Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-06-10
AGAINST BIGOTRY.
REV. Or. rALMAGE DISCUSSES A DELI
CATE SUBJECT.
Depiores sectnrinn Differences In
Domestic characterization Parents
as to its Effects On ThcIr ChiIdrcn's
Religious Prospects.

Depiores sectnrtnn differences In
Domestfc Circles-Ca~tions Parents
as to its Effects On TheIr ChiIdrcn's
Religious Prospects.
copyright. Louis Kiopsch lSal
WASHINGTON. June 1l.-In this ser
mon Dr. Talmage discusses topic which
will interest domestic circles everywhere
The text is Genesis xiii. =: Let there be-
no strife, | pray thee. between me and
thee, and between my herdmen aud thy
herdmen. l. not the whole land before
theer'
Uncle and nephew. Abram and Lot
both pious. both millionaircs. aud with
such large fccks of bleating sheep and
lowing cattle that their herdmcn got into
a fight. perhaps about the best pasture.
or about the best water privilege. or he
cause the COW Of one got hooked by the
horns Of the other. Not their poverty Of
opportunity. but their wealth. was the
cause OF controversy between these two
men. To Abram. the glorious old Meso-
potamian sheik. such controversy seemed
absurd. IL was like two ships quarreling
for sen room in the middle Of the Attain
tic ocean. There was n vast reach of
country. cornfelds. vineyards. harvcsts
and plenty OF room In illimitable acreage.
Now" says Abram. ''let us agree To- diff
fer. Here are the mountain districts.
swept by the tonic of sea breeze and with
wide reaching prospect. and there is the
plain OF Jordan. with tropical luxuriance.
You may have either" Lot. who was
not as rich rs Abram and might have
been expected to take the second choice.
made the first selection. and with a mod
esty that must have made Abram smile
said 90 him:
''Yon may have the rocks and the fine
prospect: ! will take the valley Of the
Jordan. with oil It's luxuriance of corn
fields. and the river 90 water the tlocks.
and the genial climate. and the wealth
unreasonable 80 the controversy was
forever settled. and great souled Abram
out the suggestion of the text:
T-Tt There he No strife. ! pray thee. he
tween me and thee. and between my herd
men and thy herdmen. Is not the whole
land before thee
wealth Of Religions.
Well. in this. the last decade Of the
nineteenth century. and in this beautiful
land. which was called America. after
Americas Vespucius. but should have
been called Columbia. after its discover
er. Columbus. we have a wealth of reli-
gious privilege and opportunity that is
positively bewiidering churches 81 all
sorts of cres-ls. and ~ all kinds Of gov
eminent. and all forms OF worship. and
all styles OF architecture. What opulcnce
OF ecclesiastical opportunity Now. while
In desolate regions there may Ice only one
church. in the opulent districts Of this
country there is such n profusun that
there ought Ca he no difficulty in making
selection. No fight about vcstmenis.
or between liturgical or nonliturgical adj
herents. or as 90 bapiismal modes. or a
handful Of water as compared with a
riverful. II Ahrnm prefers 10 dwell on
the heights. where he can only get
sprinkling from the clouds. let him con
sent that Lot have all the Jordan in
which 90 immerse himself. Let there
he no strife. | pray thee. between me
and thee. and between my herdmen and
thy herdmen. Is not the whole land he
fore theey'
Especially Is IL fortunate when fami-
lies allow angry discussion nj the break
fast or dinner or tea table as to which is
the best church or denomination. one at
one end Of the table saying he could new
or endure the rigid doctrines II Presby-
terianism. one az the other end respond
Ing that she never could stand the forms
OF Episcopacy. and one M one side Of the
table saying he did not understand how
anybody could bear the noise in the
Methodist church. and another declaring
all the Baptists bigots. There are hun
dreds OF families hopclessly split on &C.
ciesiasticism. and in the middle Of every
discussion on such subjects there Is n
kindling Of Indignation. and il needs
some old father Abram 90 come and put
his foot on the loaded fuse bcfc-v the ex-
plosion takes place and say: Let there
be no strife. ] pray thee. between me and
thee. and between my herdmcn and thy
herdmen. Il not the whole land before
thee
Delicate subject.
undertake subject never undertake
en- by any other pulpit. for il Is an ex-
cecdingly delicate subject. and il not
rightly handled might give serious Of
iense. hut | approach IL without the
slightest trepidation. for ] am sure
have the divine direction in the matters
propose 20 present. II is a trcInen-
dous question. asked all over Christen-
dom. often asked with tears and sobs
aud heart breaks and involving the peace
Of families. the eternal happisess OF
many souls. In matters of church at
tendance should the wife go with the
husband or the husband go with the
wife?
First. remember that all the evangeli-
cal churches have enough truth in them
20 save the soul and prepare us for hap
piness on earth and in heaven. ! will go
with you into any well selected theolog
ical library. and will show you sermons
from ministers in all denominations thar
y Z forth man as n sinner and Christ as a
iivcrer from sin and sorrow. That j.
: whole gospel. Get that into your
---1l. and you are fitted for the here aud
hereafter. There are differences. we
10, and some denominations we like
.er than others. But suppose tire"
four OF us make solemn agreement 10
meet each on important business. and
one goes by the New York Central rail
road. another by the Erie railroad. AN
other by the Pennsylvania railrond. an
other by the Baltimore and Ohio railrosd
One goes this way because the noun
tains are grander, another takes this be
cause the cars are more luxurious. an
other that because the speed is greater
another takes the other because he has
long been accustomed 10 that route and
all the employees ARE familiar. So far
as our engagement Ia meet Is concern
ed II makes no difference IL We only get
there. Now. any one 81 the innumcrablc
evangelical denominations. IL you prac
tice lis teaching. although some Of their
trains run ON broad gauge and some
on A narrow gauge. will bring you out AZ
the city 81 the New Jerusalem.
n being evident that you will be- safe
An any OF the evangelical denominations.
i nroreed 20 remark. first. II one of the
married couple be- Christian and the
other NOT. the one Christian Is bound
~ go anywhere 20 church where the
mn.onrerted companion is willing 90 &C..
n no or she will go 10 NO other. You 81
,he eonnubial partnership are Chris