The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-01-26
JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER.

I'll ulHAH y UAUUH Elk.
DR.. TALMAGF'S THIRD SERMON TO
THE WOMEN OF AMERICA.
"lsroken Promises of Marriage" the SUBJ
ject OF His Discourse-BetrotIiaI Is an
Everlasting Wrong.
BRooILYN, Jan. 22.-The Rev. T. De
Witt ialmage, DID,, preached this morn
ing the third of his series Of '.Sermons to
the Women of America, with Important
Hints to Men," His subject was. .1Bro
ken Promises of Marriage, y and his text
from Judges xi, 35: ~ have opened my
mouth unto the Lord, and cannot go
back" He said:
Gen. Jcphthah, the commander in
chief of the Israelitish forces, is buckling
on the sword for the determination of
the pestferous 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 burnt
offering the first thing that comes
out from the door of his home
stead when he goes back. The hurrah-
ing of triumph soon runs along the line
of all the companies, regiments and di-
visions of Jephthah's army. A worse
beaten enemy than those Anlmonites
never strewed any plain with their car
casses. Gen. Jephthah, fresh from his
victory, is now on his way home. As he:
comes over the hills anR through the.
5 valleys the whole march ffomeward for
his men is a cheer, but for him a great
anxiety, for he remembers his vow to
slay and burn the first thing that comes
forth from his house to greet him after
his victory.
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 absence2 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 flutter
on the shoulder of the familiar head Of
the household. But who could have the
heart to slay such winged innocenti
No; it was not that which came forth to
meet Japhthah. Or it may be some good
neighbor that will rush out to greet him
after having first been in to tell the fam
lis of the near approach of the general.
But who could slay neighbor who had
come on the scene to rejoice over the re-
united household2 No; it was not that
which caue forth to meet Jephthah.
AS he advances upon his home the
door opens, and out of it comes one whose
appearance under other circumstances
would have been an indescribable joy,
but under the pledge of sacrifice be-
comes horror which blanches his cheek
and paraIyzes his form and almost hurls
him fiat to the earth His child, his
only child, his daughter comes skipping
cut to greet him, her step keeping time
to tiInbrel, which she shakes and smites.
Did ever a conqueror's cheer end in such
a bitter groau? No wonder Dore, in two
of his masterpieces. presents the scene.
And Handel made it the last and climac-
teric work of his life to put this pathetic
and overpowering circumstance ia an Or
atorio, seven months toiling amid its ma
jestic harmonies until his eyesight gave
out; and, as though the sad Gene
of Jephthah'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 glorics of victorious war are bIotted
out from Jephthah's memory, and his
banner is folded in grief, and his sword
goes back into the scabbard with dolorous
clang, and the nIuffled drum takes the
place of the cymbals and the ''tremolo, ;"
the place of the trumpet, and he cries
out: Alas, my daughter, thou hast
brought we very low and thou art one
of them that trouble me; for 1 have
opened my mouth to the Lord, and can
not go back" During two months amid
the mountains without shelter, the
maidens who would have been at her
wedding ranged with Jephthahs daughter
up and down, bewailing her coming sacri-
flee.
Commentators and theoloeians are in
dispute as to whether that girl was slain
or not, and as to whether If she were
slain il was right or wrong in Jephthah
TO be the executioner, discussion into
which I shall not be diverted from the
overmastering consideration that we had
better look out what we promise, better
be cautious what engagement we make.
better that in regard to all matters OF
betrothal and plighted VOW we feel the
responsibility, lest we have either tc
sacrifice the truth or sacrifice an immortal
being, and we be led to cry out with the
pahpxysm of Jephthah: 81 have opened
nv mouth unto the Lord, and / cannot
go back.
There a one ward in almost all Tie
insane asylunas and large region in al
most every cemetery that you need tC
visit. They are occupied by the mel
and women who are the victims oi
broken promises of marriage. The
women in those wards and in those Glor
tuary receptacles are in the majority, be
cause woman lives more i'll her affections
than does man, and laceration or then
in her case is more apt to be dementls
and fatality. In some regions of thu
land the promise of marriage Is consld
cred to have no solemnity or binding
force. 1t was only made in fun. They
may change their mind. The engage
ment may stand until some one more at
Eractive in person or opulent in estate
appears on the scene; then the rings arr
returned and the amatory letter.
and all relationship ceases. And 81
there arc ten thousand Jephthaht
daughters sacrificed as burnt offerings
The whole subject needs to be taken on
of the realm Of comedy into tragedy, anC
men and women need to understand that
while there are exceptions to the rule
once having soicmnly pledged to eacl
other heart aud hand. the forfeiture ant
abandonment of that pledge makes th
transgTessor in the sight OF God per
jurer, and so the day of Judgment vii
reveal it. The one has lied to the other
and all liars shall have their place in th
aale that burneth with fire and brim
stone.
If a man or woman make q promise L
she business world, is there any obliga
tion 10 fulfill ita If a man sign not
~or $500. ought he to pay 1t? If a cor
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