The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-04-19
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
,uy BROOKLYN DivINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "fIomc Religion"

| Tr1r. "Re'HI'p ~ Thine otcn house dni
,tis Lo,r great hiags God hath done unto
se."-Lrke Will, 80.
,eer nerce and shpwrecking night
ch,is, and His disciples are climbing M tho
.s,y shelving OF the beach. How pleasant
4 /: TO stand on solid ground after having
Saen tossed so long on tho billows While
me disciples are congratulatiDg each other
:, their marine escape out from n dark,
deap cavern on the Gadarene hills thera IL
scmething swiftly and terribly advancing
Il n an apparationY II Is a maniac who has
h,oken away from his keepers. perhaps u
,sv rags ON his person and fragments nj
sout shaekles which he has wrenched OFT In
terrific pnroxysm. With wild yell and
bleeding wounds OF his own laceration he
ges down hill.
Back 20 the boats. we fishermen. and nut
on; 20 sea and escape assassination, But
Christ stands His ground 80 do the disciplcs
and ~ this flying fury. with gnashing teeth
and uplifted fists. dashes at Christ Christ
says "Hands OF Down at NV feet. thou
moor sufferer" And the demouiac drops
harmless. exhausted. worshipfui. "Awnv.
ye devils ~ commanded Christ. and the 20CO
fends which had been tormen,ing tho poor
man are transferred to the 1000 swine. which
20 10 sen with their accursed cnrgo,
The restored demoniac sits down at Chrst's
feet and wants 90 stay there. Christ says 10
him practically "Do not stop. You have
mission 10 execute. Wash on the iilth and
the wounds in the sea. smooth Your di-
sheyeled locks. Put on decent apparel and
60 straight to your desolated home and tell
your wife and children that you will no more
alright them and no more do them harm /;
that You ara restored Co reason. and that l.
the Omnipotent Son OF God am entitled hers
after to the worship OF your entire house
hold. Return TO thine own house and shew
how great things God hath done unto thee. ="
Yes, the house the home Is the first place
whore our. religious gratitude ought 10 be
demonstrated. In the outside world we may
seem 10 have religion when we nave It no.
but the home tests whether our religion j.
genuine or sham. What makes n happy
home?
Well. one would say house with great
wide halls. and nntlered deer heads. and
parors with sculpture, and bric-a.hrar. aud
dining hall with easy chair. and plenty Of
light, and engravings OF game on the wall
and sleeping apartments commodious and
adorned. No. In such place as that gi-
gantic wretchsdness has sometimes dwelt
while some OF you look back TO your fathers
house, where they read their Bible by the
light of n tallow candle There were no car
pets on the floor save those made from the
rags which your mother cut night by night
you helping wind them into ball, and then
shape under his slow shuttle. Not luxury
In all the house. But you cannot think OF II
this morning without fearful and grateful
emotion. Nou and have found out that IL
is not rich tapestry, or gorgeous architecture.
or rare art that makes nappy home.
The six wise men of Greece gave prescrp-
tlons for happy home. Solon says hap
py home Is place where a mans estate was
gotten without injustice. kept without dis
Guietude and spent without repentance.
Chilo says that happy home is the place
where man rules rs monarch u kingdom.
Bias says that happy homeis u placs where
IA man does voluntary what by law he is COM
pelled TO do abroad. But you aud under a
grander light give better prescription
happy home is the place where the kininess
of the gospel Of tue Son OF Gol has full
swir,.
WI lie speak this morning there Is knock
Tag a, your front door. IL He be not already
admitted one whose locks are wet with the
dews OF the night. VINO wouiu take your
children into His arms and would throw upon
your nursery, and your sleeping apartments.
and your drawing room. and your entire
house a blessing that will make You rich
while you live and be an Inheritance 10 your
children after you have done the last day
work for their support and made for them
the last prayer. II Is the illustrious One who
said to the man OF my text. Return TO thine
own house and shew how great things God
hath done unto thee" Now. in the first
place, we want religion in our domestic
duties.
Every nousekeeper needs great grace. II
Martha had had more religion she would
not have rushed with such bad temper 10
scold Mary In the presence OF Christ. II is
no small thing 10 keep order aud secure
cleanliness and mend breakages and achieve
economy and control all the affairs OF the
household advantayeously. Expenses will
run up, store bills will come in twice rs large
as you think they ought TO be. furniture will
wear out, carpets will unravel. and the mar
fyrs OF the fire are very few IN comparison
with the martyrs of housekeeping.
Yet there are hundreds OF people in this
church this morning VINO in their homes are
managing all these affairs with composure,
an adrotness, nm ingenuity and Il faithful
ness which they never could have reached
but Tor the grace u our practical Christian
ny. The corporations which wear out
Others have been 10 you spiritual develop
ment and sancti1cation. Employments
which seemed 10 relate only to an hour have
on them all the grandeurs OF eternal history
You need the religion Of Christ in the dis
cipline OF your children. The rod which in
other homes may be- the ilrs. means used in
yours will be the last. There will BIZ no
hard epitheis-'you knaye. YOU william, you
scounurei, Ill thrasn the life out OF you
you are the worst child | ever knew" All
that kind OF chGstsement makes thieves.
ptckpotkets. murdsrsrs aud the outlaws o,
society. That parent who in anger strikes
his child across the head deserves the peni-
tentiary. And yet this work OF discipline
must DO attended to. Gods grace eau d.
rect Us. Alas. for those VINO come TO the
work with fierce passion and recklesness OF
consequences Between severity and laxa-
tiyeness there Ia no choice. Both ruinous
and both destructive. But there Is health.
ful medium which the grace OF q od will SHOW
to us.
Then we need tho religion OF Christ 70
help US in setting good example Cowper
said OF the oak "rime was when settled on
thy leaf a fly could shake thee to the root
Time has heen when tempest could not" In
other words your children are very !mpressi-
Bile just now. They ara alert they are gath
ering impressions you have no idea o.
Have you not been surprised sometimes,
months or years after some conversation
which you supposed was too profound or in
tricnte for them TO understand some ques-
ton OF the child demonstrated the fact that
he knew all about IL
Your children are apt to think that what
you do is right. They have no idea OF truth
or Righteousness but yourself. Things which
you do knowing at the time 70 be- wrong