The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1894-07-19
A SERMON ON THE SCOFRER.
DIR. TALMAGE TALKS ON THE
Modern Tendency to Deride Religion
A Warning TO the Irrevereut.

X.
teth In the heavens shall laugh. Psalm
H.. L.
Thirty-eieht times does the Blblc make
reference to this condguration OF the fen
lures and quick expulsion OF breath which
we call laughter. Sometimes Il is born OF
the sunshine and sometimes the midnight.
Sometimes II stirs the sympathy OF angels
and sometimes the cachinnation OF devils.
All healthy people laugh. Whether II
pleases the Lord or displeases Him, that de-
pends upon when we laugh and at what we
laugh. My theme to-day is the laughter OF
the Bible-namely. Sarah's laugh or that OF
skepticism David's laugh, or that OF spirit =
ual exultation the FOOLS laugh, or that OF
sinful merrmcnt Gods laugh. or that OF
infinite condemnation heavens laugh, or
that OF eternal triumph.
Scene. an oriental tent. The occupants
old Abraham and Sarah. perhaps wrinked
and decrepft. Their three guests are three
angels, the Lord Almighty one OF them In
return for the hospitality shown by the old
people God promises Sarah that she shall
become the ancestress OF the Lord Jesus
Christ. Sarah laughs In the face OF God,
She does not believe II. She is afYrighted at
what she has done. She denies H. She
says, 81 did not laugh" Then God retorted
with an emphasis that silenced all disputa-
tion. But thou didst laugh" My friends.
the laugh OF skepticlsm IN all ages IL only
the echo OF Sarah's laughter. God says He
viii accomplish thing, and men say It can
notb done. great multitude laugh Mt the
miracles. They say they are contrary TO the
laws OF nature. What 10 law OF nature2
IL is Gods way of doing n thing. You or
dinarlly cross n river nj one ferry. To-mor-
row you change for one day. and you 90
across another ferry. You made the rule
Have you not the right to change IL? You
ordinarily come In at that door OF the church.
suppose that next Sabbath you come In nt
the other door. II is ahabit you have Have
you not right TO change your habit? A
law OF nature is Gods ha6it-His way of
doing things. II He makes the law. has He
not right to change 1t at any time He wants
20 changeit?
Alas for the folly OF those who laugh at
God when He says. II will do a thing, "
they responding. ''You can't do H." God
says that the Bible Is true--it Is all true
Bishop Colenso laughs, Herbert Spencer
laughs, stuart Mill laughs, great German
universities laugh, Harvard laughs-softly
great many OF the learned institutions.
with long rows OF professors seated on the
fence between Christianity and innielity
laugh softly. They say, ave didn't laugh"
That was Sarah's trick. God thunders from
the heavens. but thou didst laugh - The
garden OF Eden was only fable. There
never was any ark built, or II IL was built Il
was too small to have two OF every kind
The pillar OF fire BY night was only the
northern lights. the ten plaques of Egypt
only brilliant specimen OF jugglery. The
sea parted because the wind blew violently n
great while from one direction. The sun
and moon did not put themselves out OF the
way for Joshua. Jacobs ladder was only
horizontal and picturesque clouds. The de-
stroyin3 angel shifting the flrstborn in
Egypt was only cholera infantum b.coms
epidemic. The gulet OF the whale, by
positive measurement, too small to swallow
a prophet. The story of the immaculate
conception shock to all decency. Tho
lame, the dumb, the blind, the halt curod
by mere human surgery. The resurrection
of Christs friend only beautiful tableau.
acting their parts well. My friends, there
ism doctrine or statement OF Gods holy
wof that has not been derided by the
skep Ism Of the day.
~ up this book OF King Jamess trans
iatioij consider It a perfect Bible, but
mere are skeptics who want II torn to pieces.
Aud now, with this Bible In my hand, let
me tear out all those portions which the
skepticism OF this day demands shall be torn
out. What shall go first? "Well," says some
one In the audience, 'take out all that about
the creation and about the first settlement
otthe world" Away goes Genesis. "Now,"
says some one, "take out all that about the
miraculous guidance of the children OF Israel
In tho wilderness" Away goes Exodus.
NOW" saws some one else in the audience,
II There are things in Deuteronomy and
Kings that are not III TO be read" Away 20
deuteronomy and tho Kings. Now" says
tsome one, "the book OF Job is fable that
fought TO come out Away goes the book of
lJoo. Now" says some one. CHOSE pass
eges In the New Testament which imply the
divinity OF Jesus Christ ought TO coma OUT. ="
AWAY 90 the Evangolsts. "Now," says
lome one. "tho book OF Observation-Disclosures
Feposterous 1t represents man with the
loon under his feet and a sharp sword in
hand" Away goes the book OF Reveln-
N. Now there are few pieces left. whn,
IL We do with them? "Oh," says s,me
\n in the audience, ~ don't believe n
"a In the Bible from one end to the 9TH
Well, II Is all gone. Now you have
out tho last light for the nations. Now
the pitch darkness of eternal midnight.
iw do you like It?
Fut think. my friends. We hai bettor
fp the Bible u little longer intact. 1t has
pc pretty well for n good many wears
bn there are old people who find II com.
to have II on their laps, and children
the stories In Il. Let US keep 1t for a
iosity anyhow. II tho Bible Is to be
pwn out OF the school and out OF the
rtroom, so that men no more swear by IL,
II Is TO be put In n dark corridor OF ths
( library, the Koran on one side and the
things OF Confuctus on the other. then let
zach one keep copy for himself, for we
Iht nave trOuuie, anu We WOulu want to
binder the delusions OF its consultations,
We might die, and we would want ths
tIson OF the exalted residence OF Gods
nj hand, which II mentions. Oh. what an
fiul thing II Is to laugh in Gods face and
vi His Revelation back at Him! After
khile the daY will come when they will say
Icy did not laugh. Then all the hyper
ticsms, all the carlcatures and ali the
hrned sneers In the quarterly reviews will
brought TO Judgment, and amid the rock
X OF everything beneath and amid the
lming OF everything above God will thun-
r, But thou didst laughw l think the
ost fascinating laughter at Christianity |
er remember was a man In Naw England
made tho word OF God seem Ridiculous,
ID he laughed on AT our holy religion until
came TO die, and then he said "My life
Is been failure-a failure domestically
have no children. A failure socially, for
treated In the streets like a pirate. A
ilure professionally because know but one
\ mister that has adopted my sentiments. I"
tpra quarter OF a century he laughed at
Ihrlstianlty. and ever since Christianitv haa a