The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-01-13
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
A Practical Discourse on a Prac-
tical Subject.
Some Absurdities in Church Building and
Management-MOre Practical Wisdom
Needed in Christian Endeavor
and in Church Work.

Needed in Christian EndeavOr
and in Church Work.
Discoursing upon the text duke xvi.
s.: 1.-The children of this world are
in their generation wiser than the
children of light" DR.. Talmage, in a
recent sermon, assailed 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 skillfu, in the
manipulation of spiritual affairs as
worldlings are skillful in the manage
ment of temporalities. Isee all around
me people who are alert. earnest, con-
centrated and skillful in monetary
matters, 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. 1t 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-echoed
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, l saw
man kneel down and pray. Worldly
people looked on as much as to say:
What does this meanw lsuppose the
most of people 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 no
one when he arose. In after conversa-
ton with him l found out that he
was member of a church in a north
ern city; that he was seafarlng man.
and that he was on his way to
New Orleans to take command
of a vessel. l thought then, as
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; thousand such
men would bring the whole earth into
the kingdom of Jesus. That he was
successful in worldly affairs, L found
out. That he was skillful in spiritual
affairs, you are we'll persuaded. Ii
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 very different
kind of earth in which to live.
In the first place, my friends, we
want more common sense In the build
ing and conduct of churches. The idea
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 manufacturing company
puts up building, it is to be adapted
to manufacturing purposes; but adap-
tiveness is not always the question IN
the rearing of churches. In many
of our churches we want more
light, more room, more ventlla-
ton. more comfort. Vast sums of
money are expended on ecclesiastical
structures and men sit down in them,
and YOU ask man how he likes the
| church; he says: Il like it very we'll,
but can't hear" AS though a 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.
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
tabernacles. o, Lord God of Hosts!
| A day in thy courts is better than a
| thousand"
Again I 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. AL
their acumen, all their strategy, al
their wisdom, all their common sense
they put in that one direction, ane
they succeed. But how seldom it j:
true in the matter Of seeking aftel
God! While no man expects to accom-
plish anything for this world withou
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 year
ago. picked up sparkle of gold from
the bed of stream which turned hi
mill. He held up that sparkle of golt
until 1t bewitched nations. Tens O
RA ~