Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-04-03
MUSIC FIRST OF ALL.
THE BEST OF THE INDOOR RECRE-
ATlONS.

But Rev. DR.. Talmage Favors All Inno-
cent sports-He Shows, However, That
They Are Not a Fit Foundation For Soul
Building.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-In his SER
mon today D1. Talmage discussed a
subject Of universal interest-viz, Our
Social Recreations. His text was cho-
sen from Corinthians vii, 81, "Tbey
that use this world as not abusing it. "
Judges xvi, %: "And it came to lass,
when their hearts were merry, that they
said, call for Samson, that he may make
us sport. "
There were 5000 people assembled in
the temple of Dagon. They had come to
make sport of eyeless Samson. They
were all ready for the entertainment.
They began to clap and pound, impa-
tient for the amusement to begin, and
they cried, Fetch him out, fetch him
outr' Yonder see the blind old giant
coming, led by the hand Of a child into
the very midst Of the temple. At his
first appearance there goes up a shout Of
laughter and derision. 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 - The lad does So. Then the strong
man puts his right hand on one pillar
and his left hand on another pillar, and
with the mightiest push that mortal
ever made, throws himself forward un-
til the whole house comes down in
thunderous crash. grinding the audience
like grapes in a winepress. "And so 1t
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 out Of the prison
house. and no made them sport. y
In other words, there are amusements
that are destructive, and bring down
disaster and death upon the heads OF
those who practice them. While they
laugh and cheer, they die The 5000
who perished that day in GAIA, are as
nothing compared to the tens Of thous-
ands who have been destroyed by sinful
amusements.
For Use, Not Abuse.
But my first text implies that there is
a lawfnl use of the world, as well as an
unlawful abuse Of it, and the difference
between the man Christian and the man
nm Christian is that in the former case
the man masters the world, while IN the
latter case the world masters him. For
whom did God make this grand and
beautiful world2 For whom this won
derful expenditure of color, this grace
fitness 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 thunders 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 he gather
the upholstery Of fire around the win
dow of the setting sun? For all men,
but more especially for his own dear
children.
II YOU build a large mansion and
spread a great feast after it to celebrate
the completion Of the structure, do you
allow strangers to come in and occupy
the place, while you thrust your OWL
children in the kitchen, or the barn, ol
the fields? Oh, mol You say, 81 am very
glad to see strangers in my mansion, bu'
nv own sons and daughters shall have
the first right there. Now, God hai
built this grand mansion Of world, anc
he has spread a glorious feast IN 1t, anc
while those who are strangers to hi
grace may come in, think that God es
pscially intends to give the advantage tC
his own children-those who are the
sons and daughters Of the Lord Al
mighty. those who through grace car
look up and say, abba, Father. foV
cannot make me believe that God give
more advantages to the world than h'
gives TO the church bought By his owl
blood. If. therefore, people Of the worlC
have looked with dolorous sympath,
upon those who make profession OF re
lioion and have said: "Those new con
yerts are going down into privation ant
into hardship. Why did they not tarry
little longer in the world and have SOM
OF its enioyments and amusements an'
recreations?" l say to such men OF tn
world, "You are greatly mistaken an'
before | get through will show tha
those people who stay out of the king
dom Of God have the hardships and sci
denials, while those who come in hav
the Joys and satisfactions
In the name Of the King of heavel
and earth 1 serve a writ of ejectmen
upon all the sinful and polluted VIII
have squatted on the domain of earthl
pleasure as though it belonged to them
while l claim in behalf Of the good am
the poor and the true the eternal IN
heritance which God has given them
Hitherto, Christian philanthropists
clerical and lay. have busted themselve
chiefly in denouncing sinful recreation'
, but / feel we have no right to stand be
, fore men and women in whose heart
there is n desire for recreation amount
: ing to positive necessity, denonncin
90 Il tLot aod tho other thing Whe
D we do not propose to give them some
thing better. God helping me and wit
reference to my last account, l shall ef
ser upon sphere not usual in sermon
izinR, but a subject which ! think ougf
q to be presented at this time. propo'
now 70 lay before you some of the re-
reations which are not only innocen
l but positiyelr hslpful aud adyantaseou'