The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-12-18
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
a Practical Discourse on Prac-
tlcel Subject.
Some Absurdities In Church Building and
Msnagrment-More Practical Wisdom
Needed In Christian Endeavor
and In Church Work.


81: The Children OF this world are
in their generation wiser than the
children Of light" DR.. Talmage, in a
recent sermon, assailcd some of the
absurdities in church architecture and
management, and advocated more
practical methods in efforts to do good.
He said: .......
That is another way of saying that
Christians are not so skillfuI in the
manipulation of spiritual affairs as
worldlings are skillful in the manage
ment of temperatures. Isee all around
me people who are alert, earnest, con-
centrated and siillful in none tary
matters. who In the affairs of the soul
nre laggards, inane, inert The great
want of the world is more common
sense in matters of religion. If one
half of the skill and force
fulness employed in financial affairs
was employed in disseminating the
truths OF Christ, and trying to make
the world better, within ten years the
Juggernaut would fall, the last throne
of oppression upset, the last iniquity
tumble, and the anthem that was
chanted over Bethlehem on Christmas
night would be echoed and re-echocd
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 slceping car was making up the
bcrths at the evening-tide, saw
mau kneel down and pray. Worldly
people looked on rs much as to say:
''What does this mean?" Isuppose the
most of people in the car thought that
the man was either insane or that he
was Il fanatic; but he disturbed no one
when he Inelt, and he disturbed no
one when he arose. In after convcrsa-
ton with him l found out that he
was a member of a church in north
ern city; that he was Il seafaring man,
and that he was on his way to
New Orleans to take command
of vessel. / thought then, as
i think now that ten such men-men
with such courage for God as that man
had-ten such men would bring the
whole city to Christ; a thousand such
men 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 matters of the
soul that they have in matters of the
world, this would be u very different
kind of earth in which to live.
In the first place, my friends, we
want more common sense in the build
of adaptiveness is always paramount
in any other kind of structure. If
bankers meet together, and they re-
solve upon putting up bank, the bank
is especially adapted to banking pur-
poses; if Il manufacturing company
puts up building, it is to be adapted
TO manufacturing purposes; but adap-
tiveuess is not always the question in
the rearing of churches. In many
of our churches we want more
light, more room, more ventila-
ton, more comfort. Vast sums of
money are expended on ecclesiastical
structures, and men sit down in them,
aud you ask u man how he likes the
church; he says: Il like it very well,
but can't hear" AS though 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
ching else, they feel so uncomforta BILE.
o, my friends. we want more com
mon sense in the rearing of churches.
There is no excuse for lack of light
when the heavens are full of it, no ex-
cuse for lack of fresh air when the
world swims in it. 1t ought to be an
expression, not only of our spiritual
happiness, but of our physical comfort,
when we say: How amiable are thy
A day in thy courts is better than n
Thousand"
Again l remark: We want more
common sense in the obtaining of
religious hope. All men understand
that in order to succeed in worldly di-
rections they must concentrate. They
think on that one object, on that one
subject, until their minds take fire with
the velocity Of their own thoughts. All
their acumen, all their strategy, all
their wisdom, all their common sense
they put in that one direction, and
shey succeed. But how seldom it is
true in the matter OF seeking after
God! While no man expects to accom-
plish anything Tor this world without
concentration and enthusiasm. how
many there are expecting after awhile
To get into the Kingdom of God with
out use of any such means.
A miller in California. many years
ago, picked up 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
pickaxes. and their pistols, and went
10 the wilds of California. Cities
sprang up suddenly on the Pacific
coast. Merchants put aside their ele-
g,int apparel, and put on the miners
Qsarb. All the land was full of the talk