Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-09
SOCIAL DIVERSIONS.
THEY THAT USE THIS WORLD AS
NOT ABUSING IT.


Recreations--Tho Force of Musio-Out-
door Experimentation For Soul Build
ing-The Last Hour.
WASHINGTON, March 2o-In bis sermon
today DR.. Talmage discussed subject of
universal interest-viz, "Our Social Rec
reations." His text was chosen from 1
Corinthians vii, 81 "Thcy that uso this
world as not abusing it." Judges xvi, 25:
"And 1t came to pass, whom their hearts
were merry, that they said, call for Samson,
that he may make us sport.
There wero 5000 people assembled In
the temple of Dagon. They had come to
mako sport of eyeless Samson. They were
all ready for tho entertainment. They be-
gan to clap and pound, impatient for the
amusement to begin, apd they cried,
Fetch him out, fetch hint outP' fondcr
/ SEQ tho 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 derision
Tho blind old giant pretends no Is tired,
and wants to rest himself against tho pill
who leads him, "Show me where the main
pillars arel" The lad does SO. Then tho
strong man puts his right hand on ono
pillar and his left hand on another, and
with tho mightiost push that mortal over
made, throws himself forward until tho
whole house comes down in thunderous
crash, grinding tho audience like grapes
in "a wine press. And so 1t came to pass,
when their hearts were merry, that they
said, cnl for Samson, that no may make
us snort. And they called for Samson out
of tho prison house, and he made them
sport"
In Other words, there arc amusements
that are destructive, and bring down dis
nster and death upon the heads Of those
who practice them. While they laugh and
cheer, they die. Tho 5000 who persisted
that day in GAIA are as nothing compared
to tho tens of thousands who have been
destroyed by sinful amusements.
Lawful Pleasures.
But my first text implies that thcro is \
lawful uso Of tho world rs well as an I'M
lawful abuse of IL, and the difference b.
tween the man Christian and tho man UNI
Christian Is that in the former case tho
man masters tho world, while in tho lat
ter case tho world masters him. For whom
did God mako this grand and beautiful
world? For whom this wonderful cxpend-
iture of color, this gracefulness of line,
this mosaic of tho ground, this frcsco OF
the sky, this glowing fruitago OF orchard
and vineyard, this full orchestra of the
tempest, in which the tree branches flute,
and tho winds trumpet, and the thundcrs
drum, and all tho splendors of earth and
sky come clashing their cymbals5 For
whom did God spring the archcd bridge of
colors resting upon buttresscs of broken
storm cloudP For whom did he gather the
upholstery of fire around the window OF
the setting sun? For all men, but more
especially for his own dear children.
If you build large mansion and spread
a great feast after it to celebrate tho com.
pletion OF tho structure, do you allow
strangers to como In and occupy tho place,
while you thrust your own children in the
kitchen, or the barn, or tho folds? Oh,
no! You say, II am very glad to SET
strangers in my mansion, but my OWL
sons and daughters shall have tho frs,
right there" Now, God has built this
grand mansion of n world, and he ha:
spread glorious feast in it, and while
those who are strangers to his grace may
como In 1 think that God especially in
tends to give the advantage to his owl
children - those who are the sons ant
daughters of the Lord Almighty, tlros,
who through grace can look up and say
"Abba, Father" You cannot make IN,
believe that God gives moro advantages t
the world than he gives TO the church
bought by his own blood. If, therefore
people of the world have looked with dol
orous sympathy upon those who make pro
fession Of religion and have said, "Thos
new converts arc going down into priva
ton and into hardship; why did they no
tarry little longer In the world and hav
some Of its enjoyments and amusement
and recrcations"-I say to such men o
the world, "You are greatly mistaken,
and before get through l will show tina
those people who stay out OF the kingdom
Of God have the hardships and self dcnials
whiio those who come in have the joys an,
satisfactions.
In the name of tho King Of heaven an,
earth, servo u writ Of ejectncnt upon al
tho sinful and polluted who have squntte
on the domain Of earthly pleasure q
though 1t belonged to them, whilo claim
In behalf of the good and the pure and tn
true the etornal inheritance which Goo
has given them. Hitheto Christian phi
lanthropists, clerical and lay, have busie
themselves chiefly in denouncing sinfu
recreations, but feel we have no right t
stand before men and women IN who's
hearts there is q desire for recreation
amounting to positive necessity, denounc
ing this and that and tho other thing
when we do not propose to give thor
something better. God helping mo an
with reference to my last account, shn'
enter upon a sphere not usual in sermonia
ing, but q subject which think ought Z
be presented at this timo. / propose no'
to lay before you some Of tho recreation
which are not only innocent, but pos
lively helpful and advantageous.
Influence of Music.
In the first place, commend, anon
indoor recreatlons, musio--vooal and IL
strumental. Among the first things CT,
ated was the bird, so that the earth migf
have music at the start. This worl(
which began with so sweet q serenade,
finally to be demolished amidst the ringin
blast of the archangel's trumpet, so ths
as there was music at the start, there sha
be music at tho close. While this hoavenl
art has often been dragged into the uses
superstition and dissipation, we all kno
ID may be the means of high moral cultur
Oh 1t is q grand thing to have our oh
dren brought up amidst tho sound of OF
tured voices and amidst the melody of III
steal Instruments.
There Is in this art an indoscribable r.
cination for the household. Let all tn
families who have the means to afford
have flute or harp or plano or organ.
soon as the hand is large enough to co.