Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-05
A SPECIAL MESSAGE
To All Ministers and Christians.
Calling Upon Them to
Unite in a
BOLD ATTACK UPON EVIL.
Rev. Dr. Talmage Emphasizes the
Need of Religious Movement
TIE ENEMY NEVER so POWERFUL.
An Organized Endeavor 10 Overthrow
Righteousness and
BOLD ATTACK UPON EVIL.
TIE ENEMY NEVER so POWERFUL.
MAKE THE BIBLE MERELY A DERIsION

listers and Christians everywhere, calling
upon them TO join in combined charge on
:he entrenchments of sin and Satan. 1t
made deep impression on the vast crowds
who heard it in this city this morning and at
the.service tonight in New York. The en-
thusiasm at the latter service was increased
BY the effective aid rendered by large
volunteer choir which has been organized
from the audiences. who sung with volume
and fervor seldom equalled. After the sing
ing o! the hymn commencing
Come Holy Spirit Heavenly Dove
With all thy quickening powers
DR.. Talmage preached the following sermon
from the text, Luke 24:49: ''Tarry We in
the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued
with power from on high"
For a ew months, in the providence of
God. have two pulpits, one in Brooklyn
and the other in New York, and through the
kindness of the printing press an ever
widening opportunity. To all such hearers
and readers come with an especial message.
The time has arrived for q forward move
ment such as the church and the world have
never seen. That there is a need Tor such
religious movement is evident from the fact
among the planets has there been such an
organized and determined effort to over
throw righteousness and make the Ten
Commandments obsolete and the whole
Bible a derision. Meanwhile alcoholism is
taking down its victims by the hundreds of
thousands, and the political parties get
down their knees, practically saving:
30 thou almighty rum jug, we bow down
before thee. Give US the offices, citv, State
and national. Oh, give US the Offices and
we will protect thee forever and ever, Amen"
The Powers of Darkness.
The paDdemoniac world, l think. has
massed its troops, and they are this moment
plying their batteries upon family circles,
church circles, social circles, political cir
cies and national circles. Apollyon is in
the saddle and riding at the head of his
nyrmidons would capture this world for
darkness and woe.
This is one side of tine conflict now rag
ing. On the other side we have the most
magnificent gospel machinery that the world
ever saw or heaven ever invented. In the
first place, in this country more than So 600
ministers of religion and. take them as a
class, more consecrated, holier, more con-
sislent, more self-denying. more faithful
men never lived. l know them by the
thousands. l have met them in
every city. 1 am told. not by them but by
people Outside our profession, people en-
gagged in Christian and re.ormatory work,
that the clergy of America are at the head of
all good enterprises, and, whoever else fail
they may be depended on. The truth of this
is demonstrated by the fact that when a
minister of religion does fail, it is so excep-
tional that the newspapers report it as some
thing startling, while hundred men in
other callings may go down without the
ha1r, Ill
mentioning. In addition TO their equipment
in moral character, the clergy of this coun-
try have all that the schools can give. All
archaeological, rhetorical. scientific scholas-
tic, literary attainment. So much for
the Christian ministry of all denominations.
In the next place on our side of the con-
hict we have the grandest churches OF all
time and higher style of membership, and
more OF them, and host without nu mber of
splendid men and women who are doing
their best to have this world purified, ele-
waited, gospelized. But we all feel that
something is wanting. Enough hearty
songs have heen sung and enough earnest
sermons preached within the lastsix months
10 save all the cities OF America and saving
the cities you save the world, for they over
flow all the land either with their religion
or their infamy.
Christians Outnumbered Four to One.
Bu: look at some of the startling facts. 1t
is nearly nineteen burdred years since
Jesus Christ came by way of Bethlehem
caravansary TO save the world, vet the most
of the world has been no more touched by
this most stupendous fact of all eternity
than if on the first Christmas night the
beasts of the stall amid the bleatines of
their own young had not heard the bleating
o. the Lamb that was TO be slain. Out OF
the 1.SOO,OOO,OOO of the human race
], 400, 100000 are without God and
without hope in the world, the
camel-driver of Arabia, Mahomet, with his
nine wives, having half as many disciples
as our blessed Christ, and more people are
worshipping chunks of painted wood and
carved stone than are worshipDing the living
and eternal God. Meanwhile, the most of
US who are engaged in Christian work.
speak for myself as well as others-are
tolling up to our full capacity of body,
mind and soul, harnessed up to the last
buckle, not able TO draw a pound more than
we are drawing, or lift an ounce more than
we are lifting.
What is the matter? Ny text lets out the
secret. We all need more of the power from
on high. Not muscular power, not logical
power, not scientific power, not social power.
not financial power, not brain power. but
power from on high. With IT we couid ac-
compllSn more In one week than without il
in 100 years. And am going to get il, if
in answer to prayer, earnest and lonp-eon-
tinued. God will grant it me, his unworthy
servant. Men ami women who know how
10 pray, when you pray for yourself pray
for me that NAV be endued with power
from on high. 1 would rather have it that
all the diamond fields of Golcouda, and all
the pearls of the sea and all the gold of the
mountains. Many of the -mightiest INTEL
lects never had touch of it, and many of
the less than ordinary intellects have been
surcharged with it. And every man and
woman on earth has right to aspire to it, a
right to pray for it, and, properly persistent,
viii obtain it.
Only Few Possess the Power.
A few men and women in each age of
the world have possessed it. Caroline Fry,
the immortal Quakeress, had it, and 800 of
the depraved and suffering of Newgate
prison under her exhnrtation, repented aud
believed. jonathan Edwards had il. and
Northampton meeting house heard the out
burst OF religious emotion as he spake of
Righteousness and Judgment to come.
Samuel Budgett the Christian merchant,
had 1t and his benefaciions showerrd the
world. John Newton had it. Bishop Lati-
mer had it. Isabella Graham had it. An
drew Fuller had it. The great evan.
gelists, Daniel Baker and DIR. Net
tleton and Truman Osborn and Charles
G. Finney had it. In my boyhood