West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-01-26
MISTAKEN MARRIAGES.
SERMON BY REV DIR. TALMAGE
Marriage for Worldly Success With.
out Regard TO Moral Character

My text introduces us TO a drunken bloat
oil large property. Before the day of safety
deposits and government bonds and national
banks people had their investments i'm focks
and herds, and this man, Nabal of thu text
had much of his possession in live stock
he came also OF distinguished family aud
hae glorious Caleb for an ancestor But tn s
descendant was a sneak a churl, a sot and a
TOOL One instance TO illustrate: IL was
wool raising country, and at the time OF
shearing a great feast was prepared for the
shearers; and David and his warriors, who
had in other days saved from destruction
the threShing floors of Nabal, sent 10 him
esking, IN this time Of plenty, for some bread
Tor their starving men. And Nabal cried
out; Who is DavidW As though an Eng
hshman had said. "Who is Wellington or
a German should say: "WhO is Won Moltkefn
or an American should say: WHO is Wash
ingtonf" Nothing did Nabal give TO tho
starving men, and that night the scoundrel
lay dead drunk at home an 4 the Bible gives
us full length picture of him sprawling and
maudlin and hopeless.
Now that was the man whom Abigail the
lovely and gracious and good woman, mar
ried-a tuberose planted beside a thistle, a
palm branch twined into a wreath OF deadly
nightshade Surely that was not one of the
matches made in heaven. We throw up our
hands in horror at that we dng. How did
she ever consent TO link her destinies with
such creaturel Well, she no doubt thought
that II would be an honor 20 be associated
with an aristocratic family, and no one can
despiSe great name Beside this, wealth
would come, and with it chains OF gold and
mansions lighted 10y swinging lamps OF
aromatic oil, and resounding with the cheer
OF b1nqueters seated at tables laden with
wines from the richest vineyards and fruits
from ripest orchards, and nuts threshed from
foreign woods, and meats smoking in platters
OF gold, set on by slaves in bright uniform
Before she phghted her troth with this dissi-
pated man she sometimes said TO herself.
How can l endure him. To be associated
Tor life with such n dcbauchc / cannot and
RFtf haVn l1,...
self: lit Is time / was married, and this is n
cold world TO depend on, and perhaps L
might do worse and may he l will make a
sober man out OF him, and marriage is a lot
terry anyhow" And when one day this rep
resentative OF n great house presented himself
IN parentheSis OF sObriety aud with an
assumed geniallty and gallantry Of manner,
and with promises of fidelity and Kindness
and self -abnegation, June morning smiled
on march squat, and the great soulcd
woman surrendered her happiness TO the
keeping OF this Infamous son OF fortune
whose possessions were in Carmel: and the
man was very great and he had three thou
sand sheep and thousand goats
Behold here domestic tragedy repeated
every hour OF every day all over Christen-
dom-marriage for worldly success without
regard to character So Marie Jeanne
Phhpon, the daughter of the humble on
graver of Paris became the famous Mime.
Roland OF history, the vivacious and brill
liant girl united with the cold formal. mo-
notonous man, because he came of an afiiusnt
family Of Amiens and had lordly blood i'm
his veins. The day when through political
revolution this patriotic woman was led to
the scattold around which lay piles of human
heads that had fallen from the AK. and She
said TO an aged man whom sine had comforted
as they assembled the scalTold: Go first that
you may not witness my death, and then
undauntcd took her turn to die-that dav
was 70 her only the last act OF the tragedy Of
first '
Good and genial character in a man, the
very hrst requisite for awomans happy mar
rage. Mistake me not as deprec.atiye of
worldly properties. There is a RELIGIONS
can't that would seem to represent poverty as
virtue and wealth as a crime can faEe
you through thousand mansions where Col
IS as much wOrshiped as he ever was i'm n
cabin. The gospel inculcates the virtues which
tend toward wealth. In the millennium we will
ali dwell IN palaces, and ride in chnrjOts and
SIT at sumptuous banquets, and sleep under
rich emDroidcTles, and 1--we 100 or 500 wears
Tor, II according TO the Bible in those fumes
enid shall die 100 years old, the average of
human life viii be at least i've centuries Tho
whole tendency Of sin is toward poyertv. an
the Whole tendency Of righteousness is toward
wealth. Godliness is profitable for the life
that now IS as well as for that which il Ia
come. NO inventory can be made of the
picture galleries ConSecrated to God and ~
sculpture, and of libraries, and pflareI mac
nhcence, and OF parks, and fountains and
gardens IN the ownership OF good men and
"SN-.As AAe TWO illoSb AOFllY residences i'm
which 1 was ever IA guest had ruornit,,, "a "A
evening prayers, all the employees present
and all day long there was an air of cbrerfui
PieJy IN the conversation and behavior. Lord
hadstock carried the gospel TO the Russian
MOBILITY. Lord Cavan and Lord Cairns sr,l,,t
their voction in cvangelstic service ford
tongleton became missionary To Ro0dad
ana the Christ who was born in an easterr
palace az
1t is a grand thing to have plenty ~,
money ana horses that don't comrel Won r.
take the dust Of every NUMBERING and law
vehicle; and books Of history that give Won
glimpse o. all the past: and shelves ol
poetry 70 which you may go and ask Milton
OF IennysOn or Spencer or Tom Moore or
Robert Burns 70 step down aud spend an
evening with you, and other shelves %
which you may 20 while you feel disvustaf
with the shoms OF the world. and asl, Thock
cray 20 express your Chauin, or Charlel
Dickens 70 expose tho Pecksnidlaus.n o
Thomas Carlyle 70 thunder your Indignation
or the shelves where the Old gospel writer.
stand ready to warn and cheer us whit fbey
oDen doors into that city which is 50 bright
the MONDAY sun rs abolished as useless. There
- no virtue in owning horse that takes -four
minutes % 20 mile. IL you can own on.
thab can go ln httie over two minutes and
uaiii no YTtne in running into tho teeth
OF a northeast wind with thin nunaref
lL you can afford furs no virtue in
being poor when YOU can honestly be- rich
AAaNAg NA" AtAiiit7 or men ana women that
nave only % mention and they suggest no;
only wealth but religion and generosity and
Phlianthropy. such as Amos Lawrence. jaime.
lennox, Peter Cooper. William IT, DOLCE
Hhattesbury, Miss Wolf and Mrs A-tGr
a recent letter s3vs that OF nftv laadfu,
business men in ono OF our Eastern citie
ana OF the fifty leading business NOR
on one Of our western cities three -fourths 1|
them are Christians The fact is that about
all Tho brain and the hu.in-e. ~erHr- r. or
the s.de of religion. lu6deIfy is incipient in
sanity All inideIs are crIute Eauv ID
them talk brightly but you soon find That 10
NOR mental machinery tHc.e is "a screw
loose when they are mot .osturng aga.us.
JnilslhnitY tHev are sitting iu bqrro1m.
squirting tobacco juice. and eIeu they va|
maj 8Wear 900 the place IT, su.Dhuro.e TI~
only t1lK f0 keep fhnIr rlurlr. uu and N
best viii feel like che iuflaI who I.rv..I &,
De- buried with h.s Christian wild ar.
daughter and whom asked why boz .rarto.
such burial replied. 'ff tIoIa Haq rf.grr..
ton of the good as some f0IaaaIy There g.i
De ny christian wife end dluyhtar ui
them
Men may pretend % despne religion. bu
they ore rank hvDocrates The a.a captaf
Wne right when Dr. came uu ~ tho viIIala D
the sea coast. and iusi.toJ on raviuy siu &
the church although boz did not attend I.r
.ei w ben asked h.s reason hs elI tra
he had been iu Tho habit If CARVING .ar-1-
OF oyster and ciams from that place. and b.
found since chat church was buut tho r..-rH
were moro U.UH... f.... HI....r .....I o..