The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-07-20
TALKS ON BIGOTRY.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Discusses a Del
ieate Subject.
Oeplores Sectarian Difference In the
Home-CautiOns Parents az to
It's Evil Effect ON the
Children.

It's EVIL Effect ON the
Children.
Copyright. 1899. by Louis Klopsch.l
Washington,
In this sermon DIR. Talmage discusses
topic which will interest domestic
circles everywhere. The text is Gene
sis xiii, 8: "Let there be no strife, l
pray thee, between me and thee, and
between my herdmen and thy herdmen.
Is not the whole land before thee?''
Uncle and nephew, Abram and Lot,
both pious, both millionaires, and with
such large fiocks of bleating sheep and
lowing cattle that their herdmen got
into fight, perhaps about the best
pasture, or about the best water privi-
lege, or because 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 Mesopotamian sheik, such
controversy seemed absurd. 1t was
like two ships quarreling for sea room
in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.
There was vast reach of country, corn
fields, vineyards, harvests and plenty
of room in illimitable acreage. "Now,"
said Abram, ''let us agree to differ.
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 lux
uriance. You may have either" Lot,
who was not as rich as Abram and
might have been expected to take the
second choice, made the first selection,
and with modesty that must have
made Abram smile, said to him:
"You may have the rocks and the
fine prospect; l will take the valley
of the Jordan, with all it's luxuriance of
cornfields, and the river to water the
fiocks, and the genial climate, and the
wealth immeasurable." So the con-
troversy was forever settled, and great
souled Abram carried out the sugges-
tion of the text: LET there be no
strife, pray thee, between me and
thee, and between my herdmen and thy
herdmen. Is not the whole land be-
fore thee?"
Well, in this, the last decade of the
nineteenth century, and in this beauti-
full land, which was called America,
after Anericus Vcspucins, but should
have been called Columbia, after its
discoverer, Columbus, we have a wealth
of religious privilege and opportunity
that positively bewildefing
of all sorts of creeds, and of all kinds of
government, and all forms of worship,
and all styles of architecture. What
opulence of ecclesiastical opportunity!
Now, while in desolate regions there
may be only one church, in the opulent
| districts of this country there is such a
profusion that there ought to be no
difficulty in making a selection. Nc
| fight about vestments, or between litur-
gical or nonliturgical adherents, or as
| to baptisimal modes, or handful OF
water as compared with riyerful. II
Abram prefers to dwell on the heights
| where he can only get a sprinkling
from the clouds, let him consent that
Lot have all the Jordat in which te
immerse himself. Set Ahere be nc
strife, l pray thee, BETWEEN me and
thee, and between my he,Jtmen and thy
herdmen. Is not the who1e land before
| thee?"
Especiallgk is it fortunate wher
families allow angry discussion at thu
breakfast or dinner or tea table as t.
which is the best church or denomina
ton, one at one end of the table saying
he could never endure the rigid doc
trines of Presbyterianism, one at tn,
other end responding that she nevel
could stand the forms of Episcopacy
and one at one side of the table sayin,
he did not understand how anybod,
could bear the noise in the Methods
church, and another declaring all tn
Baptists -bigots. There are hundred
of families hopelessly split on ecclesi
asticism, and in the middle of every dis
cussion on such subjects there is
kindling of indignation, and it need
some old Father Abram to come and pu
his foot on the loaded fuse before tn
explosion takes place and say: lie
there be no strife, pray thee, betwee
me and thee, and between my herdme
and thy herdmen. Is not the Who'll
land before thee?"
Il I undertake a subject never undel
taken by any other pulpit, for it is a
, exceedingly delicate subject, and if nc
rightly handled might give serious O
J fense, but approach it without th
: slightest trepidation, for / am sure
, have the Divine direction in the ma
ters propose to present. It is tr,
mendous question, asked all ovs
Christendom, often asked with teal
and sobs and heartbreaks and invol
: ing the peace of families, the etern,
Z happiness of many souls. In matter
of church attendance should the wi,
: go with the husband, or the husban
go with the wife?
First, remember that all the eve
!. gelical churches have enough truth
them to save the soul and prepare us fl
! happiness on earth and in Heaven.
viii 60 with you into any well-select.
fhenln0;ca1 .lihrArv. and will show yf