Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-15
A TIMELY TOPIC.
RsV. TALMAGES SERMON AT BROOKLYN TAP-
RRNACLE YESTERDAY.
BE Bsmoaas the Common Tendency to Pick Flaws
in Cresds-Hs Defends the Bible Against ali
Assaults-Simpls Faith and Belief the
Sure Guides to Success.

Special Telegram to the Register.
BROOKLYN, n. Y, June 14.-Dr. Tai
mage dealt in his sermon this morning
with the very timely topic, the Battle
of CreedS After so long and exhaustive
a discussion in clerical circles and in the
secular press there seemed nothing
more 10 be said on the subject. DR..
Talmage, however, has his own way OF
looking at all subjects, and even people
who thought they knew ali that could
be said on both sides, received light
from the fresh and original contribution
which he made 10 the controversy. His
text was taken from Proverbs 26: Il,
HE that paSSeth by and meddeth with
strife belonging not 10 him is like one
that taketh a dog by the ears
Solomon here deplOreS the haOit OF
rushing i'm between contestants, OF TAX
ing part in the antagOniSmS Of others, OF
Joining Ia fights which they ought to
Shun. They do no good TO others and
get damage for themselves. He COM
pareS it to the experiment of taking
dog by the ears. Nothing so irritateS
the CANNES as TO be clutched by the
Tugs. Take them by the back of the
neck aud lift them and it does not seem
TO hurt or offend, but you take the dog
by the ear, aud he will take you with
his teeth. In all the history of kennels
no intelligent or spirited dog will stand
that. Now" says Solomon, You go
into QuarrelS or controversies that are
not yours and you will get lacerated and
torn, and bitten. He that paSSeth by
and meddleth with strife belonging not
10 him is like one that taketh a dog by
the ears.
This is a time of reSounding eccleSi-
astical quarrel Never within your
memory or mine has the air been so full
of missiles. The Presbyterian Church
has on hand a controversy so great that
il finds its prudent 10 postpone its set
Element for at least one more year; hop
ing that something will turn up. Some
body might die, or a new General As
sembly may have grace 10 handle the
exciting questions. The Episcopal
Church has cast out some recalcitrantS,
and its digestive organs are taxed to
the utmost in trying 10 aSSimilate
others. "Shall women preach?' "Or
be sent as delegates 10 ConfereDce?"
are questions that have put
many of our Methodist breth-
rem on the anxious seat"
And the waters in some of the
great baptistrieS are troubled waters.
Because of the controversial through
out ChrstendOm the air is now like an
August afternoon about five o'clock,
when it has been SteamiLg hot all day,
and clouds are gathering, and there are
lions of thunder with grumbing voices
and flashing eyes coming forth from
their cloudy lairS. and people are
waiting for the full burst o. the tenn
pest. am not much of weather
prophet, but the clouds look 10 me
mostly like wind clouds. 1t may be a
big blow, but l hope il will soon be
over. In regard to the Battle of the
CreedS, | am every day asked what
think about IL. l want TO make it so
plain this morning what l think that
no one will ever ask again.
MOST DAMAGING THING on EARTH
Let those who are iurymen in the case,
mean those who i'm the different ecclcS-
iastical courts have the questions put
directly before them, weigh and decide.
Let the rest of Us keep out. The most
damaging thing on earth is religious
controversy. No one ever comes out Of
it as good q man a. he goes in. Some
of She ministers, in all denominations,
who. before tte present acerbity were
GOOD and Kind and useful. now seem
almost swearing mad These brethren
notice always open their violent meet
ingS with prayer before devOuring each
other, thus saying grace before meat.
They have moral hydrophobia that
makes US think they have taken a dog
by the ears. They never read the i'm
predatory psalms Of David with such
zest as since the Briggs and Newton
and MacQueary and Bridgman and
Brooks questions got into full swing.
May the rams Of the Sheepfold soon have
their hands sawed off. Before the con-
troversies are settled, a good many min
listers will, through what they call lib
eraliSm, be landed into practical inf
delity, and Others through what they
call conservatism, will shrink up into
bigots tight and hard As the mummieS
of Egypt which got through their con-
troversieS three thousand years ago.
This trouble throughout ChriStendOm.
was directly inspired OF Satan. He saw
that too much good was being done.
Recruits were being gathered by hun
dredS Of thousands 10 the Gospel stand
ard The victories for God and the
truth were too near together Too many
churches were being dedicated Too
many ministers were being ordained.
Too many philanthropeS were be-
ing foStered. Too many souls
being saved. 1t had been a
dull time in the Neither World, and the
arrivals were too few. So Satan one day
rose upon his throne, and said, "Ye
powers OF darkness, hearm And all up
and down the cavernS the cry was:
clear, Hear" Satan said: There is
that American Board of Commissioners
for Foreign Missions. Unjust either be
demolished or crippled, or the first thing
YOU know they will have all nations
brought to God. ApOllyon the Youngerl
You go up TO AndOver and get the pro-
feSSorS discussing whether the heather
can be saved without the Gospel. Di-
vert them from the work Of missions and
get them in angry convention in a room
at Young'S Hotel, Boston, and by the
time they adjourn, the cause of foreign
missions will be glOriouSly and magnif
icently injured. DiabOluS the Younger,
You go up and get Union Theo-
logical Seminary of New York
a,1 tha General Assembly Of tbp