Connecticut western news., 1897-12-09
DOING GOOD WISELY.
REV. DR. TAlMAGE'S SERMON ON COMMON SENSE IN RELIGION.

Alert huahnoss Men WhO are LASBhrus
 xn Affairs of the soul-More Common
 sense Needed In Church Building and
 In Building Up the Christian Character. tCopyright. 1897. by American Press Asso-
 ctation.1
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-Dr. Talmage in this discourse advocates more prac- tical wisdom in efforts at doing good and assails some of the absurdities in church architecture and management. The text is Luke xvi, 8, "The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light"
 That is another way of saying that Christians are not so skillful in the manipulation of spiritual affairs as worldlings are skillful in the manage ment of temporalities see all around me people who are alert, earnest, con- oentrated and skillful in monetary mat ters, who in the affairs of the soul are laggards, inane, inert. The great want of the world is more common sense in matters of religion. If one-half of the skill and forcefulness employed in finan- cial affairs was employed in disseminat- ing the truths of Christ and trying to make the world better, within ten years the last Juggernaut would fall, the last throne of oppression upset, the last in iQuity tumble and the anthem that was chanted over Bethlehem on Christmas from all nations and kindred and peo- pie, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.
 Some years ago, on a train going to- ward the southwest, as the porter of the sleeping car was making up the berths at the evening tide, saw man kneel down to pray. Worldly people looked on as much as to say, What does this mennf' suppose the most of the peo- pie In the car thought that the man was either insane or that he was a fanatic, but he disturbed no one when he knelt and he disturbed DO one when he arose. In after conversation with him I found ont that he was member of a church In a northern city, that he was seafar ing man, and that he was on his way to New Orleans to take command of ves- sel. I thought, then, as think now, that ten such men-men with such cour- age for God as that man had-ten such men would bring the whole city to Christ. A thousand such men would bring this whole land to God. Ten thou sand such men, in short time, would bring the whole earth into the kingdom of Jesus That he was successful in worldly affairs, found out. That he was skillful in spiritual affairs, you are well persuaded. If men had the courage, the pluck, the alertness, the acumen, the industry, the common sense in mat ters of the soul, that they have in mat ters of the world, this would be very different kind of earth in which to live. 1Gors Common Sense In Church Building.
 In the first place, my friends, we want more common sense in the build ing and conduct of churches. The idea o6 adaptiveness is always paramount in any other kind of structure. If bankers meet together and they resolve upon putting up @ bank, the bank Is especial 1y adapted to banking purposes. If 8 manufacturing company puts up build ing, 1t is to be adapted to manufacturing purposes But adaptiveness is not always the question in the rearing of churches. In many of our churches we want more light. more room, more ventilation, moro comfort. Vast sums of money are expended on ecclesiastical structures, and men cit down in them, and you ask . man how he likes the church. He says, ''I like it very we'll, but can't hear. '" As though 8 shawl factory were good for everything but making shawls! The voice of the preacher dashes against the pillars. Men sit down under the shadows of the Gothic arches and shiver and feel they must be getting religion or some thing else they feel so uncomfortable.
 Oh, my friends, we want more com mon sense in the rearing of churchesi There is no excuse for lack of light when the heavens are full of 1t, no ex- cuse for lack of fresh air when the world swims in it. It ought to be an expression not only of our spiritual hap piness, but of our physical comfort, when we say: "How amiable are thy tabernacles, 0 Lord God of hostsl A day in thy courts is better than a thou sand.o
 Again, remark we want more com mon sense in the obtaining of religious hope. All men understand that in order to succeed in worldly directions they must concentrate. They think on that one object, on that one subject, until their mind takes fire with the velocity . of their own thoughts. All their acu- men, all their strategy, all their wis dom, all their common sense they put fin that one direction, and they succeed. But how seldom it is true in the master of seeking after God. While no man expects to accomplish anything for this world without concentration and enthu- siasm how many there are expecting after awhile to get into the kingdom of God without the use of any such means.
 Tho Mountain of Gods Love.
 A miller in California many years ago picked up a sparkle of gold from the bed of stream which turned his mill He held up that sparkle of gold until 1t bewitched nations Tens of thousands of people left their homes. They took their blankets and their pick axes and their pistols and went to the wilds of California. Cities sprang up suddenly on the Pacific coast. Mer- chants put aside their elegant apparel and put on the miners garb. All the land was full of the talk about gold. Gold in the eyes, gold in the ears, gold in the wake of ships. gold in the streets gold. gold, gold
 Word comes to us that the mountain Of Gods love is full of gold that men have been digging there and have brought up gold, and amethyst, and carbuncle, and jasper, and sardonyx, and chrysoprasus, and all the precious stones out of which the walls of heaven were builded. Word comes of man who, digging in that mine for one hour, has brought up treasures worth more than all the stars that keep vigil over our sick and dying world.
 Is 1t bogus company that is formed? Is it undeveloped territory? Oh, no, the story is trueI There are hundreds and o& .,o<,.,1o xxrlao xuo.ald ha will.