The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-25
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS.
THE ORIGIN OF sEcTARiANlsM AND
ITS EVILS AND CURE.

THE ORIGIN OF sEcTARiANlsM AM
ITS EVILS AND CURE.
A Charsstsristis sermon By Rev. DR.. Tai
aaass-Wrong Eduossion In tho HON
Circle Intolerance Never Aoeomplishs,
Anything-0od's Sunshine Kills Bigotry
Copyright. 1898. by American Press Asso
WAsHIsGroN, July 24.-In his sermon
today Dr.. Talmage shows what sectarian
inn really is, its origin, evils and cure
Tho text was Judges xii, 8: "Then sale
they unto him, Say now shibbolsth, ant
he sold sibboleth, for he could not fran,
to pronounce 1t right. Then they tool
him and slow him ct the passages Of Jor
dam"
DO you notice tho difference Of pronun
citation between shibboleth and sibbolethl
A very small and unimportant difference,
you say, and yet that difference WAS the
difference between life and death for a
great many people. Tho Lord g people,
Gilead and Ephrailn, got into great fight,
md Ephraim was worsted, and on the r6-
trent came to the fords Of the river Jordan
: to cross. Order was given that all
Opportunities coming there DO slain. But
how .cnuld It DO found out who wero
EphraimitesP They were detected by their
pronunciation. Shibboleth was word
that stood for river. The Ephraimites
had brogue Of their own, and when they
tried to say ''shibboleth" always left out
tho sound of the "h." When II was asked
that they soy shibboleth, they said sibbo-
leth, and were slain. "Then said they
unto him, say now shibboleth, and he said
sibbolcth, for he could not franc to pro-
nounce 1t right. Then they took him and
slow him at the passages Of Jordan" A
very small difference, you say, between
Gilrad and Ephraim, and yet how much
intolerance about that small difference
The Lords tribes In our time--by which I
moan the different denominations of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. magnify a very
small difference, and the only difference
between scores Of denominations today Is
the difference between shibboleth and sib-
boleth.
The church of God Is divided into q
grcot humber of denominations. Timo
would fail mo to tell Of the Calyipists, and
tho Armtnians, and tho Sabbatafians, and
the Baxtcrians, and the Dunkers, and the
Shakers, and the Quokers, and tho Meth
odists and tho Baptists, and tho Episco-
paiians, and the Luthorans, and the Con-
gregationalists, and the Presbyterians,
and the Spiritualists md score Of other
denominations Of rcligionists, some Of
them founded by very good mon. some OF
them founded by very egotistic men, some
l.. them founded by very bad men. But
MS dolnand for myself liberty Of con.
science l must give that same liberty toev.
cry other man, remembering that no no
more differs from mo than differ from
him I advocate tho largest liberty in all
belief and form of worship. In
Rrt, In politics, In morals and in religion
lot there DO no gag law, no moving Of the
previous question, no persecution, no in
tolerance.
You know that tho cir and the water
keep pure by constant circulation, and ]
think there is tendency in religious dis.
ctlssion to publication and moral health.
Between tho fourth and tho sixtcanth con-
turtles the church proposed to mako people
think Alright by prohibiting discussion,
and by strong censorship Of the press and
rack and gibbct and hot lead down tho
throat tried to mako people orthodox, but
1t was discovered that You cannot change
! mans belief by twisting off his head,
nor mako man SEQ differently by putting
IN awl through his eyes. There is some.
hing In mans conscience which will
hurl of the mountain that you threw up
IN 1t, and, unsinged Of the fire, out of tho
lame will make rcd wings on which the
martyr will mount tdYlory.
In that time Of which speak, between
he fourth and sixteenth centuries, people |
rent from The house of God into the most |
iniquity, and right along by |
affairs thOre were tides of |
and RIGHTEOUSNESS such as
he world never heard of, and the very
cwcrs of perdition broke loose and flooded
he church. After awhile tho printing |
,rcss was freed, and it broke tho shackles |
# the human mind. Then there camo
argo number of had books and where
here was one man hostile to the Christian
cligion there wero 20 men ready to advo-
ate It, So have not any nervousness In
cgnrd to this battle going on between
ruth and error. The truth will conquer
llst rs certainly as that God Is stronger
han tho devil. Let error run If you only
It truth run along with it. Urged on by
koptics shout and transcendentalist's
pur, let it run. Gods angels of wrath
70 in hot pursuit, and quicker than eagles
eaa clutches out hawks heart Gods
engeanco " i'll tear it to pieces
Phases of sectarianism.
! propose to speak to you of soctarian-
Units origin, its evils and its cures.
hero arc those who would make us think
nat this monster with horns and hoofs Is
,ligion. l shall chase it 10 its hiding
lace and drag it out of tho caycrns of
make adistinction between bigctry and
le lawful fondness for peculiar religious
,licfs and forms Of worship. have no
for q Nottingham.
In world of such tremendous vicissi-
lido and temptation and with u soul that
ust otter awhile stand before u throne
ihsutfcrable brightness, in day when
70 rocking of tho mountains and the
lming OF the heavens and tho upheaval
the seas shall be among the least Of tho
etelEents, to give account for every
onsat, word, action, preference and dis
Ao-that man Is mad who has no re-
yious preference. But our early educa-
IN, our physical temperament, our men
| constitution will very much decide our
rm of worship.
A style Of psalmody that may please mo
ay displease you. Some would like to
70 minister in gown and bands and
rplico, and othors prefer to hive a min
or In plain citizens apparel Some are
ost impressed when little child Is pre-
nted ut tho altar and sprinl:led of tho
,tcrs Of q holy benediction lin the name
the Fathe., and Of tho Son, and Of tho
by Ghost" and others are more i'm
csscd when the penitent cnncs up out Of
. river, his garments dripping with tho
tiers OF baptism which signifies tho
Ishing away of sin. Let either have his
n way. Ono man likes no noise In
lycr-not a word, not whisper. An
Ter man, just as good, prefers by gcstic-
alton and exclamation to express his de-
ticnnl aspirations. Ono is just as good ,
the other. EVERY man fully persuaded
his own mind"
'corSo Whitcflcld was going over
.aker rather roughly for some Of his 70.
ious sentiments, and the Quaker said:
Gorge, am as thou art. an for ,
nging all men to tho hope Of the gospel. 1
crefore, II thou will not quarrel with 4
about my broad briln, will not quar- G
with thee about thy black gown. c