Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-09-28
SPIRITUAL VALUES.
Dr.. Talmage Urges a Higher Ap-
probation of Things Religious.
Earthly and Heavenly Riches Com
pared-The Inestimable Value of
n Human Soul--Christ's Vi
cariOus Sacrifice.
Icopyr'Cht, 1900. by Louis Klopsch.l
Washington,

the American church to great con-
gregation, comprising many of his
countrymen who are travelling
through Europe, DIR. Talmage sends
this discourse, in which, by original
methods, he calculates spiritual values
and urges higher appreciation of
things religious. The text is Mark
s:36: "What shall IT profit man if
he shall gain the whole world and lose
his own soul?"
Men of all occupations are to be
found in the assemblies of the house
of God, but in these days of extensive
business operations large proper
tion are engaged from Monday morn
ing to Saturday night in bargain max
ing. In many of the families across
the breakfast table and the tea table
are discussed questions of loss and
gain. You are every day asking your
self: "What is the value of this?
What is the value of that?" You
would not think OF giving something
of greater value for that which is Of
lesser value. You would not think Of
selling that which cost you ten dollars
for five dollars. II you had property
that was worth $4,000, you would
not sell it for $4,000. You are intelli-
gent in all matters of bargain max
ing. Are you as wise in the things
that pertain to the matters of the
soul? Christ adapted His instructions
to the circumstances OF those to
whom He spoke. When He talked to
fishermen, He spoke of the Gospel net.
When He talked to the farmers, He
said: "a sower went forth to SOW"
When He talked TO the shepherds, He
told the parable of the lost sheep.
And am I not right, when speaking
to an audience made up of bargain
makers, that / address them in the
words of my text, asking: "What
shall 1t profit n man il he shall gain
the whole world and lose his own
soul?"
propose, as far as possible, to esti-
mate and compare the value Of the
two properties.
First, have to say that the world
is very grand property. Its flowers
are Gods thoughts in bloom; its rocks
are Gods thoughts in stone; its dew
drops are Gods thoughts in pearl
This world is Gods child-a wayward
child, indeed. 1t has wandered of
through the heavens. But about
1000 years ago, one Christmas night
God sent out sister world to call
that wanderer back, and it hung over
Bethlehem only long enough to get
the promise Of the wanderers return
and now that lost world, with soft
feet OF light. comes treading back
through the heavens. The hills-how
beautiful they billow up the edge oi
the wave white with the foam oi
crocuses! How beautiful the rainbow
the arched bridge on which HEAVIER
and earth come and talk to each Other
in tears after the storm is over! How
nimble the feet OF the lamplighters
that in few minutes set all the dome
Of the night ablaze with brackets oi
fire! How bright the oar of the SAT
from cloud that rows across the deer
sea of heaven! How beautiful the
spring, with bridal blossoms in hel
hair! wonder who it is that beats
time on June morning for the birt
orchestra? How gently the harebel
tolls its fragrance on the air! Their,
may be grander worlds, swarthiel
worlds, larger worlds, than this, but
think that this is most exquisite
world, mignonette on the bosom o
immensity. "Oh," you say, "take m,
soul! Give me that world! I am will
ing to take It in exchange. I an
ready now for the bargain. II is 81
beautiful world, so sweet a world
so grand world!"
But let us look more minutely int
the value Of this world You will no
buy property unless you can get
good title to 1t. After you hav
looked at the property and found on
that it suits you, you send an attorne
to the public Office, and he examine
the book of deeds and the book O
mortgages and the book Of Judgment
and the book Of liens, and he decide
whether the title is good before yo
willhave anything to do with it. Their
might be splendid property, and /
every way exactly suited to your wan
but II you cannot get good It'll
you will not take it. Now, am her
to say that it is impossible to &c
a good title to this world. II sci
tie down upon it, in the very year
so settle down upon it as a permf
nent possession, may be driven ava
from It, Aye, in five minutes after
give up my soul for the world, l ma
have to part with the world, an
what kind Of title do you call that
There is only one way in which 1 ca
hold an earthly possession, and ths
is through the senses. All beautif,
sights through the eye, but the ey
] may be blotted out; all captivatin
sounds through the ear, but my es
may be deafened; all lusciousness
fruits and viands through my tast
but my taste may be destroyed; a
appreciation of culture and of al
, through my mind, but I may lose m
mind. What frail hold, then,
have upon any earthly possession!
In courts of law, If you want to g,
a man off a property, you must ser,
upon him writ Of ejectment, givir
hima certain time to vacate the prer
ises, but when Death comes to us ar
serves a writ of ejectment, he do,
not give us one second of forewarl
ing. He says: "Off Of tLis plac,
You have no right apy longer to II