The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-02-04
ONE THING LACKING.
A Hope in Christ the Only Eloment
of True Happiness.
Worldly Success, A Good Home and Ad-
miration for the Christian Religion
Not Sufiicient--Rcv. t. Dewitt
Talmage's Sunday Sermon.


last Sunday was: "0ne thing thou
lackest''- Mark x, 81. The eloquent
preacher spoke as follows:
The young man OF the text was
splendi nature. We fall in love with
him at Ohe first glance. He was amia-
BILE, and frank, and earnest and edu-
cated, and refined, and respectable, and
moral, and yet he was not Christian.
And so Christ addresses him in the
words that l have read to you: "0ne
thing thou lackest" suppose that that
text was NJ more appropriate to the
young man OF whom have spoken than
IL Is appropriate to great multitude OF
people in this audience. There are many
things in which you are not lacking
For instance, you are not lacking In
good home. 1t is, perhaps, no more
than an hour ago that you closed the
door, returning to see whether 1t was
well fastened, of one Of the best homes
in this city. The younger children OF
the house already asleep, the older ones,
hearing your returning footsteps, will
rush to the door to meet you. And in
these winter evenings, the children at
the stand with their lessons, the wife
plying the needle, and you reading the
book or the paper, you feel that you
have a good home. Neither are you
lacking in the refnements and courtesies
of life. You understand the polite
phraseology Of invitation, regard and
apology. You have on appropriate ap-
parel. l shall wear no better dress at
the wedding than when come to the
marriage of the Kings Son. II am well
clothed on other occasions, / will be in
religious audience. However reckless
may be about my personal appearance
at other times, when come into con-
secrated assemblage, shall have on the
best dress ] have. We all understand
the proprieties Of everyday life and the
proprieties Of Sabbath life.
Neither are you lacking in worldly
success. You have not made as much
money as you would like TO make, but
you have an income. While others are
false when they say they have no in
come or are making no money, you
have never told that falsehood. You
have had a livelihood or you have fallen
upon old resources, which is just the
same thing, for God is just as good to
us when he takes care Of us by sur
plus of the past as by present success
While there are thousands of men with
hunger tearing at the throat with the
strength of n tigers paw, not one Of
you is hungry. Neither are you lacking
in pleasant friendship. You have real
good friends. Ifthe scarlet fever should
come tonight 10 your house, you know
very well who would come in and sit up
with the sick one; or, II death should
come, you know who would come in and
take your hand tight in theirs with that
peculiar grip which means, "Tn stand
by you," and after the life has fed from
the loved one, take you by the arm and
lead you into the next room, and while
Z tsou are gone TO Greenwood they stay
In the house and put aside the garments
and the playthings that might bring to
your mind too severely your great loss.
Friends? You all have friends.
Neither are you lacking in your adj
miration Of the Christian religion.
There Is nothing that makes you so
angry as to have man malign Christ.
You get red in the face, and you say:
"Sir, l want you 10 understand that
though am not myself a Christian,
don't like such things said as that in my
store" and the man goes off. giving you
n parting salutation, but you hardly
answer him. You are provoked beyond
all bounds. Many Of you have been
supporters Of religion and have given
more TO the cause Of Christ than some
who profess His faith. There is moth
ing that would please you more than to
see your son or daughter standing at
the altar of Christ, taking the vows OF
the Christian. II might be little hard
on you, and might make you nervous
and agitated for little while, but you
would be man enough to say: my
child, that is right. Go on. am glad
you haven't been kept back by my ex.
ample. hope some day to join you. "
You believe all the doctrines of religion.
A man out yonder says: 81 am sin
ner." You respond: $50 am l." Some
one says: ~ believe Christ came Ia
save the world" You say: $50 do IT,
Looking at your character, at your sur
roundings, | find a thousand things
about which TO congratulate you; and
vet must tell you in the love and feai
Nof God, and with reference TO my last
account: zone thing thou lackest."
You need. my friends, in the first
place, the element Of happiness. Some
day you feel wretched. You do moi
know what is the matter with you. Yor
say: 81 did not sleep last night. thinl
that must be the reason Of my restless
ness" or, 81 have eaten something thai
did not agree with me, and think thai
must be the reason" And you are un
happy o, my friends, happiness doei
not depend upon physical condition
Some Of the happiest people Ihaye evel
known have been those who have beer
wrapped in consumption, or stung with
neuralgia, or burning with the slow fir'
OF some fever. never shall forget one
man in my first parish, who, in excruci
alton of body, cried out: 'Mr. Tai
mage, forget all my pain in the love
and Joy OF Jesus Christ. ! can't thinl
OF my sufferings whom think o.
Christ" Why, his face was illumined
There are young men in this house whc
would give testimony to show that there
is no happiness outside Of Christ, whil'
there is great Joy in His service. There
are young men who have not been Chris
tians more than six months, who woult
stand up tonight, II should ask them