Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-02-01
CEN. JEPHTHAH'S SAY.
..I HAVE OPENED MY MOUTH UNTO
THE LORD AND CANNOT GO
BACK"
THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MARRL
AGE ENGAGEMENT.
WIEN you MAKE A PROMISE
KEEP 1T At ALL HAZARDS.
A WORD OF ADVICE TO WOMEN.
SOME PROBLEMS CONSIDERED.
A WORD OF ADVICE TO WOMEN.
SOME PROBLEMS CONSIDERED
DIR. rALMAeE's SERMON SUNDAY JAN. 22nd


BROOKLYN, January 22-The Rev. T.
Dewitt 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 Marriage" and his text, from
Judges XII, 35: 81 have opened my mouth
unto the Lord and cannot go back" He
said:
Gen. Jepbthah, the commander in chief
of the Israelitish forces, is 'buckling on the
sword for the exterminatio, of the pestifer-
ous 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
Dout from the door of the homestead
when he goes back. The hulrahing Of
triumph soon runs along the line of all the
companies, regiments and divisions of
Jephtbah's army. A worse beaten enemy
than those Ammonites never sire wed any
plain with their carcasses. Gen. Jephthat,
fresh from his victory, is now on his way
home. As he comes over the hills and
through the valleys the whole march home
ward 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 hes, t
to beat out the life of faithful treasure like
that as he comes fawning, and barking aud
frisking and putting up his paw against his
master in merry welcome after long alb
sence? No; it was not that which came
forth to meet Jephthah. Perhaps 1t may be
A 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 coulo
have the heart to sIay such winged in
nocent? No; it was not that whic'
came forth to meet Jephthah. Or il
may be some good neighbor that wi
u ush out to greet him after having first
hbeen in to tell the family of the neal
approach of the General But VIII,
could slay neighbor who had come or
the scene to rejoice over the reunited house
hold? No; it was not that which came fortt
to meet Jephthah.
As he advances upon his home the dool
opens and out of it comes one whose appear
auce under other circumstances would bave
been an indescribable joy, but under the
pledge of a sacrifice becomes horror
which blanches bis cheek and paraly Zes hi:
form and almost hurls him fiat to the earth
His child, bis only child, his daughter come,
skipping out to greet him, her step keeping
time to timbrel which she shakes ano
smites Did ever q conqueror'p cheer enc
in such bitter groan? No wonder Dore,
in two of his masterpieces, presents the
scene. And Handel made it the last and
climacteric work of his life to put this pa
thetic and overpowering circumstance in al
oratorio, seven months tOiling amid its ma
iestc harmonies until his eyesight gave
IHut, and, as though tho sad scene OF
IOJephtbah's daugh er's sacrifice were toe
much for mortal vision, the graud old
musician was led blind into the orchestra
for the first rendering of Jephthah. All the
glories of victorious war are blotted out from
Jephthah's memory, and bis banner is fold
ed in grief, and his sword goes back into
the scabbard with dolorous clang, and the
muffled drum takes the place of the Gym
balls. and the ''tremolo" tine place of the
trumpet. and he cries out: ''Alas, my
daug hter, thou hast brought me very low
and thou art one of them that trouble me,
for have opened my mouth to the Lord,
and caunot go back" During two mouths
amid the mountains without shelter the
maidens who would have been at her we'd
ding ranged with Jephthah's daughter up
and down, bewailipg her coming sacrifice.
Commentators and theolOgians are in dis
pute as to whether that girl was slain or
not, and as to whether if she we're slain it
was right or wrong in Jephthah to be the
executioner a discussion into which I shall
not be diverted from the Overmastering con-
sideration that we had better look out what
we promise, better be cautious what en-
pagement we make, better that In regard
to all matters of betrothal and plighted
VOW we feel the responsibility, lest We have
either to sacrifice the truth or sacrifice an
immortal being and we be led to cry out
with the paroxysm of a Jephthah: II have
opened my moui h unto the Lord, and can
not 90 back There is one ward in al
most all the insane asylums aud a large
region in almost every Cemetery that you
need to visit. They are occupied by the
men and women who are the victims of bro
IL en- promises of marrisge. The women
IN in these wards and in those mortuary
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 dem.ntia aud a
| fatality. In some regions Of this land the
promise of marriage Is considered to have
no soemulty or binding force. 1t was only
made in fun. They may change their mind
The engagement may stand until some
one more attractive in person OF
opulent in estate appears on the scene
then the rings are returned and tht
amatory letters and all relationship
ceases. And SO there are ten Thousand