The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-12-07
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "The Truth About Russia =

fct(ied, then are not ar Gtd 10 SpeoH ep"'
of dignit,eS. Peter il. TO-
Among most repreheusible crew Peter
here paints by one stroke the Portrais Oh
those who delight to slash at people IN au-
thority. Now We all have right 10 criti-
else evil behavior, whether in high places or
low, but the fact that one is high up Ii NO
proof that he ought to be brought down.
1t is bad streak of human nature now, as
It was in the time of the text q bad streak
of human nature, that succ 'ss OF any KIND
excites the jealous autipathy OF those WOO
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 hal
saw and hammer ready to fashion cross
on which to assassinate Him. ,.
Out of this evil spirit grow not only mai
yidual but national and international def
amatiop. To no country has more inJustlce
been done than to our own in days that are
past. Long before "Martn ChuzzlewitE was
printed the literature of the world scofred at
everythipr American. Victor Hugo, as
honest as he was unequaled in literary
power, was so misipformed 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 DTS OF
wood, because it they did not they would
whittle the ship. In court, at the most
critical moment, the ju ge, whiting, says:
Prisoner, are you guilty? and the accused
TRANQUILITY responds, whiting, I am no1
guilty." H. ,.,,.
bursting nationality" But our country mas
at last recovered from such caricature, and
ther e is not street in any city OF Europe
or Asia where the wor 1 America" will not
win Difference. But there is a sister nation
on the other siCe of the sea now going
through the process Of international de am
alton. There is no country on earth so mis-
understood as Russia, and nc monarch more
misrepresented than its emperor. wal II
not be in the cause of ju,tics il try to set
right the minds Of th ,se who comp se TINS
august assemblage and the minds OF those TO
whom, ON both sides Of the ocean, these
words shall come? If 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 mama of Righteousness, AMI In be-
half of civilization, and for the encourage
ment OF all those good people who have
been disbesrtened by the Scendalization OF
Russia, now speak. But Russia Is 80 vast
a subject that to treat it in ons discourse is
like attempting to run Niagara Falls over
one mill wheel. Do not think th 1t the verV
naked courtesies extended me by the em-
peror and empress of Russia have conph-
mented me into the advoc,c OF that EN-.
pire. for shall present you authenticated
facts that will llrevsrss your opinions, If they
have been antagonistic, as mine were re-
yersed.
went last summer to Russia with as
LII IL dinau yUnnIH a n
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? IaccOunt for 1t by the
fact that the Russian language is to most
An impossible wall. Malign the United
States or maligu Great Britain or Germany
or France, and by the next cablekram the
saisehood is exposed, for We all un 1erstand
English, and many Of our people are familiar
with German and French. But the Russian
language, beautiful aud easy to those born
to speak it. is to most vocal organs an un-
pronouncahlo tongue, and II at st. Peters-
burg or Moscow any snu-Russlan calumuy
were denied the most Of the world outside OF
Russia would never see or hear the denial.
What are the motives for misreprsseuta-
tions Commercial interests and interna-
tional jealously. Russia is as large as all
the rest o Europe put together. Remember
that nation is only a man or woman on
a big scale. Go into any neighborhood OF
America and ask the physician who has O.
small practice what he thinks of the physi-
clan who has large practice. Ask lawyer
who has no briefs what he thinks OF the law
YER who has three rooms filled with clerks
trying in vain to transact the superabundant
business that comes to him. Ask the minis.
ter who has q very limited au liencs what
he thinks OF the minister who has over
dowing audiences.
Why does not Europe like Russia. Be-
cause she has enough acreage to swallow all
Europe and feel she had only naIr 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 leo.
turers who have written or spoken against
Russia with falsehoo i" BY no means. You
can find in any city or nation evils innu ner-
able if YOU wish to discourse about them.
said at st. Petersburg to the most emf.
nent lady OF Russia outside of the imperial
family, "Are tno+e stories of cruelty and
outrage tnat have heard and read, about
true?" She replied: "No doubt some OF
them arc true, but do you not in America
ever have officers of the law cruel ami out
rageous in their treatment OF offenders? Do
you not have instances where the police
have ciubbed innocent persouss Have you no
instances where people in brief authority
act arrogantlys' I rsuiied, "Yes, we do, "
Then she said: "Why .oss the world hold
our government responsible for exceptional
outrages? As soon as an official Is found to
be cruel he Immediately loses his place."
Then bethought myself, Do the people In
America hold the Government OF WasnIng-
. 20, psshIo for ho HnunQefna6 rlQEQ or
for railroad instructions, or for the torch
Of the william that consumes a block ol
houses, or for the ruff Ans who arrest raj
train, making the passengers hold up their
arms until the poe ietS ara picked? why,
then hoit the emperor Of Russia, who Is as
impressive aud genial man as IhlVs ever
looked at or talked with, responsible for the
wrongs enacted in q nation with popula'
ton twice as large in numbers as the mill
ions of America Suppose ono monarch IN
Europe ruled over England, Scotlan1 Ire
land, Frauca. Germany, Spain, Italy, Aus
tria. Norway and Sweden.
Would it be fair to told the monarch re-
sponslble for all that occurred in that
mighty dominion: Now YOU must remem'
ber that Alexander the Taird reigns over
wider dominion than all those empires put
together. As nation is only man or o
woman on big scale, let me ask, would
you individually prefer to be ju igei by your
faults or your vir1u.s: AL people except
ourselves have faults.
The pessimist attempting to write your
biography would take you in your weaker
moods, and the picture Of you on the frs
page Of YOUR biography would be as you
looked after some meauness had been prac
ticed on you and you were tearing mad
Now, as I am an optimist, give you fai
warning that If ever write your biograph!
will take you as you looked the day you
tbsn Sou ever syer aptcnatsd an r per or the % mornnI
on your way to business after your first
child was born, or the morning after your
conversion, when heaven had rolled in on
your soul. The most accursed homunculio oil
all the earth ara the pessimists who