Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-04-19

by DIR. Talmage before his illness. the
folly and danger Of postpoDing the
acceptance of the gospel invitation are
exposed on the text, Luke xiv. IS. And
they all with one consent began to make
excuse"
After the invitations 10 a levee are
sent out the regrets come in. One man
apologies for non-attendance ON one
ground, another on another ground. The
most of the regrets are founded on prior
engagements. So in my text a great ban
quot was spread the invitations were cir
ctiiated and now the regrets come in. The
one gives an agricultural reason, the 9th
er a stock dealers reason, the other a
domestic reason. An poor reasons. The
fact was. they did not want to 80. And
they all with one consent began TO make
excuse"
SO now God spreads a great banquet.
1t is the gospel feast. and the table
reaches across the hemispheres, and the
Invitations so out, aud multitudes come
and sit down and drink out of the chal-
ices of God love. while other mnltitudes
decline coming. the one giving this apol-
ogy, and the other giving that apology,
..and they all with one consent begin 70
make excuse" | propose, so far as God
may help me, to examine the apologies
which men make for not entering the
Caristian life.
Apology the first; l am not sure there
is anything valuable in the Christian
religion. 1t is pleaded that there are so
many impositions in this day; SO many
things that seem to he real are sham.
A gilded outside may have a hollow in
side. There is SO much quaekery in
physics, in ethics. in politics. that men
conc to the habit of ineredulity. and
after awhile they allow that incredulity
to collide with our holy religion. But,
my friends. | think religion has made a
pretty good record in the world. How
man, wounds it has salved! How many
pillars Of fire it has lifted in the mid
night wilderness! How many simeon
struck deserts it hath turned into the
gardens OF the Lord, How it hath stilled
the chopped sea. What rosy light it
hath sent streaming through the rift Of
the storm cloud, What pools OF cool
water it hath gathered for thirsty Hagar
and lshmael, What mama whittier than
the camp of hardly bested pilgrims
What promises it hath sent out like holy
watchers 10 keep the lamps burning
around deathbeds. through the darkness
that lowers into the sepulcher! What
flashes OF resurrection morn!
A Religion of Heroes.
sesides that, this religion has made Sc
many heroes. 1t brought Summerheld
the Methodist, across the Atlantic ocean
with his silver trumpet To blow the ac
ceptable year OF the Lord until it seem.
ed as il all our American cities would
take the kingdom Of heaven by violence
1t sent Jehudi Ashman into Africa alone,
in continent of naked 5arbarians, to
lift the standard OF civilization and Chris
tanity. 1t made John Milton among po-
cts, Raphael among painters, Christopher
Wren among architects, Thorwaldsen
among sculptors. Handel among must
clans, Dupont among military command
ers, and to give new wings to the inn
agination and better balance 10 the iudg
ment and more determination TO the will
and greater usefulness TO the life and
grsnder nobility to the soul there is moth
ing in all the earth like our Christian
religion. Nothing 10 religion? Why then.
all those Christians were deceived when
in their dying moment they thought they
saw the castles of the blessed, and your
child, that with uDutterabe agony you
put away into the grave. you will never
see him again nor hear his sweet voice
nor feel the throb OF his young heart
There is nothing in religion? Sickness
will come upon you. Roll and turn on
your pillow; no relief. The medicine may
be bitter. the night may he dark. the pain
may be sharp; no relief. Christ never
comes to the sick room. Let the pain
stab; let the fever burn, curse it and
die. There is nothing in religion? After
awhile death will come. You will hear
the paving Of the pale horse on the
threshold The spirit will be breaking
away from the body. and it will take
flight whittier, WHITTIER There is no
God. no ministering angels. to conduct.
no Christ, no heaven, no home Nothing
IN religion? oh, you are not willing to
adopt such dismal theory
The Use of skeptic.
And yet the world is full OF skeptfs.
And let me say there is 10 class OF peo-
pie for whom | have q warmer sympathy
than for skeptics. We do not know how
TO treat them. We deride them. we car
feature them. We, instead Of taking them
by the soft hand Of Christian love, clutch
them with the iron pinchers OF ecclesias-
tcism. Oh, IL yea knew how those men
had fallen away from Christianity and
become skeptcs you would not be So
rough on them! Some were brought mp
in homes where religion was overdone
The most wretched day in The week was
Sunday. Religion was driven into them
with a triphammer. They had surfeit
of prayer meetings. They were stuffed
and choked with eatechjsus. They were
told by their parents that they were the
worst children that ever lived because
they liked to ride down hill better than
to read "Pilgrim's Progress" They new
er heard their parents talk religion but
with the corners Of the mouth drawn
down and the eyes rolled up. Others
went into skeptcism through maltreat-
mcnt on the part Of some who professed
religion. There is man who says, My
partner in business was conspicuous IA
nrayer meeting and le was offieioug IN