The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-03-26
VILE AMUSEM ENTS.
Or. TALMAGE ON THE WOEFUL EF-
FECTS OF IhE MODERN DRAMA.

D'senssd lmaginations-Stago Heroes
Our Land for Honest Labor.
BROOKLHN, March 15.-Dr. Talmace
i reached the fourth Of his series of SER
:, ons on the Plaques Of the Cities" this
- crnlng. The sermon to-day is on Bale
lal Amusements." The text was III
samuel ii, IA: Let the young men now
arise and play before u.s."
The foilorning Is substantially the SER
y on:
There are two armies cncampcd by
tic pool of Gideon. The time hangs
heavily Oh their hands. One army pro-
oses a game OF sword-fcnclng. Moth
ING could be more hcalthlul and inno-
cent. The other army acccpts the chal-
lenga. Twelve men against twelve men,
the sport opens. But something went
adversely. Perhaps one of the swords
men got an unlucky clip, or in some
way had his ire aroused, and that winch
openly IN sportiulncss ended in vio-
lcnce, each one taking his contestant ny
the hair, and then with the sword
thrusting him in the side; so that that
which opened in innocent fun ended in
tho massacre Of all the twcnty-iour
sportsmcn. Was there ever Il better
illustration Of what was true then, and
is true now, that that which is innocent
may he made destructive? What Of 4
worldly nature is more important and
strengthening and innocent than amusc-
ment, and yet what has counted more
victims? | have no sympathy with a
straightforward religion. This is q very
bright world to nc. and propose to do
all can to make it bright for others.
| never could keep step 20 dead
march. A book issued years ago says
that Christian man has q. right to some
amuscmcnts; for instance, il he comes
home at night weary from his work, and
feeling the need Of recreation, puts on
his slippers, and goes into his garnet.
and walks lively around the floor scv cral
times, there can he no harm III it. ! be-
llcvC the Church Of God has made Il tre-
mcndous mistake in trying to suppress
the spOrtiulncsS OF youth and drive out
from men their love OF amusement. II
God ever implanted anything in lls. he
implanted this desire. But instead of
prUTidlng for this demand OF our nature,
the Church Of God has, for the main part,
ignored it. AS III Il riot, the mayor
plants battery at the end Of the street,
aud has it fired oil, so that everything is |
cut down that happens to stand in tho
range, tic good as well as the bad. so
there arc men in the Church who plant
their batteries of condemnation, and lire
away indiSCriminatcly. Everything is
condemned. Hut my Bible comments |
those who use the world without abusing
il. and in the natural world, God has
dome everything to please and amuSc us.
In poetic figure VIC sometimes speak of
natural objects as being in pain. but it is
a mere fancy. Poets SAY tie clouds
weep, but they never yet shed tear;
and that the winds sigh, but they never
dlu have any trouble; and that the storm
howls, but it never lost its temper. The
world Is a rose, and the universe Il car
land.
And am clad TO know that in AL our
cities there arc plenty Of places where
VIC may find elevated moral entertainment.
But all honest men and good women
will agree with me in the statement that
one Of the worst plaques Of these cities
Is corrupt amusement. Multitudcs have
gone down under the blasting influence
never to rise. II we may Judge of what
i DING on in many Of the places of
lscmcnt by the Sodomic pictures on
r:rd-tcEccs, and in many OF the show
" dows, there is not Il much lower
Il IN OF prolligacy to reach. At Naples.
lt;' y. they keep such pictures locked up
nom mdlscrlminatc inspection. Those
pictures were cxhllmed from pOmprii,
ar'i are not fit for public "azc. If the
>Hi Hiontcry of bad places of amusement
'!alGlnG out improper advertisement of
what they arc doing night by night grows
WN:sc III the same proportion, in litV
Years New York and Brooklyn will beat
not only pompcii, but SOdom. TO help
stay The plague now raging, | project
certain principles by which you may
ludSc III regard TO any amusement or re-
creation, finding out for yourself whether
1t IS right or whether it is wrouL.
remark, in the first place, that YOU
can Judge OF the moral character of any
amusement by its hcalthiul result, or bv
It's balciul reaction. There are people
who seem made up Of hard facts. They
arc combination OF multiplication
tables and statistics. llyou show them
an exquisite picture. they will begin to
discuss the pigments involved in the
colornG, If You show them beautiful
rose, they Will submit il TO Il botanical
analysis, which is only the post-mOrtcm
examination of a flower. They have no
rebound in their nature. They never do
any thing moro than smile. There arc
no great tides of feeling surgin% up from
the depths Of their soul, in b!llow after
hillow Of rcvcrbcrating laughter. They
seem as If nature had built them by con-
tract, and made bunGling Job out Of
IL. But blessed be God, there arc pco-
PIE III tho world who have bright faces.
and whose life is song, an anthem, Il
r;rah of victory. Even ,hcir troubles
nie like the vines that crawl up the side
Oh great tower, on the top OF which the
sunlight sits, and the soft airs OF sum-
mer hold perpetual carnival. They are
the people you like 20 have come to your
house; they arc people | like TO have
come TO my house. II you but touch
the hem Of their garments, you are
healed.
Now it is these exhilarant and svmpa-
thctic and warm hearted people that are
m0SttCmDtCd to DcrliciOus auuuScmcntS