Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1889-08-09

LIVINGSTON, NJ. T., Aug. 4.-Rev. T. De
Witt Talmage D. D., Of Brooklyn, N. Y,
preached here today, taking for his subject
"Ourwitted by the World" He took for bis
text st. Luke xvi, S. 1.-THE children Of this
world are in their generation wiser than the
children Of light" and delivered the follow
ing discourse:
That Is another way Of saying that Chris
tians are not so slillful In the manipulation Of
spiritual affairs as worldlings are skillful in
tho management of tempOrallties l see all
around me people who are alert, earnest, con-
centrated and sllillful in monetary matters,
who, in the affairs of the soul, are laggards,
inane, inert
COMMON SENSE IN RELIGION WANTED.
The great want Of this world is more com
mon sense in matters Of religion. If one
half of the skill and forcefulness employed in
financial affairs were employed in dissent
mating the truths of Christ and trying to
make the world better, within ten years the
last juggernaut would fall the last throne Of
oppression upset, the last iniquity tumble,
and the anthem that was chanted over Beth
lehem on Christmas night would be echoed
and re-echoed from all nations and kindred
and people: "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good viii to men,
,
the southwest, as the porter of the sleeping
car was making up the berths at the evening
tide, I saw a man kneel down to pray.
Worldly people in the car looked on, as much
as to say, "What does this meanr / suppose
the most of the people in the car thought that
man was either insane or that he was ia
matte; but he disturbed no one when he knelt,
and he disturbed no one when be arose. In
after conversation with him I found out that
he was a member of a church in my own city,
that he was a seafaring man, and that he was
on his way to New Orleans to take com
mand Of a vessel thought then, as
think now, that ten such men-men with
such courage for God as that man had
would bring the whole city to Christ; G
thousand such men would bring this whole
land to God; ten thousand such men, in a short
time, would bring the whole earth into the
kingdom Of Jesus That he was successful in
worldly affairs, found out. That he was
skillful in spiritual affairs, you are well per-
suaded. If men had the courage, the pluck,
the alertness, the acumen, the industry, the
common sense in matters of the soul, that
they have in earthly matters, this would bea
very different kind of world to live in.
TIE BUILDING AND CONDUCT OF CHURCHES.
In the first place, we want more common
sense In the building and conduct OF churches.
The idea of adaptiveness Is always paramount
10 any other kind Of structure. If bankers
meet together and they resolve upon putting
up bank, the bank is especially adapted to
banking purposes; if a manufacturing com
pany put up building, it is to be adapted to
manufacturing purposes; but adaptiveneSs is
not always the question in the rearing of
churches. In many Of our churches we want
more light, more room, more ventilation,
moro comfort. Vast sums Of money are ex-
pended on ecclesiastical structures, and men
sit down in them and you ask man how be
likes the church he says; 81 like it very
well, but can't hear" AS though shawl
factory were good for everything but making
shawls The voice Of the preacher dashes
against the pillars Men sit down under the
shadows of the Gothic arches and SILVER and
feel they must be getting religion or some
thing else, they feel so uncomfortable.
. my friends we want more common sense
In the rearing of churches. There is no ex-
cuse for lack of light when the heavens are
full Of it; no excuse for lack of fresh air when
the world swims in it. It ought to be an ex-
preston, not only Of our spiritual happiness
but Of our physical comfort when we say;
How amiable are thy tabernacles, o Lord
God Of hosts A day in thy courts Is better
than "A thousand