Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-02-23


In this discourse DIR. Taimage calls
for a more 6emonstative religion and I
hearty speaking out on the right size
OF everything; text. Mark 9:25; Thou ,
dumb and deaf spirit l charge thee,
come out OF him"
Here was q case OF great domestic !
anguish. The son Of the household was /
possessed of an evil spirit. which.
among other things. psralyzed bis /
tongue sn6 madchim speeches. When
the influence was on the patient. be
could not say a wor6-articulation was
impossible. The spirit that captured
this member Of the Household was a
dumb spirit-So called by Christ
spirit abroad to-day and as lively and
potent as in the New Testament times
Yet in al the realms Of ssrmonoom
cannot ind q discourse concerning this
dumb devil which Christ charged up
on in NY text, saying: Come out OF
him
There has been much destructive SUI
perstitior abroad in the world concern
ing possession by evil spirits. Under
the form OF beliefin witchcraft. this de-
lus.on swept the continents. Persons
were supposed 70 be possessed wits
some evil spirit. which made them ao!e
20 destroy others. II the sixteenth cen
fury IN Geneva 1900 persons were
burned 10 death as witches. In one
neigh borhood of France loco persons
/ were burned. In two centuries 100000
| persons were slain as witches 50
| mighty was the 6elusion that il incluo-
/ sd among its victims some % the great
est iutellects Of al. time. such as CHIEF
/ Justice Matthew Hsie and Sir Edward
| Coke. and euch ren owned ministers OF
| religion as Cotton Mathtr, one q whose
| books. BENJAMIN Franklin said shaped
his life-snd Richard Baxter. and Arch
| bishop Cranner and Martin Lutnsr;
md. among writer's and philosophers,
Lord Bacon. That belief. which has
become the laughing stock OF all sen
sib,e people. counted its disciples
among the wisest and best people OF
Sweden. Germany. England, France.
spain and New England But while We
reject witchcraft any man who be-
Eeves the Bible must believe that there
are diabolicai agencies abroad IN the
weird. While there are ministering
spirits % bless there are internal spirits
10 hinder. 10 poison and 70 destroy.
l AAAN-N Vas @ANAAE ~ "a l-tt-~---
istence when. standing before the az
aicted one Of the text. he said; 4 hou
. sumb and deaf spirit. come out OF al N. v
Against this dumb devil OF the text
: put you or your guard. Do not think
hat this agent Of evil has put his blish
! o. those who. by emission Of the VEGA
organs. have had the golden gates oil
. | speech bolted and barred. Among
those who have never spoken wore
sre the most gracious and lovely and
aiente6 souls that were ever iucar.at
q. The chaPlains OF the asylums 20
the dumb can tel you enchanting
stories OF those who never called IN
1ame OF father or mother or chile. an'
many OF the most cevout and prayerfu
louls viii never il this world speak II
azme OF God or Christ.
There has been apotheosizatioa o. .
.euce. Some one has said silence
yo.den, ard sometimes the greatest tr
= amph Is 10 keep your mouth shut. Bu
- sometimes silence is q crime and IN
4 direct result OF the baleful influence q
- he dumb devil CT our teNt. There
hardly a man or woman who has no
5een present on some occasion whe
The Christian religion became targ'
Tor rai.lery. Perhaps II was over
he store some day when there was I'd
much going on, and the clerks were In
yroup. OF il was in the factory al th
,Oon spell, or IL was out on tile far
:. snGer the trees while YOU were Resin
- ,r II was in the clubrOOm, or II ".
n a social circle, OF IL was IN the st-e'
IN the way home from business, or
:. .as or some occasion which YOU r
member without my describing
of some one got the laugh on the Bib
ard caricatured the profession OF !
Igion as hypocrisy, OF made pun c
d something that Christ said II
ire auch started, and You joined in, al
he cot one word Of protest cid You utt'
os- What kept you silent? Modesty? \
lrd Iucauacity 10 answer? No. Lack
he oooortunity2 No. II was blow
IN both your lips BY the wing Of the dur
sa- sevil. II some one should maiign 30
ZEN father or mother or wife or hus Ia
yht Or child. you uoaid flush up quick a
rit either with an indignant word
.es. doubled up fist make reeponse. A
The yet here is our Christian religion " hi
ma has done 20 much for you and so nv
er- Tor the world that IL viii take az e
na- sisy 10 celebrate IL. and yet when il y
ask attacked you did not SO much as $.
I II Il differ. ! object. am sorry 10 h'
ne. YOU saw that There il another =
ma 10 this" You Christian people oui
Iith 10 such times as these 70 go armed,
,gtv with earthly weapons. but with
his sword OF the spirit You ought TO b
-. ! fcur or Eve ooestious with which