The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-08-21
TIE WORLDS WAYS.
Sermon by Rev. T. Dewitt Tai
mage, D. D.
More Common Sense Wanted in Religious
Matters-The Churches Would Prosper
More Under the Business
Mans Methods.

The eloquent Brooklyn divine preached
recently at Livingston, Mont, taking for
his subject '~Outwitted by the World.n His
text was: ST. Luke xvi, S-"The children
Of this world are in their generation wiser
than the children of light" Following was
the discourse:
That is another way of saying that Chris
tians are not so skillful in the manipulation
Of spiritual affairs as worldlings are skill
full in the management Of temporalities. l
See all around me people who are alert,
concentrated, and skillful in none.
tary 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
half of the skill and forcefulness employed
IN financial affairs were employed in dis
seminating the truths of Christ, and trying
to make the world better within the next
ten years the last juggernaut would fall,
The last throne of oppression upset, the last
niquity tumble, and the anthem that was
,hanted over Bethlehem on Christmas
night would be echoed and re echoed from
all nations and kindred and people: "Glory
W oOu VII ClO hlSuCop, duo Oll CuA VI pSoSSt
good will to men,"
Some years ago, on train going toward
the South west, as the porter of the sleep
ing lear was making up the berths at the
evening tide saw man kneel down to
pray, Worldly people in the car looked on
as much as to say, "What does this meant"
/ suppose 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 found out that he was member of a
church in my own city, that he was sea-
faring man, and that he was on his way to
New Orleans to take command of a vessel.
thought then, as l think now, that ten
such men-men with such courage for God
as that man had-would bring the whole
city to Christ: a thousand such men would
bring this whole land to God; ten thousand
such men, ina 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 persuaded. 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 be very diff
ferent 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 adaptiveness is al
ways paramount in any other kind of struct-
ure. If bankers meet together and they
resolve upon putting up bank, the bank is
especially adapted to banking purposes; if
manufacturing company put up build
ing, 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, more comfort
Vast sums Of money are expended on eccle-
siastic structures, and men sit down in
them, and you ask a man how he likes the
church he says: II like it very well, but
can't hear" AS though shawl factory
were good for every thing 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
something else, they feel so uncomfortable
Omy friends, wewant more common Sc nse
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 all
when the world swims in it. 1t ought to bt
an expression not only of our spiritual hap
piness, but of our physical comfort wher
we say: allow amiable are thy tabernacles
o Lord God of hosts A day in Thy court!
is better than thousand"
Again | remark: We want more com
mon sense in the obtaining of religious hope
All men understand that in order to sue
coed in worldly directions they must con
cent rate. They think on that one subiec
Intil their mind takes fire with the velocity
If their own thoughts. All their acumen
all their strategy, all their wisdom, all theil
common sense, they put in that one direc
ton, and they succeed. But how seldom i.
1t true in the matter Of seeking after God
While no man expects to accomplish an,
thing for this world without concentration
and enthusiasm, how many there are ex
pecting after awhile to get into the kingdom
of God without the use of any such means
A miller in California, many years ago, hel,
up sparkle of gold until it bewitched ma
tons. Tens of thousands of people left thei
homes. They took up their blankets an,
their pickaxes, and their pistols, and wen
to the wilds of California. Cities sprang III
suddenly on the Pacific Coast. Merchant
put aside their elegant apparel, and put OF
the miners garb. All the land was full O
talk about gold. Gold in the eyes, gold il
the ears, gold in the wake of ships, gold il
the streets-gold, gold, gold. Word come
to us that the mountain of God's love is full
| Of hriphf fhot hou hoo
digging there, and have brought up gold
and amethyst, and carbuncle, and jasper
and sardonyx, and chrysoprasus, and all tn
precious stones out of which the walls O
heaven We're builded. Word comes of ANA
who, digging in that mine for one hour, ha
brought up treasures worth more than. a
the stars that keep vigil over our sick an
dying world. Is it bogus company that i
formed! Is it undeveloped territory! o nj
the story is true There are thousands @
people in this audience who would be will
ing to rise and testify that they discovere
that gold, and have it in their possession
Notwithstanding all this what is the eli,
cumstancess One would suppose that tn
announcement would send people in grea
excitement up and down our streets, tina
Ut midnight men would knock at your door
ssking how they may get those treasure.
Instead of that, many of us put our hand
behind our back and walk IN an
down in front of the mine of eternal richie.
and say, "Well, if | am to be saved, wi
be saved; and if am to be damned / wi
be damned, and there is nothing to do abor
it." Why, my brother, do you not do thu
way in business matters! Why do you nj
tomorrow go to your store and sit dow
and fold your arms and say: "If thes
goods are to be sold, they will be sold; an
if they are not to be sold. they will not |
sold; there is nothing for me to do aboutit
No, you dispatch your agents, you print a,
vertisements, you adorn your show vii
dows, you push those goods, you use Il