The Red Cloud chief., 1889-08-09

During his summer vacation Rev. I. De
Witt Talmage visited Montana and in .
sermon At Livingston took for his subject:
'Outwitted BY the WOrld" His text was.
St Luke xvi 8: ''The children Of this
world arc in their generation wiser than
the children Of light" Following 10 tho
sermon:
That 10 another way Of saying that
Christians are not 20 skfllful in the
manipulation ofspiritual Affairs ss world.
linGs are skillfui in the management OF
temporalitiea ! SEQ all around me people
who are alert earnest, concentrated and
skillful in monetary matterA who in the
affairs Of the soul are laggards, inane.
inert
The great want Of this world 10 moro
common sense in matters Of religion. II
one-half Of the skill and f~crcefuiness en-
ployed in matters Of business had been
employed in trying to make the world
better. within ten years the last juggar.
naut would fall, the last throne Of oppres.
sion upset, the last iniquity tumble and
the anthem that was chanted over Beth.
lehem on Christmas night would b
echoed and re.echoed from all nations
and kindred and people,: Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace. good will
to mon.
Some years ago on . train going to-
ward the Southwest a. the porter of the
sleeping car was making up the berths at
tho evening tide, l saw . man kneel down
to pray. Worldly people looked on. Is
much a. to say: "What does this meant"
I suppose the most Of the people in the car
thought the man was either insane or that
10 was . fanatic: but he disturbed no one
when he knott and he disturbed no ono
when he arosa In after conversation I
foundt that he was . member Of . church
in my own city i, that be was q seafaring
. and that he was ON his way to New
Orleans to take charge Of a vessel I
bought then. a. l think now, that ten
such ID with courage for God as
that man had-would bring the whole
city to Christ; . thousand such men
would bring this whole and to God; ten
thousand such mon, in q short time would
bring the whole earth into the kingdom of
Jesus That he was successful in worldly
affairs I found out That he was skillful
in spiritual Affairs, you are already well
persuaded.
II men had tho courage, the pluck, the
a~lertness. the acumen, the industry, the
common sense in matters Of the soul that
they have in earthly matters, this would
be . very different kind Of world to live
in. In thef first place We want more com.
mon sense in the building and conduct of
churches The idea of adapiiveness is al.
ways paramount in any other kind Of
structure. II bankers meet together and
they resolve upon putting up a bank, the
bank is especially adapted to banking
purposes; II . manufacturing company
put up . building. it is adapted to
featuring purposes; but adaptiveness 10
not always the question in the rearing Of
churchea In many Of our churches We
want moro light. moro room, moro venti.
lation, moro comfort Vast sums Of
money arc expended on ecclesiastical
structures, and men sit down in them, and
you ask . msn how he likes the church;
he says: Il like it very we'll. but I can't
hear" As though . shawl factory were
good for every thing but making shawla
Tho voice Of the preacher dashes against
the pi lars Mon sit down under the
shadows Of the Gothic arches and SILVER, |
and feel they must be getting religion, or
something else. they feel uncomfortable
O. my friends, we q more common
sense in the rearing Of churches. There
Is no excuse 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 b n expression, not only of
our spiritual happiness, but for our phys.
ical comfort when We say: "How ami
able arc Thy ~tabernac'es. o Lord Of hosts!
A day in Thy courts is better than . thou.
sandy"
Again / remark. We . more common
sense in the obtaining Of religious hopa All
men understand that in order to succeed
in worldly directions they must concen. |
They think on that one subject nm. |
til their minds take fire with the velocity
Of their own thoughts All their acumen, |
all their strategy, all their wisdom. all
their common n they put in hat ono
direction, and they succeed But how sci.
dom, It Is true in the matter Of seeking
af.er God. While no man expects to &C.
complish any thing for this world without
concentration IN enthusiasm, how many |
there are expecting after awhile to got
into the Kingdom OF God without the use
Of any such m u
A m lIer in California, many years ago |
held up . sparkle Of gold until it b.
Witched nations Tens OF thousands Of
people left their homes. They took their
blankets and their p:ckaxes and their
pistols and went to the wilds Of Califor.
Cities sprang up suddenly on the
Pacific coast. Merchants put aside their
elegant apparel and put on the miners
garh All the land was full Of the talk
about gold. Gold in the eyes, gold in the
ears. gold in the wakeo OF ships gold In the
strset-gold. gold. gold. Word comes to
"a that the mountain Of Gods love 10 full
Of bright treasure; that mon have been
digging there and have brought up gold,