National Baptist world., 1894-09-28
GOOD DEEDS.
Dr. Talmage Tells How to Bring
Sinners Into the Church.
Too Much Show and Glittering Nothing
ingness in the Religion of the Day
The Great Object Should Be
to Reach the Masses.

The latest sermon given out through
the press by Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage
was on the subject Of ''Holy Compul
sion," the text being from Luke xiv.
%: "And compel them to come in"
Following is the sermon:
''The plainest people in our day have
luxuries which the Kings and queens of
olden times never imagined. l walked
up and down the stairs of Holyrood
palace-a palace that was considered
one of the wonders of the world-and
| said: Can it be possible that this is
all there was Of this reputed wonder
full place?" And this is the case
in many other instances. There
are fruits in Westchester county
and on Long Island farms far
better than the pomegranates and
apricots of Bible times. Through all
the ages there have been scenes of fes-
tivity, and the wealthy man of my text
plans a great entertainment, and in
vites his friends. If one buys an ex-
quisite picture, he wants his friends to
come and appreciate it; and it was
laudable thing when the wealthy man
of my text, happy himself, wanted to
make other people happy. And so the
invitations went out; but something
went very much wrong. You can i'm
agine the embarrassment of any one
who has provided a grand feast when
he finds out that the guests invited do
not intend to come. There is nothing
that so provokes the master of the
feast as that.
Well, these people invited to this
great banquet of the text made most
frivolous excuses. The fact was,
suppose, that some of them were Of
Tended that this man had succeeded so
much better in the. world than they
had There are people in all occupa-
tions and professions who consider 1t a
wrong to them that anybody else is ad-
vanced. | suppose these people invited
to the feast said among themselves:
''NVe are not going to administer to
that mans vanity, he is proud enough
now; we won't go; beside that, we
could all give parties if we made our
money the way that man makes his
So when the messengers went out
with the invitations there was unanl-
nous refusal. One man said: "Oh, l
have bought farm and must go and
look at it!'' He was a land speculatOr,
and had no business to buy land until
he knew about it. A frivolous excuse.
Another man said: Il have bought five
woke of oxen" The prolk Jllity is he
was speculator in n Ce stock. he
ought to have know about the oxen
before he bought then. Besides that
if he had been very anxious to get tc
the feast, he could nave hooked them
up and driven them on the road there
Another frivolous excuse. Another
man said: ssCn, | have married wife
.-~ans1sIzeazaa Gomez when if he had sale
to his wife: II have an invitation to 6
splendid dinner; it is highly compli
mentary to me; I should very much
like to go; will you go along with me?'
60" Another frivolous excuse. The
fact was they did not want to go.
"Now," said the great man of th'
feast, will not be defeated in thi
matter; have with an honest PURPOSE
provided banquet, and there ar
scores of people who would like t.
come if they were only invited. Here
nv man, here, you go out, and Whel
YOU find blind man, give him your arr
and fetch him in: and when you find
lame man, give him crutch and fetc
him in: and when you find poor mar
tell him that there is plate for hir
in my mansion; and when you fin
some one who is so ragged and wretch
ed that he has neved been invited any
where, then, by the lsindest tendernes
and most loving invitation any one eve
had, compel him to come in"
Oh, my friends, it requires no acute
ness on my part, or on your part, to Sc
in all this affair that religion is ban
uuet The table was set in Palestin
good many years ago, and the dl
ciples gathered around it, and the
thought they would have a good tim
all sy themselves, but while they ss
this table the leaves began to gro
and spread, and one leaf went to tt
east and another leaf went TO the Yves
until the whole earth was covered u
with them, and the clusters from tt
heavenly vineyard were piled up
the board, and the trumpets and harl
of eternity made up the orchestra, an
as this wine of God is pressed to tt
lips Of SHINING, bleeding, suffering
dying, groaning world, voice breal
from the heavens, saying. 'Drink, O
friends; yea, drink, oh beloved" O.
blessed Lord Jesus, the best friend
ever had, the best friend any man ev
had, was there ever such table? WI
there ever such banquet?
From the cross uplifted high,
Where the Saviour deigns to die,
What melodious sound hear
Bursting on the ravished ear,
Heavens redeeming work is done,
Come and welcome; sinner, come.
Religion is joyous thing. do n
want to hear anybody talk about
ligion as though it were a funeral.
do not want anybody to whine in Il
PRAYER meeting about the kingdom
God. do not want anybody to roll
his eyes, giving in that way eviden
of his sanctity. The men and wom'
of God whom l happen to know, for Il
most part, find religion great JOY.
is exhilarating to the body. 1t is
vigorating to the mind. 1t is raptu
to the soul. 1t is balm for all wouno
Il g L E1~~I