Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-07-30


copyright 1905. by american Press Asso-
clation.l
WASHINGTON, July 24.-In his ser.
mon today DR.. Talmago shows what
sectarianism really is, its origin, evils
and cure. Tho text was Judges xii, 6
"Then said they unto him, Say now
shibboleth, and no said sibbolcth, fo1
he could not frame to pronounce itright.
Then they took him and slew him at the
passages of Jordan. "
Do You notice the difference of pro-
nunciation between shibboleth and sib-
boleth? A very small and unimportant
difference, you say. And yet that diff
ference was tho difference between life
and death for great many people. The
Lords people, Gilead and Ephraim,
got into great fight, and Ephraim was
worsted and OH the retreat came to the
fords of the river Jordan to cross. Order
was given that all Ephraimites coming
there be slain. But how could it be
found out who were Opportunities: Thoy
were detected by their pronunciation.
Shibboleth was word that stood for
river The Opportunities had brogue OF
their own. and when thoy tried to say
"shibboleth" always left out tho sound
of the al. - Whom it was asked that
they shy shibboleth, they said sibboleth,
and wero slain. "Then said they unto
him, say now shibboleth, and he said
sibboleth, for he could not frame to
pronounce it right. Then they took him
and slew him ut the passages of Jor-
dan" a very small difference, you say,
between Gilead and Ephraim, and yet
how much intolerance about that small
difference! The Lords tribes III our
timely which 1 mean the different
denominations of Christians = some
times magnify very small difference,
and the only difference between scores
of denominations today is the difference
between shibboleth and sibboleth.
The church of God is divided into q
great number of denominations. Time
would fail mo to tell Of the Calvinists,
and tho Arminians, and the Sabbath
rians, and the Bayterians, and the Dun
I1ers, and the Shakers and the Quakers,
and the Methodists. and the Baptists,
and the Episcopalians, and the Luther
ans and the Congregationalists, and
the Presbyterians, and the Spiritualists,
and a scoro of other denominations Of
religionists, some of them founded by
very good men, some of them founded
by very egotistic men, some OF them
founded by very bad men. But as de-
mand for myself liberty of conscience /
must give that same liberty to every
other man, remembering that he no
moro differs from me than differ from
him. 1 advocate the largest liberty in
all religious belief and form of wo"-
ship. In art, in politics, in morals ana
in religion let there be no gag law, no
moving Of tho previous question, no
persecution, no intolerance.
DIan's Conscience.
You know that the air and the wa
ter keep pure by constant circulation,
and think there is tendency in re-
ligious discussion to publication and
moral health. Between the fourth and
sixteenth centuries the church proposed
to make people think Alright by prohib.
iting discussion, and by strong censor
ship of the press and rack and gibbet
and hot lead down the throat tried to
make people orthodox, but it was dis
covered that you cannot change mans
belief by twisting off his head, nor
make man see differently by putting
an awl through his eyes. There is some
thing in man S conscience which will
hurl off the mountain that you threw
upon it, and unsinged OF the fire out OF
the fame will make red wings on
which the martyr will mount to glory.
In that time of which 1 speak, be-
tween the fourth and sixteenth centu-
ries, people went from the house of God
into the most appalling iniquity, and
right along by consecrated affairs there
were tides of drunkenness and liccn-
tiousness such as the world never heard
of, and the very sewers of perdition
broke loose and flooded the church.
After awhile the printing press was
freed, and it broke the shackles Of the
human mind. Then there came large
number of bad books, and where there
was ono man hostile to the Christian
religion there wero 20 men ready to ad-
vocate it, so | have not any nervousness
in regard to this battle going on be-
tween truth and error The truth will
conquer just as certainly as that God is
stronger than the deyil. Let error run
if you only let truth run along with it.
Urged on by skeptic's shout and trans
cendentalist's spur, let it run. Gods
angels of wrath are in hot pursuit, and
quicker than eagles beak clutches out
hawks heart Gods vengeance will
tear it to pieces.
Cure For SectsrIanism.
1 propose to speak to you of sectarian-
ism-its origin, its evils and its cures.
There are those who would make US
think that this monster, with horns and
hoofs, is religion. shall chase it to its
hiding place and drag it out OF the
caverns of darkness and rip off its hide.
But want to make a distinction be-
tween bigo.ry and the lawful fondness
for peculiar religious beliefs and forms
of worship. I have no admiration for
hothingarian.
In world of such tremendous vicis-
situde and temptation and with a soul
that must after awhile stand before q
throne of insufferable brightness, In a
day when the rocking of the mountain:
and the flaming Of the heavens and the
upheaval of the seas shall be among the
Least Of the excitements, to give account
for every thought, word, action, prefer.
ence and dislike-that man is mad who
has no religious preference. But oul
early education, our physical tempera
ment, our mental constitution, will very
much decide cur form of worship.
a style of psalmody that may please
ne may displease you. Some would hk'
to have minister in gown and bands
and surplice, and others prefer to have
a minister in plain citizens apparel
IL Ia