The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-21
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DlVINE's SUN.
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "Outwitted by the World
preached at Livingston, Montana)

TEXT: "The children of this ,uorld are in
their generation sviser than the children, OF
ight."-St. Luke xvi, 8.
That is another way Of saying that Chris.
tians are not so slillful in the manipulation Of
spiritual affairs as worldlings are skillful in
the management Of temporalites. I see oil
around me people who are 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 more COM
mon sense in matters of religion. If one-haf
Of the skill and forcefulness employed in
financial affairs were employed in disseminat-
ing the truths of Christ and trying to make
the world better, within ten years the last
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 train going toward
the southwest, as the porter of the sleeping
car was making up the Der tbs at the evening
tide, saw O man kneel down to pray.
Worldly people in the car looked on, as much
as to say: "Whnt does this meanp I sup
pose the most of the people IN the car thought
that man was either insane or that he was
fanatic; but he disturbed no one when he
knelt, and he disturbed no one when he arose.
In after conversation with him I found out
that he was member of church in my own
city, that he was seafearing man, and
that he was on his way to New Or
leans to take command Of vessel. l
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; O thousand such men would bring this
whole Land to God; ten thousand such men,
in 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 skillful in spiritual affairs, you are
well persuaded. II 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 a very different kind of world to live in.
In the first place we want more common
sense in the building and conduct Of churches.
The idea of the adaptiyenes' is always para
mount in any other kind of structure. If
bankers meet together and they resolve upon
putting up a bank, the bank is especially
adapted to banking purposes; if manu-
featuring company putup building, it Is to
be adapted to manufacturing purposes; but
the rearing Of churches. In many Of our
churches we want more light, more
room, more ventilation, more comfort. Vest
sums 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 we'll 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 shiver, and feel they must
Is 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. 1t ought to be
an expression not only Of our spiritual hap
piness, but of our physical comfort, when we
say: "How amiabIe are Thy tabernacles, 0
Lord God Of HostsI 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 subject until their
mind takes fire with the velocity of their own
thoughts. All their acumen, oil their strategy,
all their wisdom, all their common sense, they
put in that ono direction and they succeed.
But how seldom it is truc in the matter Of
seeking after God. While no nun expects to
accomplish anything for this world without
concentration and enthusiasm, how many
there are expecting after awhile to get into
che kingdom Of God without the use Of
any such means. A miller in Califor-
MIA, many years ago, held up q sparkle
of gold until it bewitched nations.
e ,lr 80 10 1nff 1at,s
picka1es and their pistols and, went to tho
wilds Of California. Cities sprang up sud-
denly on the Pacific coast. Merchants put
aside their elegant apparel and put on the
miners garb. All the land was full of the
talk about gold. Gold in the eyes, gold in
the ears, gold in the wake Of ships, gold in
the streets-gold, gold, gold. Word comes
to us that the mountain of Gods loveis full OF
bright treasure; that men have been dig
ging there, and have brought up gold and
amethyst, and cnrbuncle, and jasper, and
sardony1, 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 unde-
veloped territory Oh no, the story is true.
There are thousands of peoplein this audience
who would be willing to rise and testify that
they have discovered that gold and have it
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: swell,
if am to be saved, I will be saved; and If
am to be daned, I viii be damned, and there
is nothing to do about it," Why, my broth
er, do you not do that way in business mat
ters? Why do you not tomorrow 60 to your
store and sit down and fold your arms
and say: IF these goods are TO be sold,
they will be sold, and If they are not to be
sold, they will not be sold; there is nothing
for mo 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 fundamentally.
Oh that men were as wise in the matter OF
the soul as they are wise in the matter oil
dollars and cents! This doctrine Of
Gods sovereignty, how it IS misquoted
foot for time and for eternity, when,
50 far from that in every fiber of your
body, in every faculty Of your mind, In
every passion Of your soul, you arc a
free man and it is no more matter Of free
choice whether you will tomorrow 60
abroad OF stay at home, than it is this
moment 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 10 be dragooned into
heaven. Among all the tens Of thousands OF
the Lords soldiery there is not ono man but
will tell you: II chose Christ WANTED Him;
desired to be in His service; am not con-
script-I am volunteer" Oh, that men had