Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1894-09-26
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S sun.
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "Communion of Saints =

TEXT: "Then said they unto him, Sa
now shiobo!eth, and he said sibboleth, TO
he could not frame TO pronounce it right
Then they took him and slew him at the pas
saSes of Jordan.'-Judges xiii, 6.
Do you notice tire difference of pronuncia
ton between shibbcleth and ifhboleth?
very small and unimportant difference. you
say. And yet that difference was the differ
ence between life and death TO: n great man,
people. The Lords people. Gilead anC
Ephraim. got into great fight, and Eph
rain was worsted. and on the retreat came
10 the forls ofthe river Jordan to cross. Or.
der was given that all Ephraimites coming
out who were Ephraimites? They were de.
tected hy their pronunciation. Shibboleth
was a word that stood for river
The Ephrainites had a broSue of their
own, and when they tried to say "shib-
boleth' always left ont the sound OF the
'h.'' When it was asked that they say shib-
boicth. they said sibboleth and were slain.
'Ihen said they unto him. say now shib-
holeth. and he said sibboleth, for he could
not frame to pronounce it right. Then they
took him and slew him at the passages OF
Jordan" very small difference, you say.
between Gilead and Ep' rain, and yet how
much intolerance about that small differ
cree! The Lords tribes in our timely
which [ mean the different denominations
OF Christians-sonetimes magnify very
small difference, and the only difference be-
tween scores of denominati 0ns to-day Is the
difference between shibboleth and sibboleth.
The church of God is divided into great
number of denominations. Time would fail
me to tell OF the Calvinists. AMI the Arnini-
ans, anithe Sabbatarians. and the Baxteri-
ans. and the Dunkers, and the Shakers, and
the Qugkers, and the Hethodists, and the
Blpt.sts. and the Episcopaliars, AMI the
Lutberans, and the Congrecationalists, and
the !'restyierans. and tho Spiritualists. and
n score Of other denominations o: religion
lists, some of them founded by very good
men. some of them founded by very ego
tistic men, some OF them founded by very bad
men. But rs demand for mys Elf liberty of
conscience must give that same liberty to
every other man, remembering that he no
more differs from me than differ from him.
1a.vocate the largest liberty in all religious
heliei and form of worship. In art, in poli-
tics. i'll morals and in reIigion let there be
10 gag laET, no moving OF the previous ques-
ton, no persecution. no intolerance.
You know that the air and the water keep
pure by constant circulation, and | think
there is tendency in religious discussion
10 publication and moral health. Between
the fourth and the sixteenth centuries the
church proposed to make people think
Alright by prohibiting discussion. AMI by
strong censorship OF the press and rack and
gibbet and hot lead down the throat tried to
make people orthodox, but 1t was discovered
that YOU cannot change mans belief by
twisting of his head nor make n man see
differently by putting an aWl through his
eyes There IS something IN a mans con-
science which will hurl Off the mountain
that you threw upon it. and unsin-ed OF the
lire, ont OF the fiIme will make red wings
on which the martyr VIII mount TO glory.
In that time OF which | speak, between the
fourth and sixteenth centuries, people went
rom the house OF God into the most ap-
oalliDy iniQuity, and right along by con-
;ecrated altars there were tides OF drunken
ness and licantiousness such as the world
never heard OF, and the very sewers of per-
ii;!on broke loose and flooded the church.
After awhile the printing press was freed,
and it broke the shackles of the human
mind. Then the:e came large number of
bad books. and where there vas one man
hostile to the Christian religion there were
twenty men ready to advocate il, so /
nave not any nervousness in regard to this
battle going on between truth and error.
The truth will conquer just as certainly as
that God is stronger than the devil. Let
error run if you only let truth run along with
I. Urged on by skeptic's shout and tram
,cendentalist's spur, let it run. Gods angels
of wrath are in hot pursuit and quickerthan
eagles beak clutches out a hawks heart
Coils vengeance will tear it to pieces.
l propose 10 speak to you of sectarianism
its origin, its evils and its cures. There
are those who wOuli make US think that
This monster. with horns ani hoots, is re-
igion. ] shall chase it to its hiding Place
and drag it ont of the caverns of darkness
and rip off its hide But l want to make a
distinction between biCOtry and the lawful
fOnIness for peculiar religious beliefs and
torms OF worship. have no admiration for
anothinGarian.
In world OF such tremendous vicissituIe
AMI temptation, and with Il soul that must
after awhile stuni before a throne of in
siderable brightness, in n day when the
rocking of the mountains and the flaming OF
the heavens and the upheaval of the seas
"a Il mr. ~. 10 n he.
to give account for every thought, word,
action, preference and dislike, that man is
mad who has no religious preference. But
our early education, our physical tempera-
ment, our mental constitution. will very
much decide our form of worship.
\ style OF psamOiy that may please me
may displease You. Some would like to have
minister in gown and bands and surpice,
AMI others prefer to have minister in plain
citiz n ; apparel. Some are most impressed
when n lit ie child is presented at the nltar
Hnf sprinkled OF the waters OF holy bene-
diction ''in the name of the Father, AMI of
the Son. AMI of the Holy Ghost" and others
nre more impressed when the penitent comes
uD out of the river, his garments dripping
with the waters of n baptism which signifies
the washing away OF sin. Let either have
his own way. One man likes no noise in
prayer. not Il wori, not whisper. Another
man. Just rs good, prefers by Sesticulation
IN exc .amation to express his devotional
aspirations One is just as good rs the other.
Every man fully persuaiei in his own
MN j."
q 'orce Whitefleli was going over
Cu .kcr rather roughly for some OF his re-
igious sentiments, and the QlIker said
George am rs thou art. l am for bring
ing all men to the hope of the gospel. There
fore. if thou will not quarrel with me about
nv broad brin, l will not quarrel with thee
about thy black gown. George, give me tiny
hand"
In tracing out the religion OF s9ctarianism
or bigotry | find that Il great deal or II comes
from wrong education in me home circle.
There are parents who DO not think 1t wrong
to caricature and jeer tho peculiar forms OF
religion in the world ana denounce otnef
sects and other denominations. 1t IS very
o.tc- the case that that kind OF educatlon
acts ig-t opposite 10 what was expected, anu
the caIltr.u crow up, and after awhile go
an! see for themselves. and LOOKING IN tHose
churches and tin,ing that the people are
cooi there. ami they love Goa ana keep nus
Commandments, by natural reaction they go
:ui ION tEoss very churches L could men
tion The names OF prominent ministers OF tno
i-nannl wio spent their whole lie bohoa.o .
Inc other denominations. and who lived %
sec heir children preach the gospel IN tnose
very denominations. But i. is often the case
that bgOtry starts in n household. and tha'
the subject of il never RECEIVERS. There ale
tens of thousands of bigots ten years old.
think sectarianism and bigotry aiso
SO rom 100 great prominence y, nHJ
denominat on in community. All the other
denominations are wrong, and his denoni-
nation Is right because his denomlnatioh II
the most wealthy. or the most popular OK
the most influential, and it is ''our" ehurch:
and "our" religious organization, and "our
choir, and Sour minister. and the man
tosses his head and wants other denomlna'
tiors to know their places.
1t Is great deal better in any community
when the great denominations OF Christians
are about equal in power, marching side by
side for the worlds conquest. Mere outside
Prosperity, mere worldly power, IS no evi'
dence that the church is acceptable to God.
Better barn with Christ in the manser
than caehedral with magnificent harmo-