Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-05-17


tiAn Religion-A Few Words of Fare
: wcll-His Few Months Absence.
BRooKLYN May 13.-rho Tabernacle
was crowded to the doors today when Rev.
DIR. Talmagc took for the subject of his
forenoon sermon a passage of Scripture
which has been made the subject of much
discussion and various Interpretation 10y
modern thcolocans His theme was, "A
Cheerful Church - and the text was Sc
lcctcd from Solomon's Song iv, l, BE
hold thou art fair. my love"
Higher criticism says that this book
of ~olomun's song is a love scene, for
lorn maiden signing for her beau. II SO, it
il an uhccun and dchauched uttcrance in
sorted in the pure word Of God and is not
fit FOR common readisg. My opinion is
that it is an inspired ode setting forth the
feeling of Christ toward the church and of
the church toward Christ. Christ is the
bridegroom. and the church is the bride
The same words We can utter today truth
fully whether in regard to the church of
God i'm general or this church in particular,
Behold. thou art fair my love Tho
pa. week has been one of prolonged con
graduation for that We have for - years
been permitted to associate with each 9th
or in the relation OF pastor and pecpla.
When / came to Brooklyn. found a small
band of Christian disciples who from vari-
Gus causes he'd become less and less until
they stood upon the very verge of oxtinc-
ton as a church. and the question was
being ngitatcd from time to time whether
il would be possible TO maintain n church
life longer Indeed had not those mon and
womon been consccratcd and earnest they
would have surrendered to thc adverse cir
curnstancos They marshacd a congrcga-
onal meeting and gathering up all the
forces possible they cast lQvote~ for pas
tor. ali OF which I anu happy TO have re-
ccivcd
Tho Tabernacle Defined.
II wa, not through any spirit of personal
courage or reckless adventure that was led
from one Of the warmcst and most conren-
fal pastoratas i'm PHILADELPHIA that a man
Iycr cnioy,d to this then most uninvitinr
field. hun it was the feeling that God had
called mo to the work. and wa, sure he
would .op me tLrough.
I have Thought that it might he prufta
biz to- us 10 state briefly what Kind of a
church we have been trying to establish.
In the first place. | remark that we have
been trying to buiid here Christian
church, dlstinctiyely >uch--in other words,
Lord Jesus Christ and him crucinrd
My theology is all gone into five letters
Jesus. Jesus. the pardon Of all oiIcnscs.
Jesus, the foundation for all structures.
Jesus, the balm for all wounds Jesus,
the eve salyC FOR all blindness Jesus, the
guide through all Gvrpl,xities. Jesus. the
hope for ali al ccuragcmCnts. Jesus, the
reform for all wrongs. ! have faith to be-
licVC that there il more power in one drop
of the blood Of Jesus Christ to euro the
woes of the world than in nm ocean full OF
human qua. kerry. Jesus is the grandcst
note in any min,trc,y He is the bright
Cst gem in any crown. Height overlapping
all height. The center Of every circumfcr
enCc The circumference to every center
The paciiior OF all turbulence. Tho UNI
pirc of all disputes Jesus! Jesus! Al
his table all nations are to sit Around
hi, throne all worlds are to rcvolyn. II,
is to be the irradiation of the universe
Jesus! Jesus! 1t is that truth that VT
have tried to preach in this Tabernacle.
4 Broad Creed.
DO Won ask more INFINITELY what we he
liryc? | can tell YOU. We have no dry
withercd iuicclcss theology. We beliey,
in God, tie Father Almightv. maker o.
heaven and earth. the dciiycrer of the dis
trcsscd. the home fer the homeless. TN,
friend for The frieudlcs4. We bclicye il
Jesus Christ. able 10 save 10 the uttcrmost
hardening the .rliIrv. inluutinl, hi, ripht
cousne,, tothc believer. We believe i'm tn,
Holy Ghost. the comforter. the sanctificr
cheering up the heart in li(p'sillsan kin
ding bright light. in every dark Iandin.
place. We believe that The whole race il
SO sunken in sin thatuotbino hIIt the ON
nipotcut arm of God can ever lift it out. w,