The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-08-16
TALMAGE IN THE SOUTH.
"ANO HE WAS ANGRY, AND WOULD
NOT GO IN"


The Self ConsratuIatory, Self Satisfied,
Self Worshipful Man Is Full of Faults.
Two Kinds of Higher Life Men-Re-
turned Prodhgals.
ATLANTA, Ga, Aug. 12.-The Rev.
T. De Witt Talnage, d. D., of Brook
lyn, is in this region He has spoken
several times at the great Piedmont
Chautauqua, and his public appearances
are attended by vast multitudes every
where Preaching from the text duke
XIV, 26), "And he was angry and would
not go in" he said:
Is the elder son of the parable so un-
sympathetic and 50 cold that he is not
worthy of recognition? The fact is that
we ministers pursue the younger son.
You can hear the Tapping of his rags in
many q sernlonic breeze, and the cranch-
ing of the pods for which he was an I'M
successful contestant. l confess that for
long time l was unable to train the
camera obscura upon the elder son of
the parable. [ never could get mega
tive for photograph. There was not
enough light in the gallery or the chem
icals were poor or the sitter moved in
the picture. But now think l have
him. Not side face or three quar-
tiers or the mere bust, but full length
portrait as he appears to me. The father
in the parable Of the prodigal had moth
ing to brag of in his two sons. The one
was a rake and the other chrIrl. find
nothing admirable in the dissols1teness Of
ba T G,,1
the acrid sobriety of the other. The one
goes down over the larboard side and
the other goes down over the starbeard
side; but they both go down.
From the window of the old home
stead bursts the ninstrelsy. The floor
| quakes with the feet of the rustics,
whose dance is always vigorous and re-
sounding. The neighbors have heard of
the return of the younger son from his
wanderings, and they have gathered to-
J gether. The house Is full Of conGratu-
lator5. I suppose the tables are loaded
with luXuries. Not only the one kind of
meat mentioned, but its concomitants.
"Clapw go the cymbals. 'thrumw go
the harps, ''click!' go the chalices, up
and down go the feet inside, while out
side is a most sorry spectacle.
The senior SON stands at the corner of
the house, frigid phlegmatc. lie has
Just come in from the fields in very sub
stantial apparel. Seeing some wild ex-
hilarations around the old mansion, he
asks Of a servant passing by with a goat
skin of wine on his shoulder what all the
fuss is about One would have thought
that, on hearing that his younger brother
had got back, he would have gone into
the house and rejoiced, and if he were
not conscientiously opposed to dancing,
that he would have joined in the orien-
tai schottische. No. There he stands.
His brow lowers. His lip curls with con-
tempt. He stamps the ground with in
dgnation. He sees nothing at all TO at
tract. The odors Of the feast coming out
on the air do not sharpen his appetite.
The lively music does not put any spring
into his step, He is in a terrible
pout. He criticises the expense, the in
justice and the morals of the entertain
ment. The father rlshes out bareheadcd
and coaxes him to come in. He viii not
go in. Ho scolds the father. He goes
into pasquinade against the younger
brother, and he makes the most uncomely
| a
premium on vagabondism. / stayed al
home and worked on the farm. You
never made a party for me; you didn't sc
much as kill kid; that wouldn't have
cost half as mueh as a calf: but the scape
grace went off in fine clothes, and he
comes back not fit to be seen, and what q
time you make over him! HC
breaks your heart, and you pay him
for it. That calf to which we have beer
giving extra feed during all these weeks
wouldn't be so fat and sleek if | haC
known to what use you were going tt
put i'll That vagabond deserves to b,
cowhided instead of banqueted. Veal il
too good for him" That evening, whilt
the younger son sat telling his father
about his adventures, and asking abou
what had occurred on the place since hi
departure, the senior brother goes to bee
disguised, and slams the door after him
That senior brother still lives. You cal
, see him any Sunday, any day Of the week
At meeting of ministers in German.
, some one asked the question, ''Who i
that elder son!' and krummachcr an
swered, 81 know him; l saw him yester
day" And when they insisted upol
|
self; when saw the account of the con
version of a most obnoxious man, | wa
irritated."
! First, this senior brother of the tex
I stands for the self congratulatory, sci
4 satisfied, self worshipful man. With til
g same breath in which he vituperate
f against his younger brother he utters
panegyric for himself The self right
S eous man of my text, like every othe
t self righteous man, was full of faults
a He was an migrate, for he did not apprC
ciate the home blessings which he had a
= those years. lie was disobedient, fc
= when the father told him to come in L
= : STAYED out. He was liar, for he sal
. that the recreant son had devoured Ii
n fathers living, when the father, SO fl
!. from being reduced to penury, had
n homestead left, had instruments of musi'
g had Jewels, had mansion, and, instea
y of being pauper, was prince. Ih
n senior brother, with so many faults of h
:, own, was merciless in his criticism of Il
% younger brother. The only perfect PEE
II pie that have ever known were utter
o obnoxious. l was never so bad
y cheated in all my life as by a perfe
- man. He got SO far up in his devotion
IS that he was clear up above all the rul
!. of common honesty. These men tn
Il go about prowling among prayer NEE
d ings and in places of business, telir
IN how good they are-look out for then
is keep your hand on your pocketbookl
lr have noticed that just i'll proportion as
u man gets good he gets humble. III
$, deep Mississippi does not make as mut
IN noise as the brawling mountain rivule
There has been many store that h;
moro goods in the show window tn;
- - inside on the shelves.
u, ,h This self righteous man of the te
90 stood at the corner of the house huggil
,ts himself in admiration. We hear gre
deal in our day about the higher lii