The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-07-07
"A CHEERFUL CHURCH.
rev. Dr. Talmage Lays DUvn Some
Excellent Precepts
IS to How to Keep the Church Cheerful
and at the Same Time Preserve
the Fear and Love of God
"A Prayer for Mercy.

"A prayer IOr merry.
The following sermon was delivered
by Rev. Il. Dewitt Talmage to con-
gregation that filled every nook of the
Brooklyn tabernacle, and which had
barely been dismissed when fire once
more deprived the church of a house
of worship. The subject was: "a
Cheerful Church." and the text:
Behold thou art fair. my love.-Solomon's
Song. w.. l.
Higher criticism" says that this
book of Solomon's Song is love scene,
forlorn maiden signing for her beau.
If SO, it is an unclean and debauched
utterance inserted in the pure Word of
God, and is not fit for common reading.
My opinion is that it is an inspired ode,
setting forth the feeling of Christ to-
ward the Church and of the Church to-
ward Christ. Christ is the bridegroom,
and the Church is the bride. The same
words we can utter to-day truthfully,
whether in regard to the Church OF
God in general or this Church in par
ticular: BEHOLD, thou art fair, my
one of prolonged congratulation for
that we have for twenty-five years
been permitted to associate with each
other in the relation of pastor and peo-
ple When came to Brooklyn / found
a small band of Christian disciples who
from various causes had become less
and less, until they stood upon the
very verge of extinction as church,
and the question was being agitated
from time to time whether it would be
possible to maintain church life
longer. Indeed, had not those men
and women been consecrated and
earnest, they would have SURRENDERED
to the adverse circumstances. They
marshaled congregational meeting,
and, gathering up all the forces posi-
bic, they cast 10 votes for pastor, all
of which am happy to have received.
1t was not through any spirit of per-
sonal courage or reckless adventure
that led me, from one of the warmest
and most cengenial pastorates in Phil
adelphia that man ever enjoyed, to
this most uninviting field; but it was
the feeling that God had called me to
the work, and | was sure that He would
see me through.
/ have thought that it might be
profitable to us to state briefly what
kind of church we have been trying
| to esta blish.
In the first place, / remark that we
have been trying to build here Chris
tan church,; distinctively such; in
other words, church where we should
preach the Lord Jesus Christ and Him
crucificd. My theology is all gone into
! five letters-Jesus. Jesus, the pardon
OF all offenses. Jesus. the foundation
of all structures Jesus, the balm OF
all wounds. Jesus, the eyesalve for
all blindness. Jesus, the guide through
all pcrplexities. Jesus, the hope for
all Heterogeneous. Jesus. the reform
| for all worngs. l have faith to be.
live that there is more power
in one drop of the blood OF
Jesus Christ to cure the woes OF
The world than in an ocean full of hui
man euackery. Jesus is the grandest
note in any minstrelsy. He is the
brightest gem in any crown. The cen
ter of every circumference. The cir
conference of everyseenter. The paci
fer of all turbulence. The umpire OF
all disputes Jesus! Jesus! At His
table all nations are to sit Around
this throne all woelds are to revolve
He is to be the irradiation of the uni
verse. Jesus! Jesus! 1t is that truth
that we have tried to preach in thi:
tabernacle.
Do you ask more infinitely what VIZ
believe? / can tell you. We have NJ
dry, withered, juiceless theology. W.
believe in God, the Father Almighty
/ maker of Heaven and earth, the deliv
erer of the distressed, the home for thu
homeless, the friend for the friendless
4 We believe in Jesus Christ, able to saw
to the uttermost, pardoning the guilty
imputing the righteousness to the be
lever. We believe in the Holy Ghost
the comforter. the sanctifier, cheering
up the heart in life's ills, ant
l}1kindling bright lights in ever.
\ dark landing place. We believ
4 that the - whole race is s.
sunken in sin that nothing but tn
omnipotent arm of God can ever lift |
out. We believe in graee-frec grace
! sovereign grace, triumphant grace
|, eternal grace. We believe in Bible
authentic in it's statements, immacu
late in its teachings, glorious in it
,, promises. We believe in Heaven, tn
abode of the righteous; and in he'll
the residence of those who are SOU
. suicides-of their own free choice re
fusing the divine mercy. We believe i
! the salvation of all men who accep
Christ by faith, be they sprinkle
s, or immersed, worship they in caths
.. dral or in log cabin, believe they i
Presbyterianism or Episcopacy, dive
they under Italian skies or in Siberia
snow storms, be they Ethiopian {
American. All one in Christ. on
Lord, one. faith. We built the taber
: nacle for the purpose of setting fort
these great theories of the Gospel {
the Son Of God. Would that we ha
been more faithful in the pulpi
Would that we had been more fsitl
: ful in the pew.
remark, further. that we have trie
here to build church distinctively al
conventional Instead of asking. I
some people are disposed to do. no
other people do it, we have asked II
question how people do not do It IN
perious. custom has decided tn;
: churches shall be angular, cherries