Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1888-09-23

'ohrses "h tue ihliosopny OF the Nhain.
Its Rattle Heard and Its Toll Seen from
Genesis to Revelation.
BEooRLYN. Sept. 10. To-day was
sacramental day at the Tabernacle. and
the more than four thousand communi-
cant members were joined by thousands
from all parts OF this country and from
other lands in the sacred commemora-
tion' The Rev. T. DE Witt Talmage
d. d., preached from Ezekiel vii, %:
MAKE q chainn' lie said:
At school and in college in announcing
the mechanical powers, we gloriiied the
lever, the pulley, the inclined plane, the
screw, the axle and the wheel. but nv
text calls us to study the philosophy of
the chain. These links of metal. one with
another, attracted the old Bible authors,
and we hear the chain rattle and see its
coil all the way through from Genesis to
Revelation, flashing as an adornmcnt, or
restraining as in captivity, or holding in
conjunction as in case of machinery. To
do him honor, Pharaoh hung a chain Of
gold about the neck of Joseph, and Bel
shazzar one about the neck of Daniel.
The high priest had on his breastplate
two Chains of gold. On the camels'
necks as the lshmeelites drove up 10
Gideon jingled chains Of gold.
The Bible refers TO the church as hav-
ing such glittering adornments, saying:
"Thy neck is comely with chains Of
gold" On the other hand, chain
means captivity. David the psalmist ex-
ults that power had been given over his
enemies ITO bind their kings with
chains" The old missionary apostle
cries out: "For the hope of Israel, am
bound with this chain" In the prison
where Peter is incarcerated YOU hear one
day great crash at the falling of Of his
chains. 81. John saw an angel come
down from heaven to manacie the pow
ers of darkness, and having "a great
chain in his hand" and the fallen angels
are represented rs reserved in everlast-
ing chains" while in my text for the ar
rest <ld limitation Of the iniquity Of his
time, Ezekiel thunders out, Make a
Glldln.
What wish to impress upon myself
and upon you is the strength in right and
wrong directions, of consecutive forces,
the superior power Of chain of influ-
ences, the great advantage Of a congeries
of links above one link, and III all family
government and in all effort to rescue
Others and in all attempt to stop iniquity,
take the suggestion Of my text and make
a chainl
That which contains the greatest i'm
portance. that which encloses the most
tremendous opportunities, that which of
earthly things is most watched by other
worlds. that which has beating against
its two sides all the eternities. is the
cradle. The grave is nothing in import
ance compared with it, for that is only 4
gully that we step across in a second, but
the cradle has within it a new eternity,
Just born and never to cease. When
three or four years ago the Ohio river
oveFllowed its banks and the wild fresh
cts swept down with thclu haryests
and cities, one day was found floating
on the losom Of the waters q cradle with
n child in il all unhurt, wrapped up snug
and warm. and its blue eyes looking into
the blue Of the open heavens. 1t was
mentioned as something extraordinary.
But every cradle is, with its Young pas
senger, floating on the swift currents of
the centuries, deep calling 20 deep, Ohios
and St. Lawrences and Mississippis Of in
fuence. bearing it onward. Now what
shall be done with this new life recently
launchedi Teach him an evening
prayerl That is important, but not
enough. Hear him as soon ashe can re-
cite some gospel hymn or catechism!
That is important, but not enough.
Every Sabbath afternoon read him a
Bible story? That isimportant. but not
enough. Once in while lesson. once
in while "A prayer, once in whilea re-
straining influenced All these are i'm.
portant, but not enough. Each one
of these influences is only a link, and il
will not hold him in the tremendous
emergencies Of life. Let it be constant
instruction, constant prayer constant
application of good influences, long
line of consecutive impressions, reaching
from his first wear TO his fifth. and from
his fifth year to his tenth, and from his
tenth year to his twentieth Make q
chainW
Spasmodic education, paroxysmal dis.
cipline, occasional fidelity, amount tc
nothing, You can as easily hold an an.
chor by one link as hold child to the
right by isolated and intermittent faith.
fulness. The example must connect with
the instruction. The conversation musI
combine with the actions. The weekday
consistency must conjoin with the Sun.
day worship. Have family prayers by
all means: but be petulant and incon'
sistent ard unreasonable In your house
hold, and your family prayers will be a
blasphemous iarce. So great III our times
are the temptations OF young men TO dis.
sipation, and young women to social fol.
lies, that il is most important that the
first eighteen years OF Their nie De
charged with a religious power that wlll
hold them when they get out Of the
harbor Of home into the stormy ocean oi
active life. There is such thing as inn
pressing children so powerfully witt
good that sixty years will have no NOR,
power TO eiTaco II than sixty min
utes. What q rough time that young
man has in doing wrong, carefully
nurtured MS ho wasl Bis father ant
mother have been dead for years, or ovei
in Scotland, OF England, or Ireland; bal
they have stood in the doorway OF overl
| dram ahnn that he entrrnh and nndol