The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-10-14
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: "The Day is at Hand"

TEXT: The day is at hand. "-Eomans
xiii, IL.
Back from the mountains and the seaside.
and the springs, and the farmhouse, your
cheeks bronZed and your spirits lighted, |
hail you home again with the words oi
Gehazi to the Shunammite: rs it we'll with
thee? Is it well with thy husband? Is II
we'll with the child?" On some faces I see
the mark OF recent grief. but all along the
track OF tears I see the story OF resurrection
and reunion when all tears are done: the
deep plowing OF the keel. followed by the
fash Of the phosphorescence. Now that l
have askeI you in regard to your welfare,
you naturally ask how I am. Very we'll,
thank you. Whether 1t was the .,racinG ar
OF the mountains, or bath in the SURF OF
Long Island beach, or whether it Is the Joy
of standing in this great group OF warm
hearted friends. or whether it is new ap-
probation OF the goodness OF God, I can not
tell. simply know am happy.
1t was said that John Moffatt, :he great
Methodist preacher, occasionally got fast In
his sermon. and to eXtricate himself would
cry "Hallelujah" am In no such predica-
ment to day, but am full Of the same rhap-
sodic ejaculation. Starting out this morn
ing on a new ecclesiastical year, want to
give you the keynote OF my next twelve
months ministry. l want to set it to the
tunes OF Antioch" "Arlel" and Corona
ton" want to put new trumpet stop
into my sermons. We do wrong If we allow
our personal sorrows to interfere with the
glorious fact that the Kingdom is coming.
We are wicked If we allow apprehension ot
National disaster to put down our faith IN
God and the mission of our American peo-
pie. The God who hath been on the side OF
this Nation since the 4th of July, 1776. will
see to It that this Nation shall not commit
suicide on November 8, 1896. By the time
the unparalleled harvests OF this summer get
down to the sea-board, we shall be standing
in sunburst OF National prosperity that will
paralyze the pessimis.s, who by their evil
prophesies are disappearing the God who
hath blest this Nation as lie hath blest no
other.
In all our Christian work you and want
more Of the element OF gladness. No man
had right to say that Christ never laughed.
Do you suppose that He was Glum at the
wedding in Cana OF Galilee? Do you sup
pose that Christ was unresponsiye when the
children clambered over His knee and
shoulder at His own invitation? Do you
suppose that the Evangelist meant nothing
when he said Of Christ: she rejoiced IN
spirit?" Do you believe that the Divine
Christ who pours all the waters over the
rocks at yernal Falls. Yosemite, does not
believe in the sparkle and gallop and tumul-
tuous Joy and rushing raptures OF human
life? believe not only that the morning
laughs, and that the mountains laugh, and
that the seas laugh, and that the cascades
laugh, but that Christ laughed. Moreover,
the outlook Of the world ought to stir US to
gladness.
Astronomers disturbed many people by tell
ing them that there was danger OF stellar
collision. We were told by these astrono
mers that there are worlds coming very near
together, and that we shall have plaques and
wars and tumults and perhaps the worlds
destruction. Do not be scared. II you have
ever stood at railroad centre, where ten OF
twenty or thirty rail tracks cross each other,
and seen that by the movement OF the switch
one or two inches, the train shoots this way
and that, without colliding, then you may
understand how fifty worlds may come with.
in an inch of disaster, and that inch be
as good as million miles. Il
q human swItch-tender can shoot the trains
this way and that without harm, cannot the
hand that for thousands OF years has upheld
the universe, keep our little world out OF
harms way? Christian geologists tell Us
that this world was millions OF years IN
building. Well, now, do not think God
would take millions Of years to build house
which was to last only six thousand years
There Is nothing In the world or outside the
world, terrestrial or astronomical, to ex
cite dismay. I wish that some stout
Gospel breeze might scatter all the malaris
OF human foreboding.
The sun rose this morning at about
O'Clock. and think that Is just about the
hour In the worlds history. "The day is al
hand" The first ray Of the dawn see in
the gradual substitution Of diplomatic skill
20 h,to In ho locf frp6
five years there have been international diff
ferences which would have brought shock
o! arms in any other day, bus which were
peacefully adjusted. the pen taking the place
OF the sword. The Venezuelan controversy
in any other age OF the world would have
brought shock OF arms, but now is being sc
quietly adjusted that no one knows just how
1t Is being settled.
The Alabama question in any other age o
the world would have caused war between
the United States and England. How was
1t settled? By men-of-war OIL the Narrows
or of the Mersey2 No. A few wise men go
matter over, and telegr aphed to Washington
and London, "All settled" Peace! Peace
England pays to the United States th'
amount awarded-pays really more than sh'
ought to have paid. But still, all that Ala
bama broil Is sett.ed-settied for forever
Arbitration instead of battle.
So the quarrel about the Canadian fish
cries in any other age would have caused
war between the UniteI States and England
so the Samoan controversy in any other az,
would have brought Germany and til,
all Is settled. Arbitration instead Of battle
France will never again, think, through
the peccadillo of an Ambassador, bring Oh
battle with other Nations. She sees thu
GOD, in punishment at Sedan, blotted ou
the French Empire, and the only aspiran
for that throne who had any right OF ex
pectation dies in war that has not even tn
dignity OF being respectable. What IS tn
leaf that England would like to tear ou
of her history? The Zulu war. Down wit
the sword and up with the treaty.
We In this country might better have set
tied our sectional difficulties by arbitration
than by the trial Of the sword. Philan
thropy said to the North: "Pay down Ger
tain amount OF money for tho purchase 0
the slaves, and let all those born after a Ger
tain time be born Free" Philanthropy sail
to the South: "You sell your slaves, aud ge
rid of this great National contest and trou
ble." The North replied: 81 won't pay
cent" Tho South replied. II won't SELL
War! War! A million dead men, and Na
tional debt which might have ground thi
Nation to powder. Why did we not l.
William T. Seward, OF New York, AID Alex
ander H. Stephens, of Georgia, go out ant
spend a few days under the trees on tn
banks OF the Potomac and talk the matte
over and settle it, as settle it they coult
rather than the North pay in cost OF wa
four billion seven hundred million dollnr
and the South pay four billion seven hui
dred and fifty million dollars, the destroyin
angel leaving the flrst-born dead In 80 man
houses al. the way from the Penobscnt to tn
Alabama. W aged men whose sons fell
the strife, do you not think that would ha,
been better? Oh. yes! We have come to b.
aieve. I think. in this country, that arbitr;
tion Is better than battle.
Imay be mistaken, but hope that the la