Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-06-20
ChrIst's Religion Better Than orsedS.

ChrlotB ItOuGl0n bOttor Aunu Oroous'
BROOKLYN, N. Y, June 15.-Dr.'
Talmage, yesterday morning, preached
from the text: Proverbs XVI, IL. He
that passeth by and meddleth with
strife belonging not to him is like one
that taketh dog by the ears"
Solomon here deplores the habit OF
rushing in between contestants, OF TAX
ing part in the antagonists OF others,
Of joining in fights which they ought to
shun. They do no good to others and
get damage to themselves. He COM
pares it to the experiment OF taking q
dog by the ears. Nothing so irritates
the CANNES Us to be clutched by the
Tugs. Take them by the back OF the
neck and lift them and it does not seem
to hurt or offend, but you take the dog
by the ear. and he will take you with
his teeth. In all the history OF kennels
no intelligent or spirited dog will stand
that. "Now," says Solomon, "yaA 60
into ouarrels 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
to him is like one that taketh dog by
the ears"
This is time of resounding coolest
astical quarrel. Never within your
memory or mine has the air been so
full of missiles. The Presbyterian
church has on hand controversy so
great that it finds it prudent to post
pone its settlement for at least one more
year, hoping that something will turn
up. Somebody might die or a new gen
eral assembly may have grace to handle
these exciting questions. The Episco-
pal church has cast out some recalci.
trants, and its digestive organs are
taxed to the utmost in trying to assim-
ilate others. "Shall women preach?"
''Or be sent as delegates to conference
are questions that have put many O..
our Methodist brethren on the 'anx-
ious seat" And the waters in some of
the great TAPESTRIES are troubled wa
ters.
Because OF the controversies through
out Christendom the air Is now like an
August afternoon about 5 o'clock, when
1t has been steaming hot all day, and
clouds are gathering, and there are
lions OF thunder with grumbling voices
and flashing eyes coming forth from
their cloudy lairs, and people are wait
ing for the full burst OF the tempest.
am moi much OF weather prophet, but
the clouds look to me mostly like wind
clouds. 1t may be big blow, but
hope 1t will soon be over. In regard to
the battle OF the creeds l am every day
asked what think about 1t. want to
make it so plain this morning what l
think that no one will ever ask again.
Let those who are jurymen in the
case, mean those who in the diff
fereht ecclesiastical 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 man as
he goes in. Some OF the ministers, in
all denominations, who before the pres
emit acerbity, were good and kind and
useful, now seem almost swearing mad.
These brethren, notice, always open
their violent meetings with prayer be-
fore devouring each other, thus saying
grace before meat. They have moral
hydrophobia that makes us think they
have taken dog by the ears. They
never read the imprecatory 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 horns sawed
of. Before the controversies are Set
tied good many ministers will, through
what they call liberalism, be landed into
practical infdelity, and others, through
what they call conservatism, will shrink
into bigots tight and hard as the num-
mics OF Egypt, which got through their
controversies 1900 years ago. This
trouble throughout Christendom was
directly inspired Of satan. He saw that
too much good was being done. Re-
cruits were being gathered by hundreds
OF thousands to the gospel standard.
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 philanthropists were being
fostered. Too many souls were being
saved.
It had been 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, hear"
And all up and down the caverns the
cry was: "Hear! Hearm Satan said:
'SThere Is that American board OF COM
missioners for foreign missions. 1t
must either be demolished or crippled,
or the fEst thing you know they will
have all nations brought to God.
Apollyon the Younger! You go to An
dover and get the professor discussing
whether the heather can be saved with
out the gospel. Divert them from their
work OF missions and get them in angry
convention in q room at Youngs hotel,
Boston, and by the time they adjourn
the cause Of foreign missions will be
gloriously and magnihcetly injured.