The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-04-10
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
ruE NOTED DIvINE's SUNDAY
DISCOURSE.
Subject "our Social neor,atlous''

hNNalAH IT, = Corinthians NIi.. HI. "AnI IF ]
eamo 90 pass when their hraeJa wore m.rry |
lnAl they SAID cul Toy Sam 1u, itu ha may |
make ua sport '-jrdgoa zyi., 25
There were 5000 people assembled IN the
temple OF Dae1n ih0y bad come 90 make
sport QIoyeir1s samson. They were 400 ready
lor the entertainment. They began TO- clap
and pound, impatient for che nmursmsut 10
begin, and they cried. "Feich him out. fetch
him outl' Y0ndor sas Che blind old giant
coming, lod by the hand % q child into the
very midst OF tho temple. AZ his hrst appear
hnca there goes up q shout co laughter and
derision. The blind old giant pre,onds ho Is
tired, add wants 10 rest himself against the
pillars Of the house. So ho says DO tho lad
Who leads him, "sh0W nee where the main
pillars nre.' Tho lad does go Thon the
strong man puts bis right hand on one pillar.
and his leit hand on another pillar. and with
the miRhuest push that mortal over made,
throws himself forward until tho whole house
| comes down IN thundorous crash grinding
| mo audience like grapes ia winepresa.
''Ahu 80 u came 20 pass, when their hearts
/ were merry, that they said, call for Samson,
| mat ne may make as sport. And they called
lor samson out OF the prison house, and he
/ nude thom sport"
In other words, there are amusemenis that
are destructive, and bring down disaster and
/ death upon the heads OF those who practice
| them. While they laugh and cheer, they die
] Inc SU0O who persisted that day In GAIA nre
as nothing compared 10 the tens OF thou
sands who have been destroyed by sinful
| amusements.
But my first text implies that there is a
lawful use Of the world, as we'll as an unlaw-
| ful abuse OF II. and the difference between
the man Christian and the man un-Chrlstian
is that In the former cass tho 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
wonderful expenditure OF color, this grace
iuness OF line, this mosaic Of the ground,
this iresco OF the sky, this glowing fruitage
OF orchard and vineyard, this full orchestra
OF the tempest. IN which the tree branches
nute, and the winds trumpet, and the thun-
ders drum, and all the splendor OF earth and
SKY come clashing their cymbals} For whom
did God spring the arched bridge Of colors
| resting upon buttresses OF broken storm
cloud? For whom did He gather the uphol-
stery OF fire around the window Of the set
ting sum- For all men, but more especially
for His own deac children.
II you build large mansion and spread a
great feast after It to celebrate the compile
ton OF the structure do you allow strangers
10 come In and occupy the place, while you
thrust your own children IN the kitchen, or
tho barn, or the feds2 Oh, mol You say.
Il am very glad to see strangers In my man
sion, but my own sons and daughters shall
have the FIRST right there" Now, God has
"A built this grand mansion Of a world, and He
bas spread glorious feast in liz, and while
1hose 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. IT, there
fore, people OF the world have looked with
dolorous sympathy upon those who make
, | profession OF religion and have said: "phose
new converts are going down into prlvatior
and into hardship. Why did they not tarry
a little longer in the world and have some o
It's enloyments and amusements and recrea
7 tonsS' 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 denials. while thos,
. who come in have the joys and satisfactions
q In the name OF the King OF heaven ant
earth serve writ OF ejectment upon al
the sinful and polluted who have squatteC
on the domain OF earthly pleasure as though
i belonged TO them, while I claim in behal
5 OF the good and the poor and the true, thu
eternal Inheritance which God has giveI
. them. Hitherto Christian philanthropists
|. clerical and lay, have busted themselve
chiefly In denouncing sinful recreatons. bu
) feel we have no right to stand before mel
n and women in whose hearts there is a desir
Tor recreation amounting to positive neces
, sity, denouncing this and that and the othe
q thing, when we do not propose to give then
something better God helping me and wit
: reference to my last account, / shall ente
:. upon sphere not usual in sermonizing, bu
asubiect which think ought 10 be presente
: at this time. / propose now to lay befor
you some Of the recreations which are nc
|. only innocent, but positively helpful and ad
a vantageous.
In the first place commend. among in
IS door recreations, music--vocal and instru
mental Among the first things created wa
> the bird. so that the earth might have must
IS at the start. This world. which began wit
so sweet serenade, is finally to be demo
. ished amid the ringing blast OF the archaI
= gels trumpet, so that as there was music
the start, there shall be music at the clos
j While this heavenly art has often bee
IS dragged into the uses Of superstition an
dissipation we all know 1t may be the meal
> OF high moral culture. Oh Il Is q gran
"a thing to have our children brought up ami
~ the sound Of cultured voices and amid Il
Vt melody Of musical instruments
n There is In this art an indescribab
fascination for the household. Let all tho
N families who have the means TO afford
N have flute or harp or piano or organ.
- soon as the hand is large enough to compa
st the keys teach it how to pick out the melod
. Let ali our young men try this heavenly a
upon their nature. Those who have goI
7e into it fully have found in 1t illimitab
recreation and amusement Dark day
10 stormy nights seasons Of Sickness busine
r disasters, will do little toward depressiI
the soul which can gallop of over music
Id keys or soar in jublant lay. 1t will Gu
os pain. 1t will rest fatigue 1t will qut
VI passion. 1t will revive health. 1t will ]
1T claim dissipation. It will strengthen t
- immortal soul In the battle Of Waterlo
70 wellington saw that the Highlanders we
40 falling back. He said "What is the matt
there2" He was told that the band of mu!
y had ceased playing, and he called up t
in plpers and ordered them to strike up an
spiritng air, and no sooner did they strl
as the air than the Highlanders were ralli
ss and helped to win the day, Oh, ye w
% have been routed in the conflicts of life.