The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-04-08

cent Spo=ts-He Shows, However, Tha.
They Are Not Fit Foundation For Soul
Building.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-In his ser
mon today D. Talmage discussed Q
subject of universal interest-viz, "Our
Social RecreatiCus. =" His text was cho-
sen from Corinthians vii, 81, They
that use this world as not abusing it. "
Judges xvi, 25: And it came to pass,
when their hearts were merry, that they
said, call for Samson, that ho may make
US spcrt."
There were 5000 people assembled in
the temple CT DagoY. They had come to
make sport Of eyolesS Samson. They
were all ready for the entertainment
They began to clap ard pound, impa-
tient for the amusement to begin, and
they cried, Fetch him out, fetch him
out" Yonder l see the blind old giant
coming, led by the hand Of child into
the very midst of the temple. At his
first appearance there goes Up shout Of
laughter and derisicH. The blind old
giant pretends he is tired, and wants to
rest himself against the pillars of the
house. So he says to the lad who leads
him, "Show me where the main pillars
are - Tho lad does SO. Then the strong
man puts his right hand on one pillar
and his left hand on another pillar, and
with the mi2ht!est push that mortal
ever made, throws himself forward IN
til the whole house comes down in
thunderous crash, grinding the audience
like grapes in Z wincpress. And 50 it
came to pass, when their hearts were
merry, that they said, call for Samson,
that he may make Us Sport. And they
called for Samson OCT Ct tie prison
house, and ho made them s3Crt."
In other words, there are aGlusements
that are destructive, and bring down
disaster ard death upon the heads CT
those who practice them. While they
laugh and cheer, they die The 5000
who perishod that day IL Gaza, are as
nothing compared to the tens Of thouS-
auGs who have been destroyed by sinful
amuSements.
For Use, Not Abuse.
But NY first text implies that there is
a lawful use of the world, as well as an
unlawful abuse Of it, ard the difference
between the man Christian and tie man
un-Cbristian is that in TIE former case
the man masters the world, while i'll the
latter case the world masters him. Fer
whom did God make this grand and
beautiful world? For whom this Won
derful expenditure of color, this grace
fulness of line, this mosaic Of the
ground, this fresco Of the sky, this glow
ing fruitage Of orchard and vineyard,
this full orchestra Of the tempest, in
which the tree branches flute, and the
winds trumpet, and the tkunders drum,
and all the splendors of earth and SKY
come clashing their cymbals! For whom
did God spring the arched bridge of col
ors resting upon buttresses Of broken
storm cloud? For whom did lie gather
the upholstery Ct fire around tie Win
dow of the setting sun? For all men,
bat more especially for his own dear
children.
If you build q large mansion and
spread q great feast after it to celebrate
the completion Of the structure, do you
allow strangers to cone IL and occupy
the place, while you thrust your own
children in the kitchen, Or the barn, or
the fields? Oh, no! You say, Il an very
glad to SEQ strangers in my mansion, hut
lily own sons ana daughters shall have
the first right there" Now, God has
built this grand mansion Of world, and
he has spread glorious feast in 1t, and
while those who are strangers to his
grace may come IL, think that God cs-
peci"liy intends to give the advantage to
his own ciiildren-thCso who are the
soas and daughters Of the Lord AL
mighty, those who through grace caI
lcoi up and sag, abba, Father" You
cannot make NE believe that God gives
rIore advantages to the world than he
gives to the church bought By his own
blood. #, therefore, people OF tie world
have locked with dolorCas sympathy
uron those who make profession Of re-
l;Sion q / have said: "Those new con-
verts are going down into privatiGn and
into hardship. Why did they not tarry a
little longer in the world and have some
Of its eujoyTen;s and anu>ements and
recIeati0ns:' say to such men Of the
world, "You are greatly mistaken" aud
before ge5 through Will show that
those people who stay ont Ct tho king
dom Of God have the halGships and self
denials, while these who come i'll have
the joys and satisfac;ions.
In the name cf the King Of heaven
and earth serve 4 writ Of eiectme!t
upon all the sinful and polluted who
have sGGattud cn the domain cf earthly
pleasure rs though it belonged to them,
while / claim il i:ehalI Of the good and
the poor and lie true, tie eternal IL
heritance which GCd has given them.
Hitherto, Christian rhilanthrorists,
clerical and lay, have busted themselves
chiefly il GenCuucing sinful rec-eations,
but | feel wo have 10 right TO stand be-
fore nen and women in whose hearts
there is desire for recreation amount
ing to positive necessity, denounclns
this and that and the other thing, when
we do not propose to give them some
thing better. God helping NE ard with
reference to NY last account, shall en-
ter upon q sphere not usual in sermon
iZ;ng, but Z subject which I think ought
to be presented at this tine. propose
row to lay before you some Of the rec.
reations which are not only innocent,
but positively helpful and advantageous.
The Charms of Music.
In the frs; place, commend, among
indoor recreatiCns, music-vGCal and in
strurental. Among the first things
created was the bird, so thar the earth
might have music Gt the start. This
wc-Id, which began with SO sweet a
serenale, IS finally 70 be demolished
amid the RI ling blast Of tie arcAaEcel $
t...alrnct, SC that as there was music at
Cure or Headache.
A. q rn,1nlx. r1r oil fri.rns 0f HrG,