The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1888-01-27
JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER.
Or. 'TALMAGE'S THIRD SERMON TO
THE WOMEN OF AMERICA


Everlasting Wrong.
BROOKLYN, Jan. 22.-The Rev. Il. De Witt
Talmage, D. D., preached this morning the
third of his series of "Sermons to the Women
of America, with Important Hints to Men,
His subject was, "Broken Promises of Mar
riage," and his text from Judges XII So: ~
have opened my mouth unto tho Lord, and
cannot go back" He said
Gen. Jephthah, the commander in chief
of the Israeltish forces, is bucllling on
the sword for the determination of the pestf-
erous Ammonites, and looking up to the sky
he promises that il God will give him the
victory he will put to death and sacrifice as
burnt offering tho first thing that comes
out from the door of his homestead when he
goes back. The hurrahing Of triumph soon
runs along the line Of all the companies,
regiments and divisions Of Jephthah's army.
A worse beaten enemy than those Ammonites
never strewed any plain with their carcasses.
Gen. Jephthah, fresh from his victory, is
now on his way home. AS he comes over
the hill and through the valleys the whole
march homeward for his men is cheer, but
for him great anxiety, for he remembers
his vow to say and burn the first thing that
comes forth from his house to greet him after
his victory
Perhaps it shall 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 welcome after long absence!
No; it was not that which came forth to meet
Jephthah. Perhaps it might 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
thu shoulder of the familiar head of the
household But who could have the
heart to slay such a winged inno-
cent! No; it was not that which came
foith to meet Jephthah. Or it may be some
god neighbor that will rush out to greet him
afer having first been in to tell the family of
tlp near approach Of the general. But who
could Stay a neighbor who had come on the
scne to rejoice over the reunited household?
NJ; it was not that which came forth to
met Jephthah.
As he advances upon his home the door
opns and out Of it comes one whose appear
an,e under other circumstances would have
besn an indescribable joy, but under the
phdge of sacrifice becomes horror which
bhnches his cheek and paralyzes his form
AMI almost hurls him flat to the earth. His
child, his only child, his daughter comes skip
ping out to greet him, her step keeping time
toa timbrel which she shakes and smites
Dill ever conqueror's cheer end in such
bitter groan? No wonder, Dore, in two of
hismasterpieces, presents the scene. And Han
del made it the last and climactric work of
his life to put this pathetic and overpowering
;,,
toiling amid its majestic harmonies until his
eyesight gave out; and, as though the sad
scene of Jephthah's daughters sacrifice were
too much for mortal vision, the grand old
musician wasId blind into the orchestra for
the first rend I,g Of "Jephthah." All the
glories Of vict Us war are blotted out from
Z 5epsf6ian q N1noryk gard his banner is folded
in grief, ali1 his sword goes back into the
scabbard with dolorous clang, and the muf-
fed drum takes the place of the Gym
balls, and the 'tremolo" the place
Of the trumpet, and he cries out:
''Alas! my daughter, thou hast brought
me very low and thou art one of them that
trouble me; for have opened my mouth to
the Lord, and cannot go back" During
two months amid the mountains without
shelter, the maidens who would have been at
her wedding ranged with Jephthah's daugh-
ter up and down, bewailing her coming sac
rifice.
Commentators and theologians are in dis
pute as to whether that girl was slain or not,
and as to whether if she were slain it was
right or wrong in Jephthah to be the execll-
toner, discussion into which 1 shall not be
diverted from the overmastering considera-
ton that we had better look out what we
PROMISE better be cautious what engagement
we make, better that in regard to all mat
tiers of betrothal and plighted vow we feel
the responsibility, lest we have either to sac
rifice the truth or sacrifice an immortal
being, and we be led to cry out with the
paroxysm of Jephthah: 81 have opened
my mouth unto the Lord, and / cannot go
back"
There is one ward in almost all the insane
asylums and large region in almost every
cemetery that you need to visit. They are
occupied by the men and women who are the
victims of broken promises of marriage The
Women in those wards and in those mortuary
7 receptacles are in the majority, because
woman lives more in her affections than does
man, and laceration of them in her case is
more apt to be dementia and fatality. In
some regions of this land the promise of mar
riage is considered to have no solemnity OF
binding force. 1t was only made in fun
g. They may change their mind The engage
ment may stand until some one more attract
i've in person or opulent in estate appears on
the scene; then the rings are returned and
the amatory letters and all relationship
ceases. And so there are ten thousand Jeph-
thah's daughters sacrificed as burnt offerings
The whole subject needs to be taken out of
the realm of comedy into tragedy, and men
land women need to understand that, while
there are exceptions to the rule, once having
solemnly pledged to each other heart and
hand, the forfeiture and abandonment of
that pledge makes the transgressor in the
sight Of God prejurer, and SO the day of
Judgment will reveal it. The one has lied to
the other; and all liars shall have their place
in the lake that burneth with fire and brim-
stone.
If man or woman make promise in the
business world, is there any obligation to
fulfill it? If a man sign note for five hun
dred dollars, ought he to pay it, If con-
tract be signed involving the building of
house or the furnishing of bill of goods,
ought they stand by that contract! ooh,
yes," always answered. Then l ask the
further questions: Is the heart, the happi-
ness, the welfare, the temporal and eternal