Milford chronicle., 1896-04-03
SOCIAL DIVERSIONS.
THEY THAT USE THIS WORLD AS
NOT ABUSING 1T.


Rev. DR.. Talmage Discusses Good and Bad
Recreations-Th Force of Music-Out-
door Sports For Soul Build
Ing-The Last Hour.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-In his sermon
today DR. Talma2e discussed a subject Of
universal interest-viz, "Our Social Rec
reations. His text was chosen from
Corinthians vii, 81 "Thoy that use this
world as not abusing it," Judges xvi, s5'
rAnd it came TO pass, 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 be-
gan to clap and pound, impatient for the
amusement TO begin, and they cried,
Fetch him out, fetch him outW Yonder
/ SEQ 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 a shout of laughter and derision.
Tho blind old giant pretends he is tired,
and wants to rest himself against the pill
lars of the house. So no says to the lad
who leads him, "Show me where the main
pillars arel" The lad does so. Then the
strong man puts his right hand on one
pillar and his left hand on another, and,
with tho mightiest push that mortal ever
made, throws himself forward until the
whole house comes down in thunderous
crash, grinding the audience like grapes
in a vino press. And so 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 out
of the prison house, and he made them
sport,
In other words, there arc Rmusements
that are destructive, and bring down dis
aster and death upon the heads of those
who practice them. While they laugh and
cheer. they die The 5000 who persisted
that day in GAIA are as nothing compared
to the tens of thousands who have been
destroyed by sinful amusements
Lawful Pleasures.
But nv first text implies that there is a
lawful use of the world as well as an I'M
lawful abuse Of it, and the difference be-
tween the man Christian and tho man I'M
Christian is that in the former case the
man masters tile world, while in the lat
ter case the world masters him. For whom
did God make this grand and beautiful
world? For whom this wonderful expend-
iture of color, this gracefulness OF line,
this mosaic of the ground, this fresco OF
the sky, this glowing fruitage Of orchard
and vineyard, this full orchestra OF the
tempest, in which the tree branches iiut0
and the winds trumpet, and tho thundcrs
drum, aud Rll the splcndors OF earth ana
sky come oiashing theiG GymhalsY FOR
whom did God spring the arched bridge OF
eolors resting upon buttrosses of broken
storm cloud? For whom did he gather the
upholstery Of fire around the window OF
the setting sun? For all men, pug nofA
espenialiy for his own dear children.
If you build large mansion and spread
great feast after 1t to celebrate the COM
pletion of the structure, do you allow
strangers to come in and occupy tho place.
while you thrust your own children in tho
kitchen. or the barn, or the leldsi Oh
mol You say, Il am very glad to see
strange1e in my mansion, but my own
sons and daughters shall haya the first
RIGHT there. +" Now, Sod has built phis
grand mansion of q world, and he has
spread a alorious feast i'll it, and while
those who are strangers to his grace may
come in / think that God especially In
tends to give the advantage TO his own
children - those who are the sons and
daughters of the Lord Almighty, those
who through grace can look up and say,
ga bba, Father" You cannot make me
believe that God gives more advantages to
the world than he gives 70 the church
bought by his own blood. II, theref9Fa
people of the world have looked with dol
orons sympathy upon those who make pro
fession of religion and have said, Those
new converts are going down into priYa-
ton and into hardship; why did they not
tarry a little longer in the world and have
some of its enjOyments and amusements
and reoreations"-I say to such men OF
the world, 'You arc greatly mistaken
and before get through will show fhal
those people who stay out of tho kingdom
of God have tho hardships and self denials,
while these wig pemQ IN have the Joys ana
satisfactions.
In the name of the King Of heaven and
earth, serve writ Of ejeotment upon all
! the sinful and polluted who have squattea
on the domain Of earthly pleasure as
though it belonged to them, while / claim,
| in behalf of the good ana the pure and the
I true, the eternal inheritance which God
has given them. Hitheto Christian phi
| ianthropists, clerical and lay, have busted
| themselves chiefly in denouncing sinful
( recreations, but feel we have no right to
stand before men and women in whose
hearts there is a desire for recreation
amounting To positive necessity, denouno-
Ing this and that and tho other thing
when we do not propose to give them
something better God helping me and
with reference to my last account, shall
enter upon q sphere not usual in sermoniz-
Ing but a subject which l think ought to
be presented at this time. I propose now
to lay before you some of the recreations
which are not only innocent, but posi-
| lively helpful and advantageous.
Influence Of Music.
In the drst place, 1 commend, among
indoor recreations, music---vooal and in
strumental Among the first things ere
nted was tho bird so that the earth might
bavo music at tho start. This world,
which began with so sweet a serenadc, Is
finally to be- demolished amidst the ringing
blast Of the archangol's trumpet, SO that
as there was music at the start, there shall
be- music at the close While this heavenly
nrt has often been dragged into the uses of
superstition and dissipation, we all know
| it may be the means OF high moral culture
Oh, it is grand thing to have our chill
dren brought up amidst the sound of cul-
tured voices and amidst the melody Of mu-
| steal Instruments,
There is in this art an indescribable fas'
cination for tho household Let all those
\ families who have the means to afford 1t
have nute or harp or piano or organ. AS
soon as the hand is large enough to com
pass tho keys teach it how to pick out the
melody. Let all our young men try this
heavenly art upon their nature. Those
who have gone into it fully have found IN
1 It ilIimin,ble recreation and amusemont.
/ Dark days stormy nights, seasons OF sick
/ aess, business disasters, will do little