Connecticut western news., 1898-08-11
HONEST BEFORE GOD.
DR. TAlMAGE DEGREES RUlNOUS MODES OF GETTING MONEY.

OH. IAlMAGE D6ChiES nOlNOOS
 MODES OF GETTING MONEY. Temptations Under Which Great Men
 Have Fallsn-Eviis of Bribery In Public
 Life and Dishonesty In Business-Thlngs
 Which Undermine the Soul.
 Eopynght. 1898. by American Press Asso-
 ciation.l
 WASHINGTON, Aug. 7.-Dr. Talmage In this discourse arraigns the various modes by which some people get money tbat does not belong to them and com- mends the fair dealing that succeeds best at last text, Timothy vi, g, "They that will be rich fall into temptation and snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in de- struction and perdition.
 That is the Niagara falls over which rush a multitude of souls-namely, the determination to have the money any how, right or wrong. Tell me how a man gets his money snd what he does with it, and will tell you his character and what will be his destiny in this world and the next propose to speak today about the ruinous modes of get ting money.
 In all our city, state and national elections large sums of money are used in bribery. Politics, from being the science of good government. has often been bedraggled into the synonym for truculency and turpitude. A mon- ster sin, plausible, potent, pestiferous, has gone forth to do its dreadful work in all ages It's two hands are rotten with leprosy. It keeps its right hand hidden in a deep pocket. The left hand is clinched and with it's ichorous knuo- kle it taps at the door of the courtroom. the legislative hall, the congress and the parliament. The door swings open and the monster enters and glides through tho aisle of the council chamber as soft ly as slippered page, and then 1t takes It's right hand from it's deep pocket and offers it in salutation to judge or legis- lator. If that hand be taken, and the tho official, the leprosy crosses from palm to palm in round blotch, round as gold eagle, and the virus spreads, and the doom is fixed, and the victim perishes. Let bribery. aocursed of God and man. stand up for trial.
 The Bible arraigns it again and again. Samuel says of his two sons who became judges, "They took bribes and perverted judgment" David says of some of his pursuers, "Their right hand Is full of bribes." Amos says of some men in his day. "They take a bribe and turn aside the poor in the gate" Ehphaz foretells the crushing blows of Gods indignation. declaring, Fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery"
 No Light Temptation.
 It is no light temptation. The mighti- est have fallen under it. Lord Bacon, lord chancellor of England, founder of our modern science, author of "Novum Organum' and whole library of books. the leading thinker of his cen- tury, so preoocious that when little child he was asked by Queen Elizabeth. "How old are you?" he responded, "I am two years younger than your maj .esty's happy reign;" of whose oratory Ben Jonson wrote, "The fear of every man that heard him was lest he should mnke an end" having an income which you would suppose would have put him beyond the temptation of bribery-$36, 900 a year and Twickenham Court, u gift, and prinoely estates in Hertford- shire-yet, under this temptation to bribery, falling fiat into ruin, and on his confession of taking bribes, giving as excuse that all his predecessors took them. he was fined $20O, 00O-or what corresponds with our $200, 000-and Imprisoned in London Tower.
 The black chapter in English, Irish, French and American politics is the chapter of bribery. Some of you remem- Der the Pacific Mail subsidies. Most of you remember the awful tragedy of the Credit Mobilier. Under the temptation to bribery Benedict Arnold sold the fort in the Highlands for $31.57 For this sin Gorgey betrayed Hungary, Ahitho- phel forsook David and Judas kissed Christ When I see SO many of the illustrious going down under this temp tation. 1t makes me think of the red dragon spoken of in Revelation, with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns, drawing third part of the stars of heaven down after him.
 The Hobbies of the legislatures of this country control the country. The land 6 drunk with bribery. "Oh," says some one, there's no need of talking against bribery by promise or by dol lars, because every man has his priceP do not believe it. Even heathenism and the dark ages have furnished speci- mems of incorruptibility. A cadi of Smyrna had a case brought before him on trial. A man gave him 500 ducats in bribery. The case came on. The briber had many witnesses The poor man on the other side had no witnesses. At the close of the case the cadi said: "This poor man has no witnesses, he thinks. shall produce in his behalf 500 witnesses against the other side" Then pulling out the bag of ducats from un- der the ottoman, he dashed 1t down at tho feet of the briber. saying, "I give my decision against you" Epaminon- das, offered a bribe, said, Twill do this thing if it be right. and if 1t be wrong all your goods cannot persuade me. !"
 Invitations to Bribery.
 The president of the American con- gross during the American Revolution, General Reed, was offered 10,000 Huineas by foreign commissioners if hS would betray this country. He re- piled, Gentlemen, am very poor man. but tell your king he is not rich enough to buy me" But why go so far, whom you and I if we move in honora- .ble society know men and, women who by all the forces of earth and hell could not be bribed. They would no more be bribed than you would think of tempt ing an angel of light to exchange heaven for the pit. To offer bribe is villainy, but 1t is very poor compliment to the man to whom it is offered.
 have not much faith in those people who go about bragging how much they