Connecticut western news., 1896-03-05
ALL MEN ARE ASTRAY
AN IMPRESSIVE SERMON BY REV.
 OR. TAlMAGE,

AN IMPRESSIVE SERMON BY REV.
 pR. TAlMA6e.
 Imnanse Thronss Hear tho Eminent Di-
 vins-why Men Drift Away From Jesus,
 sssAine That Which They Never Find.
 The Liberty of the Gospel.
 WASHINGTON, March 1.-The gospel sends out it's gladdest sound in this sermon from the nations capital Inn mense throngs pack and overflow the church to which Dr. Talmage breaches twice each Sabbath. His text this morn ing was Isaiah lii ,s6: "All we, like shesp, have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him tho iniquity of us all. '"
 Once more ring the old gospel bell The first half of my next text is an in- dictment. All we. like sheep, have gone astray. Some one says: "Can't you drop that first word? That is too general; thar sweeps too great 8 circle" Some man rises in the audience, and he looks over on the opposite side of the house and says: "There is blasphemer, and I understand how he has gone astray. And there in another part of the house ts a defaulter, and he has gone astray. And there is an impure person, and he has gone astray." Sit down, my brother, and look at home. My text takes us all in It starts behind the pull pit, sweeps the circuit of the room, and comes back to the point where it start cd. when it says. All we, like sheep. have gone astray.
 can very easily understand why Martin Luther threw up his hands after he had found the Bible and cried out, "Oh. my sins, my sins!'' and why the publican, according to the custom to this day in the east, when they have any great srisf, began to beat himself and cry, as he smote upon his breast, "God be nerciful to me, a sinner. I was, hke many of you, brought up in the country, and know some of the habits of sheep, and how they get astray and what my text means when it says, All we, like sheep, have gone astray." kSAlCOP kCb HI tWo WaJ o-OAtbOh by trying to get into other pasture. or from being scared by the dogs. In the former way some of us got astray. We thought the religion of Jesus Christ put us on short commons. We thought there was better pasturage somewhere else. We thought if we could only lie down on the banks of distant stream. or un- ar great oaks on the other side of some hill, we might be better fed. We want cd other pasturage than that which God. through Jesus Christ. gave our soul, and we wandered on and we wandered on and we wero lost. We wanted bread, and we found garbage. The farther we wandered. instead of finding rich pas turage, VIC found blasted heath and sharper rocks and more stinging nettles. No pasture. How was it in the club house when you lost your child? Did they come around and help you very muchi Did your worldly associates con- sole you very muchp Did not the plain Christian man who came into your house and sat up with your darling child give you more comfort than all worldly asso- ciates? Did all the convivial songs you ever heard comfort you in that day of bereavement SO much as the song they sang to you-perhaps the very song that was sung by your little child the last Sabbath afternoon of her life
 There is happy land
 Far, far away,
 Where saints immortal reign Bright, bright as day.
 God's Masterpiece.
 Did your business associates in that day of darkness and trouble give you any especial condolenoef Business exas- perated you. business wore you out. business left you limp as rag, business made you mad. You got dollars. but you got no peace. God have mercy on the man who has nothing but business to comfort himi The world afforded you no luxuriant pasturage. A famous English actor stood m the stage imper- sonating, and thunders of applause came down from the galleries, and many thought it was the proudest mo- ment of all his life, but there was man asleep just in front of him, and the fact that that man was indifferent and somnolent spoiled all the occasion for him, and he cried, Wake up, wake upP' So one little annoyance in life has been more prevailing to your mind than all the brilliant congratulations and success. Poor pasturage for your soul you find in this world. The world has cheated you, the world has belied you, the world has misinterpreted you, the world has persecuted you. It never sn rack from which horse may pick his food. It is good trough from which the sw inc may crunch their mess, but it gives but little food to a soul blood bought and immortal What is soul? It is a hope high as the throne of God. What is a man? You say, Tt is only a man." It is only a man gone overheard in sin. It is only a man gone overheard in business life. What is man? The battle-ground of three worlds, with his hands taking hold of destinies of light or darkness. A man No line can meas ure him. No limit can bound him. The archangel before the throne cannot out live him. The stars shall die. but he will watch their extinguishment. The world will burn, but he will gaze at the confagration. Endless ages will march on. He will watch the process sion. A mani The masterpiece of God Almighty. Yet you say, "It is only a man." Can nature like that be fed on husks of the wilderness?
 Substantial comforts will not grow 1 On natures barren soil;
 All we can boast till Christ we know
 Is vanity and toll.
 The Soul That Sinneth.
 Some of you got astray by looking for better pastufage; others by being scared by the dogs. The hound gets over into the pasture fleli. The poor things fly in every direction. In a few moments they are torn of the hedges and they are splashed of the ditch, and the lost sheep never gets home unless the farmer goes aftes it. There is nothing SO thoroughly loss as lost sheep. It may have been in 1857, during the financial panic, or s-- Al -x