The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-07-15
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Tells How to Secure Safety for
Our Cities.
Municipal Government from a Moral
and Religious Standpoint -
Counsel to Those Holding
Public Positions.

Dr.. Talmage, in the following sermon,
discusses from a moral and religious
standpoint the welfare of all the towns
and cities of our country. His text is
Ezekiel xvii, 3: 20 thou that art stu
ate at the entry of the seal"
This is a part of an impassioned apos-
trophe to the city of Tyre. twas a beau
tiful city--a majestic city. At the east
end of the Mediterranean it sat with
one hand reckoning the inland trade
and with the other the m of for
eign nations. 1t swung a monstrous
boom across its harbor to shut out for
eign enemies, and then swung back
that boom to let i'll its friends. The air
of the desert was fragrant with the
spices brought by caravans to her fairs,
and all seas We're cleft into foam by the
keela of her laden merchantmen. Her
markets were rich with horses and
mules and camels from Togarmah;
with upholstery and ebony and ivory
from Dedan; with emeralds and agate
and coral from Syria; with wine from
llelhon; with finest needlework from
Ashur and Chilmad. Talk about the
splendid StGterooms of your Cunard
and Inman and White Star lines OF
international steamers - why, the
benches of the stuteroomS in those
Tyrian ships were ali ivory, and instead
of our coarse canvas on the mast OF
the shipping, they had the finest linen,
quilted together and ~inwrought with
omoroideries almost miraculous for
beauty. Its columns oyershadowed all
nations. Distant empires felt its heart
beat. Majestic city, situate at the
entry of the sea"
But where now is the CLEAN Of her
towers, the roar Of her churiots, the
maats OF her shipping? Let the fisher
men who dry their nets on the place
where she nee stood, let the sea that
rushes upon the ~barrenness where she
Cnce challenged the admiration of all
nations, let the ~barbarians who build
their huts on the place where her pal
aces glittercd, answer the question.
Blotted out forever. She forgot God,
and God forgot her. And while our
modern cities admire her glory let
them take warning at her awful doom.
Cain was the founder of the first city,
and ! suppose it took after him in NOR
ais. 1t is n long while before a city can
get over the character of those who
founded it. Were they criminal eXiles,
S1a E1tI and tI,a ,,rtunrC mud tho ,lau
bauchery are the shadows of such
founders. New York will not for 200
or 800 years escape from the good in
tuences of its founders, the pious set
tiers whose prayers went up from the
very streets where now banks discount,
and brokers shave, and companies de-
clare dividends, and smugglers swear
cuxomhouse lies, and above the roar
OF the drays and the crack of the au-
tioneers' mallets is heard the ascrip-
ton: I'VE worship thee. 0 thou al
mighty dollar:" The church that once
stood on Wall street still throws its
blessing over all the scene of traffic
and upon the ships that fold their
white wings in the harbor. Originally
men gathered in cities from necessity.
It was to escape the in~cendiary's torch
or the assassin's dagger. Only the very
poor lived in the country, those who
had nothing that could be stolen or
vagabonds who wanted to be near
their place of business, but since civil
cation and religion have made it safe
Gov , 10 live olrnnct nvylhprn mon
congregate in cities because of the OPP
portunity for rapid gain. Cities are
not necessarily evils, as has sometimes
been argued. They have been the
birthplace of civilization. In them pop
nlar liberty has lifted up its voice.
The entrance of the representatives of
the cities in the legislatures of Eu-
rope was the deathblow to feudal king
doms. Cities are the patronizers Of
art and Observation-Disclosures point
ing to it's British museum in London,
its Royal library in Paris, its vatican in
Rome. Cities hold the worlds scep-
ter. Africa was Carthage, Greece was
Athens, England is London, France is
Paris, Italy is Rome and the cities in
which God has cast our lot will yet de-
eide the destiny Of the American peo-
pie.
At this season OF the year | have
thought it might be useful to talk a lit
tie while about the moral responsibility
resting upon the Office bearers in all our
nifiae a $bnrna ng rnrnpriafn tn thnEp
who are governed as to the governors.
The moral character of those Who'll rule
O city has much to do with the char
acter of the city itself. Men, women and
children are all interested in national
politics. When the great presidential
election comes, every patriot wants to
be found at the ballot box. We are all
interested in the discussion of national
finance, national debt, and we read the
laws of congress, and we are wondering
who will sit next in the presidential
chair. Now, that may be all very well
lis very well. But ii is high time that
we took some of the attention which we
have been devoting to national affairs
and brought it TO the study of municipal
government. This it seems to me now
is the chief point to be taken. Make
the cities right and the nation will be
right. l have noticed that, according
to their opportunities, there has really
been more corruption in municipal
governments in this country than in
the state and national legislatures.
Now, is there no hope? With the might
lest agent in our hand, the glorious
gospel of Jesus Christ, shall not all our
cities be reformed and purified and re-
deemed? I believe the day will come.
! am in full sympathy with those who
are opposed to carrying politics into
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