The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-11-21
"THE SUNRISE"
Rev T. Dewitt Talmaga's Return
to His Brooklyn Flock.
His Opening Discourse One Full OF Prom.
ises of Good Things-An Era of Ca
lamlties to be Succeeded by
Joys without Number.


flock filled with enthusiasm born of his
Western tour. His opening discourse
was on the subject of ''The Sunrise" his
text being:
The Gay is at hand. Romans xiii, L.
Back from the mountains and the sea-
side, and the springs, and the farm
house, your cheek bronzed and your
spirits lighted. l hail you home again
with the words Of Gehazi to the Shunam-
mite: rs it well with thee? Is it well
with thy husband? Is it well with the
child?" On some faces l see the mark
of recent grief, but all along the track of
tears see the story of resurrection and
reunion, when all tears are done; the
deep blowing of the keel, followed by the
flash of the phosphoresceuce.
Now that have asked you in regard to
your welfare, you naturally ask how l
am. Very well, thank you. Whether it
was the bracing air of the Colorado
mountains, twelve thousand feet above
the level of the sea, or the tonic atmos-
phere of the Pacific coast, or a bath in
the surf of Long Island beach, or wheth-
or it is the joy of standing III this great
group of warm-hearted friends, or
whether it is a new appreciation of the
goodness Of God, can not tell. 1 simply
know am grandly and gloriously and
inexpressibly happy. 1t was said that
John Moffat, the great Methodist preach.
er, occasionally got fast in his sermon,
and to extricate himself would cry:
"HallelujahW l am in no such predica-
ment to-day, but am full of the same
rhapsodic ejaculation. Starting out this
morning on a new ecclesiastical year,
want to give you the Keynote of my
next twelve months ministry. l want to
set it to the tune of Antioch, Ariel and
Coronation. Some time ago we had
new stop put in this organ-a new
trumpet stop-and | want to put a new
trumpet stop into my sermons.
In all our Christian work you and |
want moro of the element of gladness.
That man has no right to say that Christ
never laughed. Do you suppose that He
was glum at the wedding in Cana of Gal
lice? Do you suppose that Christ was
unresponsive when the children clam
bered over His knee and shoulder at His
own invitation? Do you suppose the
evangelist meant nothing when he said
of Christ: HE rejoiced in spirit?" Do
you believe that the divine Christ who
PVAlS Ola tlIO NdI0t ONGL tHG IOCkS dL
Vernal falls, Yosemite, does not believe
in the sparkle and gallop and tumultu-
Gus JOY and rushing raptures OF human
life2 believe not only that the morning
laughs, and that the mountains laugh,
and that the seas laugh, and that the
cascades laugh, but that Christ laughed.
Moreover, take laugh and tear into
an alembic, and assay them, and test
them, and analyze Them and you will
often find as much of the pure gold of re-
ligion in laugh as IN a tear Deep
spiritual JOY always shows itself in facial
illumination. John Wesley said he was
sure of good religious impression being
produced because of what he calls the
great laughter he saw among the people.
Goddess merriment is blasphemy any
where, but expression Of Christian Joy
is appropriate everywhere.
Moreover, the outlook of the world
ought to stir US to gladness. Astrono-
mers recently disturbed many people bv
telling them that there is danger of stel-
lar collision. We have been told through
the papers by these astronomers that
there are worlds coming very near to-
gether, and that we shall have plaques.
and wars, and tumults, and perhaps the
worlds destruction. De not be scared.
Ii you have ever stood at railroad GEN.
ter, where ten, or twenty, or thirty rail
tracks cross each other, and seen
that by the movement of the
switch by one or two inches the train
shoots this way and that, without collid-
ing, then you may understand how fifty
worlds may come within an inch of dis
aster, and that inch be as good as a
million miles. If human switch-tender
can shoot the trains this way and that
without harm, can not the Hand that for
thousands of years has upheld the uui-
verse keep our little world out of harms
ways Christian biologists tell US that
this world was millions of years i'll build
ing. Well, now, do not think God would
take millions of years to build a house
which was to last only six thousand
years. There is nothing in the world or
outside the world, terrestrial or astro-
nomical, to excite dismay. | wish that
some stout Gospel breeze might scatter
all the malaria of human foreboding. The
sun rose this morning at about half past
hYe O'Clock, and think that is lust about
the hour IN the world's history. '"rhe
day is at hand"
INC AtSt ray OF the dawn l see in the |
gradual substitution of diplomatic skill |
Tor human butchery. Within the last
twenty five years there have been inter-
national differences which would have
brought a shock of arms in any other |
Jay out which were peacefully adjusted. |
lie pen taking the place of the sword.
mat Alabama question in any other
age OF the world would have caused war
between the United States and England.
low was it settled? By men-of-war off
he Narrows, or off the Mersev? Bv the
iulf stream of the ocean crossed nv
ruff stream of human blood? Bv the
pathway OF nations inearnadinedg No
few wise men go into quiet room at
feneva, talk the matter over aud tele-
raph to Washington and to London.
All settled" Peace. Peace. Eayland
ays TO the United States the amount
really more than she
ught to have paid. But still all that
Alabama broil is settled-settled forever
arbitration instead of battle.
We in this country might better have
ettled our sectional difficulties bv arbi-
ration than by the thrust of the sword
hllanthropy said 10 the North:
PAY down a certain amount of monav
'r the purchase of the slaves, and let ali
lese born after certain time be horn
'ee." wi
Philanthronhv at the so,,,,