The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-06-14
DIR, TALMAGES SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE Blythe NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject: "The Path Of safety"-Menaces
to Our National Existence-The Dam
gers of Monopoly, Nihilism and In
fidelity Pointed Ont.

gers of Monopoly, Nihilism and In
fidelity Pointed Out.
copyright, Louis Klopsch. 1891
WAsH1NaroN, D. C.-In this discourse DR..
Talmage speaks of some OF the perlls that
threaten our American institutions and
points out the path Of safety; text, Isaiah
lxii., 4, "Thy land shall be married"
As the greater includes the less, so does
the circle Of future Joy around our entire
world include the epicycle OF our own re-
public. Bold, exhilarant, unique, divine
imagery Of the text. At the close OF q
week In which for three days our national
capital was q pageant, and all that grand
review and hammered procession and ma
tional anthems could do celebrated peace,
1t may not be inapt to anticipate the time
when the Prince OF Peace and the Heir OF
Universal D ominion shall take possession
OF this nation and "thy land shall be mar
ried."
In discussing the final destiny Of this
nation, II makes oil the difference in the
world whether we are on the way to q
funeral or wedding. The Bible leaves no
doubt on this subject. In pulpi.s and'on
platforms and in places Of public concourse
I hear so many OF the muf1ed drums Of evil
prophecy sounded, as though We were on
the way to national interment, and beside
Thebes and Babylon and Tyre in the ceme-
tery OF dead nations our republic was to
be entombed, that wish you to under
stand 1t Is not to be obsequies, but nup-
tials; not mausoleum, but carpeted altar;
not cypress, but orange blossoms. not re-
QUEEN, but wedding march, for "thy land
shall be murried."
propose to name some Of the suitors
who are claiming the hand Of this repub-
lie. This land is SO fair, so beautiful, so
afluent that 1t has many suitors, and 1t
will depend much upon your advice
whether this or that shall be accepted or
rejected. In the first place, remark:
There is q greedy, all grasping monster
who comes in as suitor seeking the hand
OF this republic, and that MONSTERS known
by the name OF monopoly. His scepter is
made out Of the iron Of the rail track and
the wire Of telegraphy. He does everything
for his own advantage and for the robbery
OF the people.
Things went on from bad to worse until
in the three legislatures Of New York, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania for long time
monopoly decided everything. II monop-
oily favors law, 1t passes; II monopoly op-
poses law 1t is rejected. Monopoly stands
in the railroad depot putting into his
pockets In one year 5000, 900 In excess Of
all reasonable charges for services. Mo-
nopoly holds in his one hand the steam
power Of locomotion and In the other the
electricity OF swift communication. Mo-
nopoly has the Republican party In one
pocket and the Democratic party In the
other pocket. Monopoly decides nomina-
tions and elections-city elections, state
elections, national elections, With bribes
he secures the votes OF legislators, giving
them free passes, giving appointments to
needy relatives to lucrative position, en-
ployipg them Us attorneys II they are law
yers, carrying their goods Is per cent. less
II they are merchants, and IL he find case
very stubborn rs well US very important
puts down before him the hard cash OF
bribery.
But monopoly Is not so easily caught
now as when during the term Of Mr.. Bu-
chanan the Legislative Committee IN ono
of our States explored and exposed the
manner In which q certain railway COM
pany had obtained donation OF public
land. 1t was found out that thirteen OF the
Senators OF tbnt Stale received Sl75,0o0
among them, sixty members Of the lower
house OF that State received between $4,000
and $40 900 each, the Governor OF that
State received s50,000, his clerk received
$4,000, the Lieutenant-Go Governor received
SIC, 600, all the clerks Of the Legislature
received $4,000 each, while $50, 900 were d.
vided among the lobby agents. That thing
on larger or smaller scale is all the time
going on IN some Of the States in the Union,
but it is not so laundering as 1t used to be,
and therefore not so ensily exposed or ar
rested. Itell YOU thatthe overshadoWing
curse OF tho United States to-day ts mo-
nopoly. He puts bis hand upon every
bushel OF wheat, upon every suck OF salt,
woman and child in the United States feels
the touch Of that moueyed depotism. re-
jolce that IN twenty-four States OF the
Union already anti-monopoly leagues have
been established. God speed them IN the
works of liberation.
have nothing to say against capital
lists. A man has right to all the money
he can make honestly-I have nothing to
say against corporations as such; without
them no great enterprise would be possible,
but what do say is that the same prin-
ciples are to bo applied to capitalists and
to corporations that are applied to the
poorest man and tho plainest laDorer:
What Is wrong for me Is wrong for great
II l take from you your
property without any adequate compensa-
tion, I an q thief, and II railway
damages the property Of tho people with
out making any adequate compensation,
that Is n gigantic theft. What Is wrong on
Il small scale is wrong on large scale.
Monopoly in England has ground hundreds
of thousands of her best7people into semi
starvation and in Ireland has driven multi
tudipous tenants almost to madness and
In the United States proposes to take the
wealth of 10000, 600 or 10000, 600 OF people
and put 1t in few silken wallets.
Monopoly, brazen faced, iron fingered,
yulture hearted monopoly offers his band
to this republic. He stretches it out over
the lakes and up the great railroads and
over the telegraph poles OF the continent
and SAYS, Here is my heart and hand; be
mino forever" Let the millions OF the
people North, South, East and West forbid
the banns OF that marriage. forbid them at
the ballot box, forbid them on the plat
form, forbid them by great organizations,
forbid them by the overwhelming sentl'
ment OF On outraged nation, forbid them
by the protest OF the church OF God, forbid
Herod shall not have this Abigail. 1t shall
not be to oil devouring monopoly that this
land is to be married.
Another suitor claiming the hand OF this
republic Is nihiiism.
He owns nothing but q knife for uni
versal cutthroatery md nltroSiycerlh
bomb for universal explosion. He believes
In no God, no government, no heaven ana
no hell eXcep: what he can make on earth!
BE slew tho czar OF Russih, keeps many
king practically imprisoned, killed Abra-
ham Lincoln, would put to death every
king and president on earth, aud II be had
the power would climb up until he could |
drive the God OF heaven from His throne
and take it himself, the universal butcher.
In France 1t is called communism; in the |
United States 1t Is called nnarchsn; In |
Russia II is called nihilism, but that last Is
The most graphic and descriptive term. IT
means complete and eternal smash up. 1t |
would mako the holding OF property |
crime, and 1t would drive dagger through
your heart and put torch to your dwell.
|ng and turn over this whole land into the |
possession Of theft and lust and rapine and |
murder. ,,
Where does this monster live? In nll the |
towns aud cities OF tAis land. 1t offers Its |
,o,I +o tbio foir ronuhlic IL DrODOseS TO /