Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-04-02
BALEFUL ADJUSTMENTS,
Or. TALMAGE TALKS ABOUT THE
PLEASURES THAT DESTROY.

A Solemn Warning Against Vice in
an Enticing Form. - How to Dis.
criminate Between Good and Bad
Amusements.
New York, March 15.-The series OF
sermons DR.. Talmege is preaching in this
city and Brooklyn, on ''rhe Plaques Of the
Cities" IL attracting general attention.
At the morning service in Brooklyn, and
| ut the evening service held in this city,
| the number Of persons who come to hear
the sermons is far larger than either of
the buildings can accommodate. The
sermon today, which is the fourth Of the
series, is ON ''Baleful Amusements." The
text was 2 Samuel Q: IA: "Let the young
men now arise and play before u.s."
There are two armies encamped by the
| pool Of Gideon. The time hangs heavily
On their hands. One army proposes a
game Of sword-fencing. Nothing could be
more healthful and innocent. The other
| army accepts the challenge. Twelve men
against twelve men, the sport opens. But
something went adversely. Perhaps ono
of the swordsmen got an unlucky clip, or
| in some way had his ire aroused, and that
which opened in sportfulness ended in
violence, each one taking his contestant
by the hair, and then with, the sword
thrusting him in the side; so that that
which opened in innocent fun ended in the
| massacre Of all the twcnty-four sportsmen.
Was there ever Q better illustration of
what was true then, and is true now, that
that which is innocent may be destructive?
What of worldly nature is more
important and strengthening and innocent
than amusement, and yet what has counted
more victims? l have no sympathy with
straight-jacket religion. This is q very
bright world to me, and I propose to do
all can to make it bright for others.
never could keep step to dead-march.
A book years ago issued says that Chris
tian man has right to some amuscments;
for instance, If 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 several times, there can be no harm
in 1t. believe the Church Of God has
made tremendous mistake in trying to
suppress the sportfulness of youth, and
drive out from men their love of amuse-
ment If God ever implanted anything in
US, he implanted this desire. But instead
of providing for this demand of our nature,
the Church Of God has, for the main part.
ignored it. As in a riot the mayor plants
battery at the end of the street, and has
it fired OF, so that every thing is cut down
that happens to stand in the range, the
good as well as the bad, so there are men in
the Church who plant their batteries OF
condemnation, and fire away indiscrimi-
nately. Everything is condemned. But
my Bible commends those who use the
world without abusing it, and in the natural
world God has done everything to please
and amuse US. In poetic figure we some
times speak Of natural objects as being in
pain, but it is mere fancy. Poets say the
clouds weep, but they never yet shed a
tear; and that the winds sigh, but they
never did have any trouble; and that the
storm bowls. but it never lost its temper.
The world is rose, and the universe q
garland.
And am glad to know that in all our
cities there are plenty of places where we
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. Multitudes have gone down
under the blasting influence never to rise.
II we may Judge of what is going or in
many Of the places Of amusement by the
Sodomic pictures ON board fences, and in
many of the show windows, there is no,
q much lower depth Of profligacy to reach.
At Naples, Italy, they keep such pictures
locked up from indiscriminate inspection.
Those pictures were exhumed from Pom.
peii, and are not fit for public gaze. If the
} effrontery of bad places of amusement ir
, hanging out improper advertisements Of
what they are doing night by night grow.
, worse In the same proportion, in fifty year!
New York and Brooklyn will beat not only
: ,Pompeii, but Sodom.
To help stay the plague now raging,
project certain principles by which 20,
may Judge in regard to any amusement o.
: recreation, finding out for yourself whethe
It Is right, or whether it is wrong.
. i remark, in the first place, that yon cal
4 Judge Of the moral character Of any amuse
. ment by its healthful result, or by its bate
full reaction.
II an amusement sends you homo 2
; night nervous so that you cannot sleep, an
I you rise up in tho morning, not becaus
e you are slept out, but because your dut
Q drags you from your slumbers, you hav
7 been whore you ought not to have been
= There are amusements that send ma
next day to his work bloodshot, yawninR
stupid, nauseated; and they are wron
y kinds of amusement They are entertain
, ments that give . man disgust with tn
: drudgery Of life, with tools because the
= are not swords, with working aprons be
: cause. they are not robes. with cattle be
h cause they are not infuriated bulls Of tn
= arena. II any amusement sends 20
homo longing for q life Of romance an
thrilling adventure, love that takes poiso
and shoots ITSELF moonlight adventure
}. and hair-breadth escapes, you may depen
!. upon II that you are the sacrificed victir
= Of unsapctihed pleasure. Our recreation
are intended to build Us up; and II the
pull US down az to our moral or as to on
n physical strength, you may como to th
conclusion that they are obnoxious.
n There h nothing moro depraving tina
attendance upol amusements that are fu
r. Of innuendo and low suggestion. Til
"A young man euters. At first he sits ia
hnc lie Ank l. IL