The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-09-22
MAKE A CHAIN!
A Sacramento Day Sermon Preached
ct the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
The Rev. II. DE witt Taimage dis
courses ON the Philosophy OF
the Ghnlu

lyn Tabernacle, and the more than four thou
sand COMMUNICATE members were Joined by
thousands from all parts OF this country and
from other lands in sacred commcmoration.
The Rev. II. DE Witt Talmage, ID. d.,
preached from Ezekiel VII, %: mako a
sthaiuw
lie said:
At school aud I'm college, In announcing the
mechanical powers, we glorificd the lever,
the pulley. the inclined plane, the screw, the
axle and the wheel, but my text calls us Ia
study the philosophy OF the chain. These
links OF metal, one with another, attracted
the old Bible authors, and we hear the chain
rattle aud see It's coll all the way through
from Genesis 90 Revelation, flashing as an
adornmcnt, or restraining as In captivity, or
holding IN conjunction, ~ in ease 0f ma
chincry. To do him honor, Pharoah hung n
chain of gold about the neck of Joseph, and
Beshazzar one about the neck OF Daniel.
The high priest had on liis brcastpaie two
chains of gold. On the camcl's necks, ~ the
lshmaelites drove up 10 Gideon, jingled
chains of gold.
The Bible refers % the church as having
Such gliticrng adOrments, saying: "fhy
neck l. comedy with chains of gOld.N On the
other hand. a chain means captivity. David,
the p>almist eNults that power had been
given over his enemies, "tO bind their kings
with chains The old missionary apostle
cries out "For the hope 81 Israel, am
ltilflN WIKI iilir fniln. IN the prison NUtft
Peter II iucarcerated YOU hear one day n
great crash at the falling off his chains. 81.
John saw an angel come down from heaven
20 manaric the powers OF darkness, aud haV-
ing "a great chain in his hand /" and the fallen
angels are represented a. preserved in ever
lasting chains" while In my text for the ar
rest aud limitations OF the iniqulty OF his
time, Ezekiel thundcrs out: "Makc chain -
What | wish 10 impress upon myself and
upon YOU II the strength In right aud wrong
directions, OF consecutive forces the superior
power ~ a chain Of influences above one in
fucncc, the great advantage Of acongcries OF
links above one link and In all family gov
crnmcnt and in nll effort Ia rescue others and
in all attempt 10 stop iniquity, take the sug-
gtstiOn OF my text and make a chain
Tint which contains the greatest import
ancc, that which encloscs the most tremen-
dous opportunities, that which OF earthly
things Il most watched by other worlds, that
which has beating against It's two sides all the
ctcrnitics, Is the cradle. The grave is nothing
In importance compared with IL, for that II
only gully that we step across Ia a second,
but the cradle has within IL a new eternity,
Just born and never 10 cease. When three or
four years ago the Ohio river overlooked IT,
banks and The wild frs-hcts swept down with
them harycsts and cities, one day was found
floating on tho bosom of the waters "a cradle
with a child In IL all unhurt, wrapped snug
and warm, and H. blue eyes looking into the
blue OF The open heavens. IL was mentioned
a. something extraordinary. But every era
al" ~ with IL young passenger floating on
the swift current Of the centuries, deep cali
ing 20 deep, Ohios and 81. Lawrenccs and Mis-
Sis1ippis of influence bearing il onward. Now
what shall be done with this new life recently
launchcdg Teach him an evening praycrg
That is important, but not enough. Hear
him n soon n he can rccitc some gospel hymn
or catcchism! That * important but not
enough. Every sabbath afternoon read him
Bible stOryf That II important but not
enough. Once In a while lesson,
once In while prayer, once white n
restraining influencey All these are inn
poriant, but not enough. Each one OF
these influences Is only u link, and Il win not
hold him In the tremendous emergencies Of
life. Let N be constant instruction, constant
prayer, constant application Of good infiu-
cnccs, long line Of consecutive impressions,
reaching from his first year 90 his fifth and
from his fifth year % his tenth, and from his
tenth year 10 his twentieth. make a chain ="
~pasmotic education, paroXysmal disc-
pline, occasional fidelity, amounting % Moth
Ing. You can ns easily hold an anchor by
ono link as hold "A child 10 The right by isolnt-
I'd and Intermittent fathfulncss. The eNnm-
pie must connect with the instructions The
conversation must combine with the actions
The week day consistency must cOnjoin with
the sunday worship Have family prayers
by all means; but Do petulant and inconsst-
cnt and unreasonable In your household. and
your family prayers Will be n blasphcmous
farce. 30 great IN our times are the tcnptn-
lions Of young men 10 dissipation and youny
women ~ social folics, that II + most I'M
portant that the first eighteen years of their
life be charged with religious power that
Will hold them when they get out OF the har-
bor Of home into the stormy ocean 81 active
life There II such q thing as imprssing
children 80 powerfully with good, that sixty
years will have no more power 10 cffacc II
than sixty minutes. What rough time that
Young man has In doing wrong, carefully
nurmred ~ he wnsl Ills father and mother
have been dead for years, or over IN Scotland
or England or Ireland but they have stood
in the doorway Of every dram shop that he
entered, and under the chandelier OF every
house OF dissipation, saying: "My son, this
Is no place for YOU. Have You forgotten the
old folksy Don't You recognize these wrink-
les and this StOop in the shoulder and this
tremulous handl Go home, my boy. 70
home by the God 10 whom we consecrated
YOU. BY the cradle In which we rocked YOU,
by the grass grown graves IN the old country
chur,hyard, by the heaven where we hope
yet 30 meet you, 20 homc Go home. my
boy, 90 home - And some SUNDAY YOU will
b. surprised TO lind that young man suddenly
asking for the prayers of the church. Some
sunday YOU will see him M the sacrament
and perhaps drinking from the same Kind Of
chalicc that the old folks drank out Of years
ago when they COMMUNICATED the sunefings
~ the Lord Yes, my lad, YOU do not have
such fun IN sin ns YOU seem to have.
| know what spoils your fun. You cannot
shake on the influence Of those prayers long
ago offered, or Of those kind admonitions. You
cannot make them 20 away, and you feel
Ike saving: Father, what arr YOU doing
here; Mother, why do YOU bother me with
suggestions OF those Olden timesy" But
they will not 20 away They viii push you
back from your evil paths, though they have
90 come down from their shining homes VA
heaven and stand IN the very gates Of hell,