The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-24
"A BATTLE OF THE CREEDS.
THE GREAT PREACHER TAKES A HAND.
Oselessness and sinfulness OF Dootrlnal
Contests-Ths Whole Fight n Plot
OF the Devil-Plenty of Certain
ties-Let Mysteries Alone.

DIR, Talmage dealt in his sermon Sunday
morning with the very timely topic, "The
Battle of the Creeds" After so long and
exhaustive discussion in clerical circles
and in the secular press there seemed
nothing more to be said on the subject.
DIR. Talmage, however has his own way of
looking at all subjects, and even people
who thought they knew all that could be
said on both sides received light from the
fresh and original contribution which he
made to the controversy. His text was
taken from Proverbs XVI, II: "He that
passeth by and meddleth with strife be-
longing not to him is like one that taketh
dog by the ears"
Solomon here deplored the habit of
rushing between contestants, of taking
part in the antagonism of others, of join
ing in fights which they ought to shun.
They do no good for others and get dam
age for themselves. He compares it to
the experiment of taking a dog by the
ears. Nothing so initiates the CANNES as
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
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, you
20 into quarrels or controversies that are
not yours and you will get lacerated and
torn. and bitten. He that passeth by and
hc11 30,
him is like one that taketh dog by the
ears
This is time of resembling ecclesiastical
quarrels. 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 pru-
dent TO postpone its settlement for at
least one more year, hoping that some
thing will turn up. Somebody might die
or a new general assembly may have
grace to handle the exciting questions.
The episcopal church has cast out some
recalcitrants, and its digestive organs are
taxed to the utmost in trying to assimi-
late others, "Shall women presch?" 'Or
be sent as delegates to conference ?" are
questions that must have put many of
our methodist brethren on the anxious
seat" And the waters in some of the
great baptistries are troubled waters. Be
cause of the controversies throughout
ChristendOm the air is now like an
August afternoon about 5 o'clock, when
it 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 waiting for
the full burst of the tempest. I am not
much of a 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, am every day asked
what / think about it. | want 10 make il
70 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 different eccle-
siastical 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 a man as he goes in. Some of the
ministers In all denominations, who, be-
fore the present acerbity, were good and
kind and useful now seem almost swear
ing mad. These brethren 1 notice ALWAYS
open their meetings with prayer before
devouring each other, thus saying grace
before meat. They have a moral hydro
phobia that makes US think they have
taken dog by the ears. They never read
the imDrecatory psalms of David with
such zest as since the Briggs and Newton
and MscQueary and Bridgman and Brooks
questions got info full swing. MAY the
rams of the sheepfold soon have their
horns sawed off. Before the controversies
are settled a good many ministers will,
through what they call liberalism, be
landed into practical infdelity, and others
through what they call conservatism, will
shrink up into bigots tight and hard as
the mummies of Egypt which got through
their controversies three thousand years
ago.
This trouble throughout Christendom
was directly inspired of Satan. He saw
that too much good was being done. Re-
cIuits 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
we're being ordained. Too MANY philan-
thropies were being fostered. Too many
souls were 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 pow
ers OF darkness, hearw And all up and
down the caverns the cry was, "Hear !
Heart Satin said, "There is that american
board of commissioners for foreign mis-
Eions. 1t must either be demolished or
crippled, or the first thing you know they
will have ali nations brought to God.
Apollyon the Younger You go to Ando-
yer and get the professors discussing
whether the heather can be saved with
out the gospel. Divert 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 gloriousy
and magnifcently injured. Diabolus the
Youngeri You 90 up and get Union theo-
logical seminary of New York and the
general assembly of the presbyterian
church at Detroit at swords points and
diverted from the work of making
earnest ministers of religion and turn
that old presbyterian church, which
has been keeping US out of
customers for hundreds of years, into
a splendid pandemonium on small scale.
Abaddon the Third You 90 up and as
sault that old episcopal church, which has
been storming the heavens for centuries
with the sublimest prayers that were ever
uttered-church of Bishop Leighton,
Bishop White and Bishop McIlvaine, and
nat that dapounin a fiop dioo1osip men -