Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-01-07
DOES RELIGION PAY?'
DR.. TALMAGES DISCOURSE FOR THE NEW
YEAR.
Religion Does Pay In Every Instance and in
All Things Terrestrial as Well as
SPiriiual-SOms Touching
Illustrations.


d. D., preached discourse on the sub
jet: docs Religion Pay2" The openinl
hymn was:
My days are gliding swiftly by
And pilgrim stranger,
Would not detain them as they fly,
These hours OF toll and danger.
The text was: Goodness is profitable
unto ali things, having promise of the life
that now is, snd of that which is to come -
i Timothy iv, 8. DR.. Talmsge said:
A happy new year to one and sill
There is a gloomy and passive way Of
waiting for the events OF the opening
year to come upon us, and there is
A HEROIC WAY
of going out to meet them, strong in God
and fearing nothing When the body Of
Caiiliue wss found on the battle field il
was found far in advance OF all his troops
and among the enemy, and the beet way
is not to lie down and let the events of
life tfample over us, but TO 20 forth in a
ChAtoNheb ciAAAk h+A't W
The papers were made ont, and SONS of
you have just entered into business part
nershipe, and others of you take higher
positions in the commercial establishment
where you were engaged, and others have
entered upon new enterprises, and there
we've last week in these cities ten thOus.
and business changes. You are expecting
prosperity, and am determined, 30 far AS
/ have anything to do with il, that You
shsll not be disappointed, and there
fore propose, as God may help me this
morning, to project upon your attention q
new element Of success. You will have in
the business firm, frugality, patience, in
dustry, perseverance, ecOnOmy-a very
strong business firm, but there needs TO
be one member added, mighlier than them
al, and not silent partner either-the
one introduced in my text: Goodness
which is profitable unto all things, having
the promise of the life that now is as well
as Of that which is 10 Gomez
suppose you are all willing to odmit
that GOdliuess ia important
IN ITS ETERNAL RELATIONS:
but perhaps some Of You say: "All want
is an opportunity 10 say prayer before
die, aud all will be well There are a
great many people who suppose that if
they can finally getsafely ont o! this orld
into better world, they will have ex-
haustsd the entire advantage OF our holy
religion. They talk as though religion
were a mere nod Of recognition which we
are 10 give to tbs Lord Jesus on our way
up 10 heavenly mansion; as though il
were an admission ticket, of no use except
70 give it at the door Of Heaven. Aud
there are thousands of people vino have
great admiration fer a religion OF the
shrOud, and a religion Of the coffin, and q
religion of the heaise, end q religion OF the
cemetery, who have DO appreciation OF Q
religion for the bank, for the farm, for The
factory, for the warehou c, for the jeweler''
shop, for the brokers' Office, Nov, while
would not throw any slur on a p)et-mor
TEN religion, want this morning, and or
the first Sabbath of the new year, 20 ellOg
ize an ante-mOrtem religion. A reigiGr
that is Of no use to you while you live
when you die. "GOdlinsss is profitabl,
unto all things, having the promise of tn,
life that now is as well as of that
which ia to come" And
have always noticed that when the
grace is very low in mans heart he talk
a great deal in prayer meetings atout
deatha, and about ccflins, and about graves
and about church.yards. | have noticed
that the healthy Christian, the man who /,
living near to God, and is on the straight
road TO Heaven, is foil Of jlbilant satisiac
ton, and talks about the duties of this
life, understanding we'll that if God
helps him to live right lie will help him Il
die right.
Now, in the first place, remark thai
I GOdliness is
GOOD FOR MANS PHYSICAL HEALTH.
do not mean to say that it will restore
brokendown constitution, or drive
rheumatism from the limbs, or neuralgii
from the temples, or pleurisy from th'
side; but do mean to say that it give
one such habits aud puts one in such con
ditiOn as is most favorable for physica
health. That believe, and that avow
Everybody knows that buoyancy Of spiri
is good spiritual advantage. Gloom, un
rest, detection are at war with every pul
sation of the heart, and with every respi
ration Of the lungs. It lowers the vital
ty, il slackens the circulation, while ex
hilaration Of the spirit p0urs the verl
balm of Heaven through all the current
of life. The sense of insecurity whic
sometimes hOveTs over an unregenefat
man, or pOuuces upon him with the bias
of ten thousand tTumpsts of terror,
most depicting and most exhRustiug
while the feeling that al things are workio
together for my good now, and for ml
everlasting welfare, is Conducive to physi
cal health.
Again l remark that GOdliness is geo
for the intellect. know some have SUP
posed that Just as econ as q mau enters 10
to the Christian life his intellect goes int
a bedwarhDg process. So far from thet
religion will give new brilliancy to the il
teliect, new strength 10 the Imagination
new force TO the will, and wider swing {
all the intellectual faculties Christianit
is the great central fire at which PhilO,C
ply Las lighted it's brightest torch. Th
religion Of the Lord Jesus Christ il th
fountain ont of which learning has dippe
its cleArest draught The HelicOn p)ure
forth DO such inspiring waters as those whic
flow from undeT the throne of God clear a
crystal.
Now, 1 commend Godliness as
THE BEST MENTAL DISCIPLINE
better than belles-lettres to purify ih
taste, better than mathematics 20 hsrnts
the mind TO all intricacy and elaboration
better than logic TO marshal the inieilectu
al forces for on SET aod victory. 1t will &
with Hugh Miller and snow him the foot
prints of the Creator in the red sandstone
II will go with the botanist and slow hin
celestial glories eucAmpsd under the cur
tain OF a wster-lily. It will 90 with ID
astronomer on the great heights wher
God shepherds the great flock Of worlds
that wander on the hills of heaven answer
ing His voice as He calls them all by thei
names.
Again remark, that Godliness is profit
able for one g disposition. Lord Ashley
before no went into a great battle, Wa
heard to offer this prayer: 80 Lord, shal
, be very busy to-day; if forget Thee ioI
get me not.' With such Christian dis
position as that, a man is independent
all circumstances Our piety will hsye
tinge of our natural temperament If
man be cross and sour snd fretful natnIa
IL, after he becomes a Christian he VII
/. always have to be armed against the rebel
lien Of those evil inclinations; but religion
has tanned the widest nature; It has turn
ed fretfulness into gratitude despondene
into good cheer, and those who were par
and unrovernsbls and uncOmpromisinl