Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-02-04
GODS DAUGHTER.
Dr. TalmaSe Discourses on the
Christian Religion.
"A Daughter of Gud That Walks In the
Sunshine -''fier Ways Arc Ways OF
ieasantness''-Why Christians
Should 10 Happy.

being, Proverbs iii II: "IIer ways are
ways of pleasantness." Dr. Talmage
said:
You have all heard of Gods only be-
gotten son. Have you heard of Gods
daughter? She was born in Heaven.
She came down over the hills OF our
world. She had queenly step On her
brow was celestial radiance. Her voice
was music Her name is Religion. My
text introduces her. "Her ways arc
WAYS of pleasantness, and all her paths
arc peace"
But what is religion? The fact is
that theological study has had differ.
ent effect upon me from the effect
sometimes produced. Every year
tear ont another leaf from my theology
until have only three or four leaves
left In other words, q very brief and
plain statement of Christian belief.
An aged Christian minister said:
"When was a young man, / knew
everything; when got to be S. years
of age in my ministry had only hun
dred doctrines of religion; when / got
to be 40 years of age, / had only fifty
doctrines of religion; when l got TO be
90 years of age, had only ten doctrines
OF religion; and now l am dying ut Is
years of age, and there is only one
thing ! know, and that is, that Christ
JESUS came into the world to save sim
ners." And so l have noticed in the
study of Gods word, and in my contem-
plation of the character of God and OF
the eternal world, that it is necessary
for me TO drop this part of my belief
and that part of my belief as being non
essential, while cling to the one great
doctrine that man is "a sinner, and
Christ is his Almighty and Divine Saw
Jour.
Now, take these three or four leaves
of my theology and find that in the
first place and dominant above all 9th
ers is the sunshine of religion. When
/ go into room l have "a passion for
throwing open all the shutters. That
Is what want to do this morning We
are apt to throw so much of the sepul-
chral into our religion and to close the
shutters and to pull down the blinds
that it is only through here and
there crevice that the light streams.
The religion of the Lord Jesus Christ is
a religion of joy indescribable and I'M
utterable. Wherever can find bell l
mean TO ring it.
In setting forth this idea the doni-
nant theory of religion is one of sun
shine. hardly know where to begin
for there are so many thoughts that rush
upon my soul.
First o: all, find great deal of
sunshine in Christian society.
! do not know of anything more dole
tA than the companionship of the
mere funmakers of the world-the
Thomas Hoods, the Charles Lambs, the
Charles Matthews of the world-the
men whose entire business it is to make
sport. They rOake Others laugh, but If
you will examine their autobiography,
or biography, you will find that down
in their soul there was a terrific dis
quietude. Laughter is no sign of hap
pinesS The maniac laughs. The hy-
ena laughs The loon among the
Adirondaclxs laughs. The drunknrd,
dashing his decanter against the wall,
laughs.
There is terrible reaction from all
sinful amusement and sinful merri-
ment Such men are cross the next
day. They snap at You on exchange or
they pass you, not recognizing you.
Long ago quit merely worldly society
for the reason it was dull, so inane and
so stupid My nature is voracious Of
joy. must have it.
/ always walk on the sunny side OF
the street, and for that reason have
crossed over into Christian society. i
like their mode of repartee better;
like their style of amusement better.
They live longer. Christian people,
sometimes notice, live on when by all
natural law they ought to have died.
Put ten or twelve Christian people in
room for Christian conversation, and
you will from 8 to 10 o'clock hear more
resounding glee, see more bright
strokes of wit and find more thought
and profound satisfaction, than in any
merely worldly party.
Oyoung man! come from the country
to spend your days in city life, where
are you going to spend your evenings?
Let me tell you, while there are many
places of innocent worldly amusement,
it is most wise for you TO throw your
body, mind and soul into Christian So
.ciety. Come to me ut the close Of five
years and tell me what has been the re-
-sult of this advice Bring with you the
young man who refused to take the ad-
vice, and who went into sinful amuse-
.ment He will come dissipated, shabby
in apparel, indisposed to look anyone
in the eyes, moral character IS per
cent of. You will come with priu-
ciple settled, countenance frank, habits
good, soul saved, and all the inhabit-