Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1891-06-26
REV. Or. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S sun
DAY SERMON.
SUBJECT: 1.-THE BATTLE OF CREFDs." "


ing III between contestants; of taking part
in the antagonisms of others; OF Joining in
nights which they ought TO shun. They do
no good TO Others aud get damage for them
selves. he compares il to the heeNperiment of
taking dog by the ears. Nothing SO irri-
tates CANNES as to be ciutched by the lugs.
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 car, and he will
take you with his teeth. In all tho history
OF kennels no intelligent or spirited dog will
stand that Now" says Solomon, you 60
into quarrels or controversies that are not
yours and you will get lacerated and torn
and bitten. He that passcth by and med
dleth with strife belonging not to him is like
one that taketh dog by the ears'n
lhis is the time OF resounding ecclesiastical
quarrel. Never within your memory or
mine has the air been SO full OF missiles,
The Presbyterian Church has on hand a con-
troversy so great that 1t finds it prudent TO
postpone its settlement for at least one more
year, hoping that something will turn up.
Somebody might die or new general assem-
Oily may have grace to handle the exciting
questions. The Episcopal Church has cast
out tome recalcitrants, and its digestive or
gans are taxed to the utmost in trying to as
similate others. 'Shqll women preachg'
"Or be sent as dee-ate3 to conferencesY'
are questions that have put many of
our Methodist brethren on tho anxious
seat. And the waters in some Of the great
haptlstries are troubled waters Because OF
the controversies throughout ChriStendom
the air Is now like au August afternoon
about five O'clock when it has been steaminx
hot all day, and clouds are gathering, and
there are lions OF thunder with grumbling
voices and flashing eyes coming forth from
their cloudy lars, and people are waiting
for the full burst Of the tempest. am not
much OF a weather prophet, but the clouds
look TO me mostly like wind clouds 1t may
be a big blow, but hope it will soon be
over. In regard TO tho Battle OF the Creecls,
am every day asked about it. | want TO
make 1t so plain this morning what think
that no one will ever ask again.
Let those who are jurymen In the case-I
mean those who in the different ecclesiasti-
cal courts have the questions put directly
before then-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 de-
nominations who before tho present acerbity
were good and kind and useful, now seem al
most swearing mad. These brethren notice
always open their violent meetings with
prayer before devouring each other, thus
saying Grace before meat They have moral
hydrophobia that makes US think they have
taken dog by tho ears. They never read
the lmprecatory Psalms OF David with such
rest as since the Briggs and Newton and
MacC9ueary and Bridgman and Brooks ques-
tions got into full swing. May the rams of
the sheepfold soon have their horns sawed
OIL Before the controversies are settled q
good many ministers will, through what they
~ol lt,,, - .l--l ~
fidelity, 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 thou
sand years ago.
This trouble throughout Christendom
was directly inspired by Satan. He saw
that too much good was being done. Re
crults were being gathered by hundreds OF
thousands to the Gospel standard. The
victories for God and tho truth were too
near together. Too many churches were
being dedicated. Too many ministers were
being ordained. Too many philanthropies
were being fostered. Too many souls were
being saved. 1t had been dull time in the
nether 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 Hear" Satan said: There is that
American Board OF Commissioners for For
eign Missions 1t must either be dem olishel
or crippled, or the first thing YOU know they
will have all nations brought TO God Apo!.
lyon the Younger! You go up to Andover
and get the professors to discussing whether
the heather can be saved without the Cos.
pei. Divert them from the work of missions
and get them in angry convention in
room at Young's hotel, Boston, and
hHy hn 4 81
foreign missions will be gloriously ans
magnlfcently injured. Diabolus the Youn,
ger! You go up and get Union Theological
Seminary of New York and the genera
assembly of the Presbyterian Church at De
truit at swords points and diverted from tn,
work OF making earnest ministers Of religion
and turn that old Presbyterian Church
which has been keeping us out OF customer:
for hundreds of years, into splendid pan
demonium on a small scale. Abaddon til,
| Third You 60 up and assault that old Epis
copal Church, which has been storming tht
heavens for centuries with the sublimes
prayers that were ever uttered-churcl o
Bishop Leighton, Bishop White and Bishop
Mcllvaue, and get that denomination discuss
ing men instead OF discussing the eternities
Abaddon the Fourth You 60 up to that oil
Methodist Church. which has, through he
revival, sent millions TO heaven which W
would otherwise nave added to our popuIa
ton: the church of Wesley and MATTHEW
Simpson, against which we have an especia
grudge, and get them SO absorbed in discuss
ing whether women shall take part in he
conference that they shall not have so mucl
time to discuss how many SONS and daughter
she will take to glory"
What amazes me most is that all peopl
| do not see that the entire movement at thi
/ oil t,rta DO,
! OF the Internal attacks are sly and hiddei
and strategic and SO ingenious that the,
are not easily discovered. But here is
bold and uncovered attempt of the power
/ OF darkness to split up the churches TO ge
ministers to take each other by the throat
TO make religion a laughing stock Of cart
and hell, to leave the Bible with no NOR
respect or authenticity thaa an old alnana
OF 1922, which told what would be th
change OF weather six months ahead an
In what quarter of the month it is best I
plant turnps. In word, the effort is t
stop the evangelization of the world.
seems to mo very much like this: There ha
been railroad accident and many ar
wounded and dying. There are severt
drug stores near the scene of casualty. A
the doctors and druggists are needed an
needed right away. Bandages, stimulant.
anRsthetcs, medicines of all Sorts Wha
are the doctors and druggists doingP D
cussing the contents Of some old bottles o
the top shelf, bottles Of medicine whic
some doctors and druggists mixed two :
three hundred years ago. Come doctors
Come druggistsr cry the people, "and hel
these wounded and dying that are bein
brought from the timbers of the crushed ra
train. In little while 1t will be too lat,
Come for Gods sake Come right away
"No," says the doctor mot until we hny
settled whether tho medicine on that to
shelf was rightly mixed. say thel
were too many drops Of laudnnum in 1t, an
this other man says there were too man
drops OF campfire we must get this que
tiou settled before we can attend to the raj
road accident"
And one doctor takes another doctor b
the collar and pushes him back against Il
counter, and one Of the druggists says, g
you will not admit that I am right abol
that one bottle will smash every bottle
your apothecary store" aud no proceeds
smash. Meanwhile, on the lower shell
plainly marked and within easy reach q
all the medicines needed for the helping