The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-08-01
TALMAGE'S SERMON,
THE WORLD WANTS RELIGION FOR
ORDINARY PEOPLE.
Too Much Time Spent I'm Weaving
Gurlands for the Great-Thc Rank
and File of the Lords Soldiery
Needs Especial Help. s,H

1,
. New York Special:-Rev. DR.. Tai
mage, who is still absent on his mid
ssummer tour, preaching and lecturing,
has prepared for to-day's sermon on
''Plain People," a topic which will ap-
peal to a very large majority of read
ers anywhere. The text selected was
Romans xvi, II, Is. Salute Asyncri-
tus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas,
Hermes, Philologus and Julia"
Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes,
Adam Clark, Thomas Scott, and all
the commentators pass by these verses
without any especial remark. The
other twenty people mentioned in the
chapter We're distinguished for some
thing and We're, therefore, discussed
by the illustrious expositors; but moth
ing is said about Asyncritus, Phlegon,
Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, Philolo-
gus and Julia. Where were they born?
No one knows. Where did they die?
There is no record of their disease.
For what We're they distinguished?
Absolutely for nothing, or the trait .of
character would have been brought
out by the apostle. II they had been
very intrepid Or opulent or hirsute Or
musical Of cadence, or Grass of style,
or in any wise anomalous, that feature
would have been caught by the apos
tolic camera. But they were good peo-
pie. because Paul sent to them his
high Christian regards. They were
ordinary 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,OOO,OOO people, there
are certainly not more than 1000, 900
extraordinary; and then there are Ga >
100000 ordinary, and we do we'll to
turn our backs for little while upon
the distinguished and conspicuous peo-
pie of the Bible, and consider in our
text the seven ordinary. We spend too
much Of our time in twisting garlands
for remarkables and building thrones
for magnates, and sculpturing war
riors and apotheOSing philanthropy
lists. The rank and file of the Lord
soldiery need especial help.
The vast majority Of people to whom
this sermon comes will never lead an
army, will never write a state consti-
tuition, will never electrify a senate,
will never make an important inven
ton, will never introduce a new phil
osophy, 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 Joshua to prolong the
daylight, until you can shut five kings
in cavern. You will not be a st.
John to unrOll an Apocalypse You
will not be Paul to preside over an
apostolic college. You will not be a
Mary to mother Christ. You will
more probably be Asyncritus, or Phle-
gon, or Hermas, or Patrobas, or
Hermes, or Philologus, or Julia.
Many of you are women at the head
of households. This morning YOU
launched the family for Sabbath OBJ
servance. Your brain decided the ap-
parel, and your Judgment was final on
all questions of personal attire. Every
morning you plan for the day. The
culinary department Of your house
hold is 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 questions OF
home life is a tax upon brain and
nerve and general health absolutely ap
palling, if there be no divine alleyia
ton.
1t does not help you much to be told
that Elizabeth Fry did Wonderful
things amid the criminals of Newsate
1t does not help you much to be tol(
that Mrs. Judson was very brave
among the Bornesian cannibals. II
does not help you much to be told thai
Florence Nightingale was very kind tt
the wounded in the Crilnea It would
be better to tell you that the divine
friend Of Mary and Martha is you1
friend, and that he sees all the annoy
ances and disappointments and abra
Slons and eXasperations of an ordinar,
housekeeper from morn till night, ant
from the first day Of the year to tn,
last day Of the year, and at your cal
he is ready with help and re-enforce
ments.
They who provide the food of til,
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 20 on some errant
~~A-AAN tAiN
United States and Great Britain to an
ipreciate the fact that a vast mult1tud
of the human race are slaughtered b,
Incompetent cookery. Though youn,
Z woman may have taken lessons in mu
sic. and may have taken lessons il
painting. and lessons in astronomy
she is not well educated unless s1l
has taken lessons in dough! They VIII
decide the apparel of the world an,
the food Of the world decide the en-
durance Of the world u
An unthinking man may conside
1t matter Of little importa nce-th
cares of the household and the econo
mics of domestic life-but tell yo1
the earth is strewn with the MARTYR
OF kitchen and nursery The health,
shattered womanhood of Americ
cries out for God who can help or
binary women in the ordinary d1tie
OF housekeeping. The wearing, grind
ing unappreciated work goes on, b,l
the same Christ who stood on the ban1
of Galilee in the early morning an,
kindled the fire and had the fish al
ready cleaned and broiling when til
sports1nen stepped ashore chilled an,
1,r ho1y