The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-09-15
COMMUNION OF N
DR.. Talmage on the Origin and Evils
of SectarianiSm.
He Recognizes tho Good In Denominations
because He Believes In the Liberty
of Consc,cnce-BiEotry Is the
Bane of All SectS.

Communion of Saints was the
latest subject selected by Rev. T. De-
Witt Talmage for his sermon to the
public through the press, the ext be-
ing from Judges xii. 6: ''Then said they
unto him: Say now Shibboleth; and he
said Sibbolcth, for he could not frame
to pronounce it right. Then they took
him and slew him at the passages of
Jordan" Following is the sermon:
Do you notice the difference of pro-
nunciation between shibboleth and sib-
boleth? A very small and and unim-
portant difference, you say. And yet
that difference was the difference be-
tween life and death for n great many
people. The Lords people, Gilead and
Ephraim, got into a great fight, and
Ephraim was worsted and on h retreat
came to the fords of the river Jordan
to cross. Order was given that all
Ephraimites coming there be slain.
But how could it be found out who were
Ephraimites? They were detected by
their pronunciation. Shibboleth was
a word that stood for river.
The Ephraimites had a brogue OF
their own, and when they tried to say
''shibboleth" always left out the sound
of the 81" When it was asked that
they say shibboleth, they said sibbo.
leth, and were slain. "Then they said
unto him, say now shibboleth; and he
said %sibboleth, for he could not frame
to pronounce it. Then they took him
and slew him at the passages Of Jor-
dan" A very small difference, you
say, between Gilead and Ephraim, and
yet how much intolerance about that
small difference! The Lords tribes in
u timely which | mean the differ
ent denominations of Christians-some.
times magnify n very small difference,
and the only difference between scores
Of denominations to-day is the differ
ence between shibboleth and sibboleth.
The church of God is divided into a
great number of denominations. Time
would fail me to tell of the Calvinists
rians, and the B~axterians, and the Dunk
ers, and the Shakers, and the Quakers
and the Methodists, and the Baptists,
and the Episcopalians, and the Luther
ans, and the Congregationalists, and
the Presbyterians, and the Spiritual
lists, and a score of other denomina'
tions of religionists, some of them
founded by very good men, some OF
them founded by very egotistic men,
some of them founded by very bad
men,. But as l demand for myself lib
erty of conscience, I must give that
same liberty to every other man, re
Numbering that he no more differs
from me than l differ from him. 1 ad
vocate the largest liberty in all re
ligious belief and form of worship. In
art. in politics, in morals, and in re
ligion, let there be no gag law, nc
moving of the previous question, nc
persecution, no intolerance.
You know that the air and the water
keep pure by constant circulation, anG
/ think there is n tendency in religion,
discussion to publication and mora
health. Between the fourth and the
sixteenth centuries the church pro
posed to make people think Alright by
prohibiting discussion, and by strong
censorship of the press, and rack, ant
gibbet, and hot lead down the throat
tried to make people orthodox; but Il
was discovered That you cannot chang,
n mans belief by twisting off his head
nor make a man see different by put
ting an awl through his eyes. Their,
Is something in a mans conscienc,
which will hurl off the mountain tina
you throw upon it, and, unsinged O
h fire, out of the flame will make req
wings on which the martyr will noun
to glory.
/ propose to speak to you of sectari
anism-its origin, its evils, and it
cures. There are those who woult
make us think that this monster, witt
horns and hoofs, is religion. l shall
chase it to its hiding place, and drag i
out Of the cavern of darkness, and ri
off it's hide. But l want to make a dis
tinctiou between bigotry and Lawful
fondness for peculiar religious belief
and forms of worship. l have no ad
miration for a Nottingham.
In n world of such tremendous vicis
situde and temptation, and with a sou
that must after a while stand before
throne of insufferable brightness, In
day when the rocking of the mountain
and the flaming of the heavens and tn
upheaving of the seas shall be amonI
the least of the excitements, to give &C
count for every thought, word, action
preference, and dislike-that man /
mad who has no religious preference
But our early education, our physica
temperament, our mental constitution
will very much decide our form O
worship.
A style of psalmody that may pleas
me may displease you. Some woul
like to have a minister in gown an,
bands and surplice, and others prefe
to have q minister in plain citizens ar
parel. Some are most impressed whel
q little child is presented at the alta
and sprinkled of the waters Of q hol
benediction sin the name of tn
Father, and of the Son, and of tn
Holy Ghost" and others are more I'm
pressed when the penitent comes u
out Of the river, his garments drippin
with the waters of a baptism whicl
signifies the washing away of sir
Let either have his own way. On
man likes no noise in PRAYER