The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-08-10
MARCHING ON.
An Eloquent Sermon by Rev. T,
Dewitt Talmage,
Mov ON His European Tour-He Shows
That Church Certificate Is the
Best Recommendation
Ono Gan Have.


March," the text being chosen from
Solomon's Song, vi, 10: "Fair as the
moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as
an army with banners.
The fragrance Of spikenard, the fash
Of jewels, the fruitfulness of orchards,
the luxpriance Of gardens, the beauty
Of Heshbon fishpools, the dew Of the
! night, and the spfendor Of the morning
all contribute to the richness of Solo
mons style when he comes to speak Of
the glory Of the church. In contrast
with bis eulogipm of the church, look
OF the denunciatary things that are
said in our day in regard to 1t. If one
atockholder becomes cheat, does that
destroy the whole company? If one
soldier be coward, does that condemn
the whole army? And yet there are
many in this day so unphilosophic, SO
Illogical, so dishonest and so unfair as
10 denounce the entire church of God
because there are here and there bad
men belonging to it. There are those
who say that the church of God is not
up to the spirit Of the day in which we
live: but have to tell you that, not
withstanding all the swift Wheels and
the flying shuttles and the lightning
communications, the world has never
yet been able to keep up with the
church. As high as God is above man,
so high is the church Of God-higher
than all human institutions From her
lamp the best discoveries Of the world
have been lighted. The best Of our in
ventors have believed In the Christian
religion--the Fultons, the Morses, the
Whltneys, the Perrys and the Living
stones She has owned the best Of the
telescopes and Leyden jars; and while
infdelity and atheism have gone blind
folded among the most startling dis
coveries that were about to be devel-
oped, the earth and the air and the sea
have made quick and magnificent re-
sponses to Christian philosophers.
The world will not beup to the church
Of Christ until the day when all mer-
chandise has become honest merchan-
disc, and all governments have become
free governments, and all nations evan
gelized nations, and the last deaf ear Of
spiritual death shall be broken open by
the million-voiced shout of nations born
in day. The church that Nebuchad-
nezzar tried to burn in the furnace, and
Darius to tear to pieces with the lions,
and Lord Clavenhouse TO cut with the
sword, has gone on, wading the floods
and enduring the fire, until the deepest
barbarism, and the fercest cruelties
and the blackest superstitions have
been compelled to look to the east, cry
ing: "Who is she that looketh forth as
the morning, fair as the moon, clear as
the sun, and terrible as an army with
banners?"
Yet there are people who are ashamed
TO belong to the church of Christ, and
II you ask them whether they are in
such associations, they say: "Yes, ]
sometimes attend the church," instead
Of realizing the fact that there Is no
honor compared with the honor of
being member Of the church of God.
I look back with Joy to the most hon
ored moment OF my life, when In the
old country meeting house the minister
Of Christ announced my name as fol-
lower Of the Lord.
You who are floating about in the
world, seeking for better associations,
why do you not Join yourself TO some of
the churches2 An old sea captain was
riding in the cars toward Philadelphia,
and young man sat down beside him.
He said: "Young man, where are you
going9" 81 am going TO Philadelphia
10 live," replied the young man. Have
you letters OF introduction" asked the
old captian. "Yes," said the young
man, and he pulled some Of them out
"Well," said the old sea captain.
''haven't you q church certifcate?"
30, yes" replied the young man, II
didn't suppose you would want to look
at that" yes" said the sea captain,
81 want 10 see that As soon as you
get TO Philadelphia present II to some
Christian church. am an old sailor,
and have been up and down In the
world, and it's my rule soon IA get
into port TO fasten my ship fore and aft
10 the wharf, although It may cost
little wharfage, rather than have my
ship out in the stream floating hither
and thither with the tide"
0men and women, by the tides Of
frivolity, and worldliness swept this
way and that way, seeking for associa-
tions and for satisfactions for the i'm
mortal soul; come into the church of
Jesus Christ Lash fast TO her. She
is the pillar and the ground OF truth.
propose tospeak of the threefold glory
Of the church as 1t is described In the
text:
First, ''Fair us the moon" God who
has determined that everything shall be
beautiful In It's season, has not left the
night without charm. The moon rules
the night The stars are only set as
gems In her tiara Sometimes before
the sun has gone down the moon mounts
her throne, but II is after nightfall that
she sways her undisputed scepter over
Island and continent river and sea.
Under her shining the plainest maple
leaves become shivering silver, the lakes
from shore TO shore look like shining
mirrors, and the ocean under her
glance with great tides come up pant
ing upon the beach, min Cling, as II
were, foam and fire.
Under the witchery Of the moon, the
awful sleeps lose their ruggedness, and
the chasms their terror. The poor man
blesses God for throwing so cheap
light through the broken window-pane
oil his cabin, and to the sick II seems
like q light from the other shore that
bounds this great deep Of human pain
-. ILL., -. =. A. II