Connecticut western news., 1891-06-17
THE BATTLE OF CREEDS
DR. TALMAGE GIVES LIVELY SKETCH
 OF THE HERESY HUNT.

DR. TALMAGE GVESA LIVELY SKETCH
 OF THE HEREsY HUNT.
 There Is an Exciting Question in Almost
 Every Denomination-Are the Theolo-
 gians Losing Temper in the Discussion7
 No One Is Bettered by It.
 BROOKLYN, June 14-Dr. Talmage dealt in his sermon this morning with the very timely topic, ''The Battle of 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. Dr. Talmage, however, has his own way of looking at all subjects, and even peo- pie who thought they knew all that could be said on both sides received light from the fresh and original con tribution which he made to the contro versy His text was taken from Prov erbs xvi, 17, He that passeth by and him is like one that taketh dog by the ears"
 Solomon here deplores the habit of rushing in between contestants, of talk ing part in the antagonisms of others, of joining in fights which they ought to shun. They do no good to others and get damage for themselves He com pares it to the experiment of taking a dog by the ears Nothing so irritates the canines as to be clutched by the Jugs 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 ken nels no intelligent or spirited dog will stand that Now" says Solomon, 'you go into quarrels or controversies that are not yours and you will get lac erated and torn and bitten. He that passeth by and meddleth with strife be longing not to him is like one that taketh dog by the ears ."
 This is time of resounding ecclesi astical quarrel Never within your memory or mine has the air been SO full of missiles The Presbyterian church has on hand controversy 50 great that it finds it prudent to post pone it's settlement for at least one more year, hoping that something 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 TO calcitrants, and it's digestive organs are taxed to the utmost in trying to assimi late others. Shall women preach 9'' "Or be sent as delegates to confer ences2' are questions that have put many of our Methodist brethren on the anxious seat" and the waters in some of the great baptistries are troubled waters.
 Because of the controversies through out 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 wait ing for the full burst of the tempest I am not much of weather prophet, but the clouds look to me mostly like wind clouds It may be big blow, but hope it will soon be over In re gard to the Battle of the Creeds, am every day asked what l think about it. want to make it so plain this morn ing what think that no one will ever ask again.
 LEAVE TT TO THE JURYMEN.
 Let those who are jurymen in the case, l mean those in the different ec clesiasticl courts, have the questions put directly before them, weigh and de eide. Let the rest of us keep out. The most damaging thing on earth is reli- gous controversy. No one ever comes opt of it as good man as he goes in. Some of the ministers, in all denomi- nations, who, before the present acer bity 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 a moral hydrophobia that makes us think they have taken a dog by the ears They never read the imprecatory Psalms o1 David with such zest as since the Briggs and Newton and MacQueary and Bridgman and Brooks questions got into full swing May the rams o1 the sheepfold soon have their horns sawed of. Before the controversies are settled a good many ministers will, through what they call liberalism, be landed into practical infidelity, and others, through what they call con servatism, will shrink up into bigots tight and hard as the mummies o1 Egypt which got through their contro versies three thousand years ago
 This trouble throughout Christen- dom was directly inspired of Satan. He saw that too much good was being done Recruits were being gathered by hundreds of thousands to the Gos pei standard The victories for God and the truth were too uea, together. Too many churches were being dedi cated. Too many ministers were be ing ordained Too many I,hilanthropie< were being fostcred. Too many souls were being saved. It had been dull time in the neither world. and the ar rivals were too few.
 So Satan one day rose upon his throne and said. ''Ye powers of dark ness, hearr And al! tt, as,' down the caverns the cry w;> ilta,' Hearr Satan said There is that American l board of commissioners for foreign missions. It n,ist either be demolished or crippled, or the first thing you know l theY N i'll laXe Ill niltluns brought t6