The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-08-24

in the Old TeStament--lS not GOs lid
, eral in giving us ninety cents out of Q
dollar, when He takes but ten? We do
not like that. We want to have nine
ty-nine cents for ourselves and one foi
God
, Now, would great deal rather
steal ten cents from you tLan f.--s.
God. think one reason w. a great
many people do not get along in world
ly accumulation faster is because they
do not observe this divine rule. God
says: swell, if that man is not salts
fed with ninety cents of a dollar, then
will take the whole dollar, and will
give it to the man or woman who is
honest with me-" The greatest obstacle
to charity in the Christian church to-
day is the fact that men expend so
much money on their table, and women
so much on their dress, they have
nothing left for the work of God and
the worlds betterment. In my first
settlement at Belleville, N. j., the
cause OF missions was being presented
one Sabbath, and plea for the char
ity OF the people was being made,
when an old Christian man in the au-
dience lost his balance and said right
out in the midst of the sermon: "Mr.
Talmage, how are we to give literally
to these grand and glorious causes
when our families dress as they do?"
did not answer that question. 1t was
the only time in my life when I had
nothing to say!
Again, inordinate fashion is distrac-
ton to public worship You know
very well there are good many people
who come to church just as they go to
the races to see who will come out first.
What f1utter it makes in church when
some women with extraordinary
display of fashion comes in. What
love of a bonnet!" says some one.
What a perfect fright" says five hun
bred. For the most merciless critics
in the world are fashion critics. Men
and won en- with souls to be saved
passing the hour in wondering where
that man got his cravat or what
store that woman patronizes. In many
of our churches the preliminary exer-
cises are taken up with the discussion
OF wardrobeS. Is it not wonderful that
the Lord does not strike the meeting
houses with lightning, amidst distrac-
ton of public worship! Dying men and
women, whose bodies are soon to be
turned into dust, yet before three
worlds strutting like peacocks, the aw-
full question of the souls destiny sub
merged by the question of navy-blue
velvet and fan-train skirt, long
enough to drag up the church aisle,
the husbands store, Office, shop, fac
tory fortune, and the admiration of |
half the people in the building. Men
and women come late to church to show |
their clothes. People sitting down in |
the pew or taking up hymn book, all |
absorbed at the same time in personal |
array, to sing:
Rise, my soul, and stretch my wings,
Thy better portion trace;
Rise from transtory things,
Toward Heaven. thy native placel
adopt the Eyiscopalian prayer and
say: "Good Lord, deliver usr'
The most CHASTITY death-beds on
earth are the one where man dies of
delirium tremens, and the other where
a woman dies after having sacrificed
all her faculties of body, mind and soul
in the worship of fashion My friends,
we must appear in judgment to an
swer for what we have worn on our
bodies, as well as for what repent.
ances we have exercised with our
souls. On that day l see coming in,
Beau Brummel of the last century,
without his cloak, like which all En-
gland got cloak; and without his
cane, like which all England got a cane;
without his snuff-box, he, the fop of
the ages, particular about everything
but his morals; and Aaron Burr,
without the letters that down to old
age he showed in pride, to prove his
early wicked gallantries; and Absalom
without his hair; and Marchioness
Pompabour without her title; and Mrs.
Arnold, the belle of Wall street, when
that was the center of fashion, without
her fripperies of.vesture.
And in great haggardness they shall
go away into eteral expatriation; while
among the queens of heavenly society
will be found Vashti, who wore the
modest veil before the palatial bac-
and Hannah, who annually
made little coat for Samuel at
the temple; and Grandmother
Lois, the ancestress of Timothy,
who initiated her virtue; and
Mary, who gave Jesus Christ !
to the world; and many of you, the {
wives and mothers and sisters and
daughters of the present Christian 1
church, who through great tribulation G
are entering into the kingdom of God.
Christ announced who would make up J
the royal family Of Heaven when He l
said: "Whosoever doeth the will of