The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-11
SERMON ON SELF SLAUGHTER.
INCIDENT IN LIFE OF PAUL AND
SILAS FURNISHES TEXT.

Larger in the Past TWO Years Than
in Any Previous Two Years i'm the
worlds History and Greater in the
Past Month Than in Amy Month in
IL Months.
Washington, July 10.-This sermon OF Dr.
Talmage which we send out to-day seems
startlngiy appropriate to this theme when
so many are leaving chs life by their own
hand an evil about which all reasonable
people are agreed. Text, Acts 16;2S: 10
Thyself no Harm
There is a would-be suicide arrested In
his deadly attempt He was a sheriff, and
according to the Roman law. bailiff him
self must suffer the punishment due an
escaped prisoner; and if the prisoner
breaking jail was sentenced to be endun-
geoned for three or four years, then the
sheriff must De endungeoned for three or
four years, and If the prisoner breaking
tan was to have suffered capital punish
ment, then the sheriff must suffer CAPT
tai punishment The sheriff had received
especial charge 10 keep a sharp lookout
for Paul and Slas. The government had
not much confidence In bolts and bars to
keep safe these two clergymen, about
whom there seemed something strange
and supernatural Sure enough, by mirae-
uIous power, they are free, and the sher-
iff, waking out of a sound sleep, and sup
posing these ministers have run away, and
knowing that they were 10 die for preach
ing Christ, and realizing that he must
therefore die rather than so under the eX-
ecutioner's AK on the morrow and suffer
public disgrace, resolves to precipitate his
own decease. But before the sharp, keen,
gIittering dagger of the sheriff could strike
his heart, one of the unloosened prisoners
arrests the blade by the command, DO
thyself no harm"
In olden times, and where Christianity
had not interfered with it, suicide was con-
sidered honorable and sign of courage.
Demosthenes poisoned himself when told
that Alexander's ambassador had demand
ed the surrender of the Athenian orators.
Isocrates killed himself rather than sur
render to Philip of Macedon Cato, rather
than submit to julius Caesar, took his own
life, and three times after his wounds had
been dressed, tore them open and perish
ed Mitnridates killed himself rather than
submit to Pompey, the cOnqueror. HAnnl-
bal destroyed his life by poison from his
ring. considering life unbearable Lycur-
gus a suicide, Brutus a suicide. After the
disaster of Moscow, Napoleon always car
ried with him preparation of poison ana
one night his servant heard the eX-Emper-
or arise put something in a glass ana
drink it, and soon after the grOans arous-
ed all the attendants and il was only
through utmost medical skill that he was
resuscitated. Times have changed, and yet
the American conscience needs to be toned
UP on the subject of suicide Have you seen
a paper in the last month that did not an
nounce the passage out OF life by one
own behest? Defaulters, alarmed at the
idea of exposure, quit life precipitately
Men losing large fortunes go out of the
world because they cannot endure earthly
existence. Frustrated affection, domestic
infelicity, dyspepuc impotence, anger, re-
morse, envy, jealousy, restitution, nissan
thropy, are considered sufficient causes for
absconding from this life by paris green,
by laudanum, by belladonna, by Othelos
dagger by halter, by leap from the abut-
ment of a bridge, by fire arms. More cases
of felo de Sc in the last two years than any
two years of the worlds existence, and
more in the last month than in any twelve
months. The evil is more and more spread
ing
A pulpit not long ago expressed some
doubt as to whether there was really any
thing wrong about quitting this life when
II became disagreeable, and there are
found in respectable circles people apollo
getic for the crime which Paul in the text
arrested. l shall show you before I get
through that suicide is the worst of all
crimes and l shall lift warning I'M
mistakable But in the early part Of this
sermon ! wish to admit that some of the
best Christians that have ever lived, have
committed self-destruction, but always in
dementa and not responsible. l have no
Fnor doubt about their eternal felicity
than have of the Christian who dies in
his bed in the delirium of typhoid fever
While the shock of the catastrophe is very
great, / charge all those who have had
Christian friends under cerebral aberra-
ton step off the boundaries of this life TO
have no doubt about their happiness. The
dear Lord took them right out of their
dazed and frenzied state into perfect safe
ty. How Christ feels towards the insane
you may know from the way he treated
demoniac of Gadara and the child luna
tic, and the potency with which he hushed
tempests either of sea or brain.
Scotland. the land prolific of intellectual
giants, had none grander than Hugh Mil
Ter, Great for science and great for God.
He was an elder in St. Johns Presbyterian
Church He came of the best Highland
blood, and was a descendant of Donald
Roy, man eminent for piety and the rare
gift OF second sight. His attachments,
climbing up as he did from the quarry
and the wall of the stone-mason drew
forth the astonished admiratio of Buck
land and Murchison, the scientists, and
DR.. Chalmers, the theologian, and held
universities spellbound while he told them
the story of what he had seen of
God in The Old Red Sandstone. That
man did more than any other being thai
ever lived TO show that the God of the
hills is the God of the Bible. and he
struck his tuning-fork on the rocks of
Cromarty until he brought geology and
theology accordant in divine worship
His two books, entitled Footprints of the
Creator" and THE Testimony of the
Rocks" proclaimed the banns of an ever
lasting marriage between genuine science
and revelation On this latter book he toll
ed day and night. through love of nature
and love of God, until he could not sleer
and his brain gave way, and ne was founC
deed with revolver by his side the crue.
instrument having had two bullets-onc
1or ham and the other for the gunsmiln
who at the cOrOner'S inouqst was bxar,,i N.