Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1889-08-23
TALMAGE'S SERMON
The Weekly Discourse of the Great
Brooklyn Preacher
Subject: OuIwitted by the
World" preached AT Liv-
iBgSiOu, MOHtana.l


That is another way of saying that Chris
nans are not SO skillful in the manipulation Of
spiritual affairs es worldlings are skillful in
the management of tempoTalities. see all
sround me people who ere alert earnest, con-
centrated and skillful in monetary matters
who, in the affairs of the soul, are laggards,
inane, inert.
The great want of this world is moro COM
mon sense in matters of religion. II one-haf
of the skill and forcefulness employed in
financial affairs were employed in dissemiuat-
ing the truths OF Christ and trying to make
the world better, within ten years the last
juggernaut would fall, the last throne of OPP
preston upset, the last iniquity tumble, and
the anthem that was chanted over Bethlehem
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 will to men"
Some years ago, on a train going toward
the southwest, as the porter of the sleeping
car Was making up the berths at the evening
tide, saw O man kneel down to pray.
Worldly people in the carlooked on, as much
az to say: "What does this mean" l sup
pose the most of the people in the car thought
that man was either insane or that he was
fanatic; but lie disturbed no one when he
melt, and he disturbed no one when he arose.
In after conversation with him 1 found out
that he was a member of church in my own
city, that he was a seafearing man, and
that he was on his way to New Or
leans to take command Of q vessel.
thought then, as think now, that ten such
men-men with such courage for God as that
man had-woIld bring the whole city TO
Christ; u thousand such men would bring this
yhole land to God; ten thousand such men,
tn short time, would bring the whole earth
into the kingdom of Jesus. That he was sue
cesSful In worldly affairs, found out. That
he was siSillful in spiritual affairs, you are
well persuaded. If men had the courage, the
pluck, the alertness, the acumen, the indus
try, the common sense In matters Of the soul
that they havein earthly matters, this would
be very different kind Of world to live in.
In the first place we want moro common
seEise in the building and conduct of churches.
The idea Of the adaptiveness is always para
mount in any other kind of structure. II
bankers meet together and they resolve upon
putting up bank, the bank is especially
adapted TO banking purposes; If a manu-
featuring company putup building, it is to
be adapted 10 manufacturing purposes; but
ndaptivenesS is not always the question in
the rearing of churches. In many of our
churches we want more light more
roEm, more ventilation, more comfort, Vast
sumo of money are expended on ecclesiastical
structures and men sit down in them, and
you ask man how he likes the church: he
says: II like it very well, but can't hear"
AS though q shawl factory were good for
everything but making shawls Tho voice
of the preacher dashes against the pillars.
Men sit down under tho shadows of the
Gothic arches and SILVER, and feel they must
be getting religion, or something else, they
feel so uncomfortable
Omy 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 expression not only of our spiritual hap
piness, but of our physical comfort when we
say; "How amiable are Thy tabernacles, 0
Lord God of Hosts! A day in Thy courts is
better than thousand"
Again remark: We want more common
sense in the obtaining of religious hope. All
men understand that in order to succeed in
worldly directions they must concentrate,
They think on that one sub ect until their
mind takes fire with the velocity of their own
thoughts All their acunen, all their strategy,
all their wisdom, all their common sense, they
put in that one direction and they succeed
But how seldom 1t is true in the matter of
seeking after God. While no man expects to
accomplish anything for this world without
concentration and enthusiasm, how many
there are expecting after awhile to get into
the kingdom of God without the use of
any such means. A miller in Califor-
mia, many years ago, held up a sparkle
Of gold until it bewitched nations.
Tens Of thousands of people left their
homes They took their blankets and their
pickaxes and their pistols and went to the
wilds Of California. Cities sprang up sud-
denly on the Pacific coast. Merchants put
aside their elegant apparel and put on the
talk about gold. Gold in the eyes, gold in
tho ears gold in the wake of ships, gold in
the streets-gold, gold, gold. Word comes
to us that themountain Of Gods love is full Of
bright treasure; that men have been dig
ging there and have brought up gold, and
amethyst, and carbunole, and jasper, and
Sardonyx, and chrysoprasus and all the pre-
cious stones out of which the walls of heaven
were builded. Word comes of man who,
digging in that mine for one hour, has
brought up treasures worth moro than
all the stars that keep vigil over our
sick and dying world Is it a bogus
company that is formed? Is it undo
veloped territory? oh no. the story is true.
There are thousands of peoplein this audience
who would be willing to rise and testify tina:
they have discover@d thai, cold and have il
in their possession. Notwithstanding all this
what is the circumstance? One would sup
pose that the announcement would send peo-
pie In great excitement up and down our
streets. That at midnight men would
knock at your door, asking how
they may get those treasures. In
stead Of that, many of us put our hands be-
hind our back and walk up and down in front
of the mine of eternal riches, and say: "Well,
if am to be saved, I will be saved; and if
am to be damed l will be damned and there
Is nothing to do about it," Why, my broth
er, do you not do chat way in business mat
tiers? Why do you not tomorrow go to your
store and sit down and fold your arms
l., a. L. al
they will be sold, and If they are not TO pe
sold, they will not be sold; there is nothing
for me to do about it," No, you dispatch
your agents you print your advertisements
you adorn your show windows, you push
those goods, you use the instrumentality.
Oh that men were as wise in the matter Of
the soul as they are wise in the matter Of
dollars and centsl This doctrine of
Gods sovereignty, how it is misquoted
and spoken of as though it were an
iron chain which bound us hand and
foot for time and for eternity, when,
so far from that, in every fiber of your
body, in every faculty of your mind, in
every passion Of your soul, you are a
free man and it is no more matter of free
abroad or stay at home, than it is this
moment q matter of free choice whether
you will accept Christ or reject Him.
In all the army of banners there is not one
conscript. Men are not to be dragooned into
heaven. Among all the tons of thousands OF
the Lords soldiery there is not one man but
will tell you: II chose Christ. wanted Him;
1 desired to be in His service; am not con-
script am volunteer Oh, that men had
the same common sense in the matters of re-
fgion That they have in the matters of the
world-the Same concentration, the same
push, the same enthusiasm In the
one case secular enthusiasm; in
the other, a consecrated enthusiasm.
Again remark: We want more common
sense in the building up and charging of our
Christian character. There are men hero
who have for forty years been running the
Christian race, and they have not run quar-
ter of milel
No business man would be willing to have
MIC Investments unacclInluIntiya LII Won In