The southern argus. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kan.) 1891-1???, 1891-08-13
A POOR INVESTMENT.
DR.. Talmage breaches to the People
of Topeka, Kan.
The Value Of Earthly Reward as a Com
pensation For the Soul-The World a
Poor Creditor of MortaIs-Thc Only
Hope of Salvation. ~

W0otcln tflP Inc SUBJECT OF the ser
mon was. "A Poor Investment ant
the text Isaiah lii: 8: I'VE have solc
yourselves for nought; and We shall b,
redeemed without money" He said:
The Lords people had gone headlons
into sin, and as punishment they hac
been carried captive to Babylon. They
found that iniquity did not pay. Cyru.
seized Babylon, and felt so sorry fol
these poor captives that, without dol
lar OF compensation, he let them &c
nome. 80 that, literally, my text was
fulfilled: I'VE have sold yourselves fol-
nought; and We shall be redeemed with.
out money."
There is enough gospel in the text for
htty sermons. There are persons here
who have, like the people Of the text,
sold out. You do not seem to belong
either to yourselves or to God. The
title deeds have passed over to the
world, the flesh and the devil, but the
purchaser never paid up. i've have
sold yourselves for nought."
When man passes himself over to
the world he expects to get some ade-
quate compensation. He has heard the
great things that the world does for q
man, and he believes it. He wants
S25O,OOO That will be horses and
houses, and a summer resort and jolly
companionship To get it he parts
with his physical health by overwork.
he parts with his conscience. He parts
with much domestic enjoyment He
parts with opportunities for literary
culture. He parts with his soul And
SO ne makes over his entire nature to
the world. He does it in four install
ments. He pays down his first install
ment, and one-fourth of his nature is
gone. He pays down the second in
stallment and one-half Of his nature
ls gone. He pays down the third in
stalment, and three-quarters of his
nature are gone; and after many years
nave gone BY he pays down the fourth
installment, and 10! his entire nature is
gone. Then he comes up to the world
and says: Good morning, | have de-
lvercd to you the goods. have passed
over to you my body, my mind and my
soul and have come now to
collect the two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars" "Two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars?" saws
the world. "What do you mean?"
We'll, you say, II come to collect the
money you owe me and expect you to
fulfill your part Of the contract
but" says the world, II have failed.
1 am bankrupt | cannot possibly pay
that debt | have not for a long while
expected to pay it." "Well," YOU then
say, give me back the goods" 20,
no" says the world, ''they are all gone.
! cannot give them back to you" And
there you stand on the confines of eter-
nifty, your spiritual character gone,
staggering under the consideration that
you have sold yourself for nought."
tell you the world is liar; it does
not keep its promises 1t is cheat and |
y fieeces everything it can put its hands
on. 1t is bogus world 1t is 6,OOO- |
year-old swindle Even if it pays the |
S25O 600 for which You contracted it
pays them in bonds that will not be |
worth anything in little while. Just
as man may pay down $40, 600 in hard
cash and get for it worthless scrip, SO
the world passes over to you the $3.50, 600
IN that shape which will not be worth |
q farthing to you thousandth part Of
? Second after you are dead
Post mortem emoluments are Of no
use to you. The treasures Of this world
will not pass current in the future
world and if all the wealth Of the
Bank Of England were put in the pocket
Of your shroud, and you in the midst Of
the Jordan Of death were asked to paw
three cents for your ferriage, you could
not do it. There comes moment in
your existence beyond which all earth
" values fail; and many a man has
wakened up in such time to find that
be has sold out for eternity and has
nothing to show for it.
History tell us Of one who resolved
that he would have all his senses graft
ned at one and the same time, and he
expended thousands Of dollars on each
sense. He entered room, and there
were the first musicians of the land
pleasing his ear, and there were fine
pictures fascinating his eve, and there
we're costly aromatics RECALLING his nos
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md wines and fruits and CONNECTIONS.
pleasing the appetite, and there was a
sott couch of sinful indulgence on
which he reclined; and the man de-
cared afterward that he would give
len times what he had given if he could
nave one week Of such enjoyment, even
though he lost his soul by it! All! that
vas the rubl He did lose his soul by
\. Cyrus the conqueror thought for
little while that he was making a fine
ihlng out Of this world, and yet before
le came to his grave he wrote out this
oltiful epitaph for his monument: II
INA Cyrus. ! occupied the Persian en-
Pre-. was king over Asia. Begrudge :
ne not this monument" But the world |
= after years plowed up his sepulcher. ]
me world clapped its hands and
stamped its feet in honor Of Charles (
Lamb; but what does he say2 II walk
ip and down, thinking am happy, but /
ceiling am not" Call the roll, and be
luick about it. Samuel johnson, the
earned! Happy? No. | am afraid !
snail some day get crazy" William