Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-12-02
Kew. DR, TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE's SUN.
DAY SERMON.
SUBJECT: THE Truth ABOUT
RUSSIA

those who delight TO slash at psople in au-
thority. Now We all have a right to criti-
else evil behavior, whether in high places or
low, but the fact that one is high up is no
proof that he ought to be brought down.
IL Is a bad streak OF human nature now, as
1t was In the time OF the text bad streak
OF human nature, that success of any kind
excites the jealous antipathy Of those who
cannot Climb the same steep. There never
was David on the throne that there was
not some Absalom who wanted to get il.
There never was Christ but the world had
saw and hammer ready to fashion a cross
on which to assassinate Him
Out OF this evil spirit grow not only indi-
vidual but national and international def
amaton. Tono country has more injustice
been done than to our own in days that are
past. Long before Martin Chugzlewittr was
printed the literature Of the world scoffed at
everything American Victor Hugo. as
honest as he was unequaled in literary
power, was so misinformed concerning Amer.
lea that he wrote: The most singular thing
is the need OF whiting, with which all
Americans are possessed. 1t is such that on
Sunday they give the sailors little bits of
wood, because il they did not they would
whittle the ship. In court at the most
critical moment, the ju ige, whittllng, says:
Prisoner, are you guiltYY aud the accused
TRANQUILITY responds, whiting, 4 am not
guilty."
Lord John Russell called us "a bubble
bursting nationality" But our country has
at last recovered from such carlcature, and
there is not street in any city of Europe
or Asia where the worl America" will not
W n Difference. But there is a sister nation
on the other siGe of the sea now going
through the process of International defam.
alton. There Is no country ON earth 30 mis-
understood as Russia, and no monarch more
misrepresented than its emperor. win il
not be in the cause of justice il | try to SET
right the minds OF those who compose this
august assemblage and the minds of those to
whom, on both sides of the ocean. these
words shall come? II the slander OF one
person is wicked, then the slander of one
hundred and twelve million people is one
hundred and twelve million times more
wicked.
In the name OF Righteousness, AMI in be-
half of civilization, and for the encourage
ment OF oil those gooi people who have
been disheartened by the standardization of
Russia, | now speak. But Russia Is so vast
a subject that to treat it in one discourse is
like attempting TO run Niagara Falls over
one mil wheel. Do not think that the very
naked courtesies extended me by the em-
peror and empress of Russia have compii-
Bented me into the advocacy Of that en-
pire. for | shall present you Authenticated
facts that will lreverse your opinions, il they
have been antagonistic as mine were re-
! versed
! went last summer to Russia with as
many baleful prejudicaS as would make an
avalanche from the mountain Of fabrication
which has for years been heaped up against
that empire. You ask how Is it possible
that such appalling Misrepresentation OF
| Russia could stand? acc )unt for 1t by the
| fact that the Russian language is to most
an impossible wall. MaIign the United
States or malign Great Britain or Germany
or France, and by the next cablegram the
falsehood is exposed, for We all understand
| English, and many of our people are familiar
with German and French. But the Russian
| language, beautiful and easy to those born
! TO speak it, is to most vocal organs an uu-
pronouucablo tongue, and II at st. Peters
burg or Moscow any anti-Russian calumny
were denied the most Of the world outside OF
| Russia would never see or hear the denial.
What are the motives for misrepresenta-
| ton? Commercial interests aud interna-
tional jealously. Russia is as large as all
the rest o. Europe put together. Remember
| that a nation Is only man or woman ON
a big scale. Go into any neighborhood OF
| America and ask the physician who has
| small practice what he thinks of the physi-
clan who has large practice. Ask lawyer
! VINO has no briefs what he thinks OF the law
| yer who has three rooms filled with clerks
| irving In vain to transact the superabundant
business that comes to him. Ask the minis
ter who has very limited au lience what
he thinks OF the minister who has over
flowing audiences.
Why does not Europe like Russlas Be-
cause she has enough acreage to swallow all
Europe and feel she had only half meal.
Russia is as long as North and South America
put together. "But" says some one do
you mean to charge the author and the lee
! turers who have written or spoken against
Russia with falsehooif' By no means You
can find in any city or nation evils innumer-
able il you wish TO discourse about them.
sal at St Petersburg to the most emi.
nent lady OF Russia outside Of the imperial
family. aAre those stories OF cruelty and
| outrage that have heard aud read about
trueP She replied. "No doubt some OF
them are true, but do you not In America
ever have officers of the law cruel and out
rageous In their treatment OF oRendersF DO
| YOU not have instances where the ponce
have c,ubbed innocent personsH Have you no
instances where people in brief authority,
act arrogantlyF' / replied, YES, we dc" "
Then she said: "Why does the world hold
our government responsible for exceptional
| outragesp AS soon as an official Is founu 70
be cruel he Immediately loses his place..
Then bethought myself, Do the people III
America hold the Government OF Washing-
ton responsible for the Homestead riots or
for railroad instructions, or for the torcn
| of the william that consumes block OF
houses. or for the rufflans who arrest ran
train. making the passengers hold up theif
| arms until the poe tets are pickedf Why,
then hold the emperor OF Russia, VINO Is as
impressive and genial man as have ever
looked at or talked with, responsible Tor tne
wrongs enacted in nation with a popuia'
tion twice rs large Ia numbers as the m'i..
ions of Americat Suppose one monarch IN
Europe ruled over England, Scotlanf !, Ire
land, Frauce, Germany, Spain, Italy, Aus
tria, Norway and Sweden.
Would it be fair to hold tho monarch re-
snonsible for all that occurred In thai
,pightv dominiouP Now you must rsmem'
her tbat Alexander the Third reigns over
wider dominion than all those empires put
together, As a nation is only man or
woman on a big scale, let me ask, woulo
you individually prefer TO oe Juagen oy yout
faults or your virtuas2 All people except
The pessimist Attempting to write you'
biography would take you In your weaker
moods and the picture Of you on the mrs
nage of your biography would be as you
too(ed after some meannes5 had been prae
ticsd on you and you were tearing mad
Now as am an optimst l give you fai
warning that IL ever write your biograph,
will take you as you looked the day you
dividend came in twenty per cent. large
than you ever anticipated, or tho mornin
on your way to business after your frs
child was born, or the morning after you
conversion, when heaven had rolled in OF
vour soul. The most accursed homuncuii
ali the earth are the pessimtsts, VINO
whether they Judge Individual or nationf
character, and whether they WELD tongu
or uen. are filled with anathematiEatior
and who have more TO say about tho freokle
on the cheek of beauty than OK the sunris'
and sunsets that flush It.
It is most important that this countr
have right ideas concerning Russia, 10
among all the nations this side OF heavs
Russia Is Americas best friend. There %
NOT been an hour In the last seventy .6S
Eoe 80. - u e.. a.