Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-04-10
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
The Eminent Washington Divine's
Sunday Sermon.
Subject: "Our Social Recreations."

$SAAkAO VI ONkOus Lucy ubu CJm6 IC MAKE
sport ofeyeless Samson. They were all ready
for the entertainment. They began to claI
and pound, impatient for the amusement I'd
begin, and they cried, "Fetch him out fetch
him out!" Yonder see the blind old giant
coming, led by the hand of child into the
very midst OF the temple. At his first appear.
enco there goes up shout of laughter and
uerision. Tho blind old giant pretends he IA
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 arep' The lad does SO. Then the
strong man puts his right hand on one pillar,
md his left hand On another pillar, and with
the 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 winepress,
"And SOFT 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 are amusements that
are destructive, and bring down disaster and
death upon the heads OF those who practices
them. While they laugh and cheer, they die.
The 5000 who persisted that day in GAIA are
as nothing compared to tho tens OF thou.
sands who have been destroyed by sinful
amusements.
But my first text implies that there is q
lawful use OF the world, as we'll as an unlaw.
ful abuse of 1t. and the difference between
the man Christian andthe man un-Christian
Is that Ia the former case the man masters
the world, whilo in the latter case the world
masters him. For whom did God make this
grand and beautiful world? For whom this
wonderful expenditure of color, this grace.
fulness of line, this mosaic OF the ground,
this fresco Of the sky, this glowing frnitage
OF orchard and vineyard, this full orchestra
OF the tempest, in which the tree branches
flute, aud the winds trumpet. and tho thun.
ders drum, and all the splcndor OF earth and
sky come clashing their cymbals2 For whom
did God spring the arched bridge OF colors
resting upon buttresses OF broken storm
cloud? For whom did He gather the uphok
stery OF fire around the window Of the set.
ting sum- For al men, but more especially
for His own dear children.
II you build large MANSION and spread d
great feast after 1t to celebrate tho compile
ton OF the structure, do you allow strangers
to come in and occupy the place, while you
thrust your own children in the kitchen, OF
the barn, or the flelds2 Oh, no! You say
II am very glad to see strangers in my man.
sion. but my own sons and daughters shall
have the first right there" Now, Col has
built this grand mansion Of 4 world, bnd he
has spread a glorious feast in 1t, and while
those who are strangers to His grace may
come IN, think that God especially intends
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, abba Father" You
cannot make me believe that God gives more
advantages to the world than He gives to the
church bought by His own blood. If. thsres
fore, people OF the world have looked with
dolorous sympathy upon those who make
profession OF religion and have said: "Those
new converts are going down into privation
aud into hardship. Why did they not tarry
little longer in the world and have some OF
its enjoyments and amusements and recreas
llOns!' L say to such men of the world,
"You are greatly mistaken" and before
get through l will show that those people
who stay out Of the kingdom of God have
the hardships and self dentals, while those
who come in have the joys and satisfactions.
In The name OF the King of heaven and
earth serve writ of ejectment upon all
the sinful and polluted who have squatted
on the domain of 6arthly pleasure rs though
IT oalonged to them, while claim in behalf
OF the good and the poor and the true, the
eternal Inheritance which God has given
them. Hitherto, Christian philanthropists,
clerical and lay, have busted themselves
chiefly in denouncing nful recreations, but
FEEL we have no right TO 81 and before men
and women in whose hearts there Is desire
Tor recreation amounting to positive Deces,
silly, denouncing this and that and the other
thing, when we do not propose to give them
something better. God helping me and with
reference to my last account, I shall enter
upon sphere not usual in sermonizing. but
a subject which think ought 10 be presented
at this time. propose now to lay before
you some Of the recreations which are not
only innocent, but positiye'y helpful and adj
vantageous.
In the first place commend, among In
uoor recreations, music-vocal and instru+
mental. Among the first things created was
the bird. 50 that the earth might have music
at the start. This world, which began with
so sweet serenade. is finally to be denol-
lshed amid the ringing blast OF the archan-
gels trumpet, 50 that as there was music at
the start, there shall be music at the close.
While this heavenly art has often been
dragged into the uses Of superstition and
we all know it may be the means
OF high moral culture. oh, 1t is d grand
hing to have our children brought up amid
The sound Of cultured voices and amid the
melody OF musical instruments.
There Is in this Grt an indescribable
fascination for the household. Let all those
families who havo the means 20 afford 1t
have flute or harp or piano or organ. AS
soon as the hand is large enough TO compass
the 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 it illimitable
recreation and amusement. Dark days,
stormy nights, seasons OF sickness, Eusiress
disasters, will do little toward depressing
he soul which can gallop off over musical
leys or soar in jubilant lay. 1t will cure
pain. 1t will rest fatigue. 1t will quell
passion. 1t will revive health 1t will re.
lain dissipation. 1t will strengthen the
immortal SOUL In the battle of Waterloo
Wellington saw that the Highlanders were
alling back. He said: "What is the matter
hore9' He was told that the band of music
lad ceased playing, and he called up the
,ipers and ordered them to strike up an In
piriting air, and no sooner did they strike
he air than the Highlanders were rallied
md helped to win the day, Oh, we who
lave been routed in the conflicts OF life, try
" the force of music to rally your scattered
'attalions.
am glad to know that in our great cities
here is hardly night in which there are
lot concerts, where. with the best musical
Instruments and the sweetest voices, people
nay find entertainment. PAtronize such en-.
ertainments when they are afforded you.
Buy season tickets, II you can, for the Phil
armonic and the Handel and Haydn socie-
les. Feel that the $3.50 or 81 that you
pend for the purpose OF hearing an artist
lay or sing is profitable investm ent. Let
A L. e ~ ia 10
lamation Of appreciative audiences assem-
led at the concert or the oratorio.
Still further, 1 commend. as worthy OF
heir support, the gymnasium. This institu-
on is gaining in favor every year, and
now Of nothing moro free from dissipation
r more calculated TO recuperate the physi-
Al and mental energies While there are q |