The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-07-26
GOSPEL. OF CONTENT.
REV. DR.. TALMAGE ON THE RELIGION
FOR ORDINARY PEOPLE.

vantages of Being Conspicuous - The
Blessing of Content.
NEW YORK, July 21.-Rev. DIR. Tai
mage, who is still absent on his annual
midsummer tour, preaching and lectur-
ing, has prepared for today sermon on
"Plain People, topic which will APP
peal to very large majority OF readers
anywhere. The text selected was Ro-
mans xvi IA, 10, "Salute Asyncrltus,
Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes,
Philologus and Julia
Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, Adam
Clark, Thomas Scott and all the COM
mentators pass by these verses without
any especial remark. The other "a peo-
pie mentioned in the chapter were dis
tinguished for something and were
therefore discussed by the illustrious ex-
positors, but nothing is said about Asyn-
critus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas
Hermes, Philologus and Julia. Where
were they born? No one knows. Where
did they die? There is no record OF
their decease. For what were they dis
tinpuished? Absolutely for nothing, or
the trait of character would have been
brought out by the apostle. If they had
been very intrepid or opulent or hlr-
suite or musical of cadence or Grass OF
style or in anywise anomalous, that
feature would have been caught by the
apostolic camera. But they were good
people, because Paul sent to them his
high Christian regards. They were or
binary people, moving in ordinary
sphere, attending to ordinary duty and
meeting ordinary responsibilities.
What the world wants is a religion
for ordinary people. If there be in the
United States 65,000,000 people, there
are certainly not more than l, 200, 900
extraordinary, and then there are 3d.
OOO,O ordinary, and we do well to
turn our backs for a little while upon
the distinguished and conspicuous peo-
Pile of the Bible and consider in our text
the seven ordinary. We spend too much
of our time in twisting garlands for re-
markables and building thrones for mag
mates and sculpturing warriors and
apotheosizing philanthropists. The rank
and file of the Lord soldiery need es-
pecial help
The vast majority of people to whom
Ibis sermon comes will never lead an
army, will meyer write state constitu,
ton. will never electrify a Senate, will
never make an important invention,
will never introduce new philosophy,
will never decide the fate Of nation.
You do not expect to; you do not want
to. You will not be a Moses to lead a
nation out of bondage. You will not be
a Joshua to prolong the daylight until
you can shut five kings in acavern.. You
will not be a St. John to unroll an
apocalypse. You will not be Paul to
preside over All apostolic college. You
will not be Mary to mother Christ.
1You will more probably be Asyncritus
or Phlegon or Hermas Or Patrobas or
Hermes Or Philologus or Julia
Heads of Households.
I Many of you are women at the head
Of households. This morning you launch
ed the family for Sabbath observance.
Your brain decided the apparel, and
your Judgment was final ON all ques-
lions of personal attire, Every morning
YOU plan for the day. The culinary de-
partment of your household is in your
dominion. You decide all questions OF
diet. All the sanitary regulations OF
YOUR house are under your supervision.
To regulate the food, and the apparel,
and the habits and decide the thousand
- 1ifa &c tav
your brain and nerve and general health
absolutely appalling if there be no oil
vine alienation.
1t does not help you much to be tolc
that Elizabeth Fry did wonderful things
mid the criminals of Newgate. 1t does
not help you much to be told that Mrs
Judson was very brave among the Bor
nesian cannibals. 1t does not help you
much to be told that Florence Nightin
gale was very kind to the wounded II
the Crimea. 1t would be better for me
to tell you that the divine friend O.
Mary and Martha is your friend, ant
that he sees all the annoyances and dis
appointments and abrasions and exas
perations of an ordinary housekeepe'
from morn till night, and from the frs
day of the year to the last day OF TIT
year and at your call he is ready will
help and reinforcement.
They who provide the food of thu
world decide the health of the world
One of the greatest battles of this cen
tury was lost because the commando
that morning had fit of indigestion
You have only to go on some erran'
amid the taverns and the hotels OF tn
United States and Great Britain to ap
preciate the fact that vast multitud
of the human race are slaughtered b,
incompetent cookery. Though younI
woman may have taken lessons in must
and may have taken lessons in paint
ing and lessons in astronomy, she Is no
well educated unless she has taken les
sons in dough. They who decide the az
parel of the world and the food of tn
world decide the endurance of tn
world
An unthinking man may consider
matter of little mportance-the care
of the household and the economies
domestic hfe-but tell you the cart
is strewn with the martyrs of htche