
know" said he, ''what you have been
doing with my property since l have
been gone" The man who had re-
ceived the So,400 csme up and said:
II invested that money. l got good
interest for it. have in other ways
rightly employed it; and here are
SIS, 500. You see I have doubled what
you gave me-" ''That'svery good, said
the owner of the estate; ''that's grandly
done admire your faithfulness and
industry. shall reward you. Well
done-well done" Other servants
came up with smaller accumulations
After while l see man dragging
himself along with his head hanging.
know from the way he comes in that
ho is lazy fellow. lie comes up to
tho owner of the estate and says: (:
Here arc those 81, $50" What"
says the owner of the property,
''haven't you made it accumulate any
thing2" "Nothing-nothing." Why,
what have you been about all these
years2' "Oh, l was afraid that If L
invested it / might somehow lose it.
There are your 81 $50" Many man
started out with only crown III his
booklet and achieved fortune, but this
fellow of my text, with 81, $50, has
gained not one farthing. Instead OF con-
Tossing his Incidence he goes to work to
berate his master, for Incidence is
most always impudent and lmperti-
nent. Of course, he loses his place
and is discharged from che service.
The owner who went out into fan
country is Jesus Christ going from
earth to heaven. The servants spoken
of in tho text are members OF the
church. The talents are our different
qualifications of usefulness given IN
different proportions to different peo
pole. The coming back of the owner
Is the Lord jesus returning at the
Judgment to make tine4 settlement
The raising of some of these men to be
the rulers over five or two cities, Is the
exaltation of the righteous at the last
day. while the casting out of the ldlel
is the expulsion of all those who have
mis:mproved their privileges.
ERRONEOUS IDEAS REGARDING CHRIS
TLAN LIFE.
Learn first from this subject, tha
becoming Christian is merely going
out to service. If you have any 70
mantle idea about becoming Chris
tian, | want now to scatter the romance
If YOU enter into the kingdom of God
it will be going into plain, practical
honest, continuous, persistent Christian
work. know there are great many
people who have fantastic and 70
mantle motions about this Christian
life, but he who serves God with al
the energies of body, mind and sou
is worthy servant, and he who doe
not is an unworthy servant. Whel
the war trumpet sounds, all the Lord
soldiers must march, however dee
the snow may be, or howeye
;earful the odds against them. Unde
our government we may have colonies
and captains, and generals in time O
peace, but in the church of God ther
isno peace until the last great victor,
shall have been achieved. But I hav
to tell you it is a voluntary service
People are not brought into it G
slaves were dragged from Africa. !
young man goes to an artisan, an
saws: ''Sir, want to learn your trade
1, by this indenture, yield myself
your care and service for the mex
four, or five, or seven years. wal
you to be my master, and want to
into the kingdom of God at all, we mu
como, saying to Christ: BE tho
cay master. take thy service for i'm