The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-03-05
DIR, TALMAGES SERMON
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject: The Work Nearest at Hand-Put
Your Religion Into Practicc-Be Grnte-
fui For Gods Common Biessings-
Revenue OF Spiritual Strength.

DR. Talmace advises US to do our best in
the spheres where we are placed and not
wait to serve God in resounding position;
text. Corinthians Y, 81, Whether, there.
fore, We eat or drink or whatsoever ye do,
do al! to the glory of God.
When the apostle in this text sets forth
the idea that 80 common an action as the
taking of food and drink is to be conduct
ed to the glory of God he proclaims the
importance of religion in the ordinary at.
fairs of our life. In all ages OF the world
there has been tendency to set apart GER
tain days, places and occasions tor wor.
ship. and to think those were the chief
reahns in which religion was to act. Now,
holy days and holy places have their i'm.
portancc. They give opportunity for spe-
cial performance Of Christian duty and for
regaling OF the religious appetite, but they
cannot take the place OF continuous exer'
else OF faith and prayer. In other words,
a man cannot be 50 much Of Christian on
Sunday that he can afford to be world
ling all the rest OF the week. If steamer
put out for Southampton and so one day
in that direction and the other six days In
other directions, how long before the steam
er will get to Southampton! 1t will never
get there. And, though man may seem
TO be voyaging heavenward during the holy
Sabbath day. il during the following six
days of the week he is going toward the
world and toward the flesh and toward the
devil how long will it take him to reach
the peaceful harbor Of heaven. You can
not cat so much at the Sabbath banquet
that YOU can afford religious abstinence
the other six days. Hcroism and princely
behavior on great occasions are no apology
for lack Of right demeanor in circumstances
insignificant and inconspicuous. The gen.
uinc Christian life il not spasmodic; does
not 10 by fits and starts. 1t tolls on
through heat and cold, up steep mount
aims and along dangerous deciivities. its
eye on the everlasting hills crowned with
the castles of the blessed. I propose to
plead tor an everyday religion.
In the first place we want to bring the
religion Of Christ into our conversation.
When a dam breaks and two or three v,l-
lagos are overwhelmed or an earthquake
in South America swallows whole city,
then people begin to talk about the urcer-
tainty Of life. and they imagine that they
are engaged in positively religious conver-
sation. No. You may talk about these
things and have no grace OF God at all IN
your heart. We ought every day to be
talking religion. II there is anything glad
about it, anything beautiful about it, any
thing important about it, VIC ought to be
continuously discussing.
I have noticed that men just in proper.
tion rs their Christian experience Is shall
low talk about funerals and graveyards and
tombs;ones and deathbeds. The real, gen
uine Christian man talks chiefly about this
life and the great eternity beyond and not
30 much about the insignificant pass be-
tween these two residences.
And yet how few circles there are where
AZ e =
Go into circle even of Christian people.
where they are full OF joy and hi!ari.y, and
talk about Christ or heaven and everything
ia Immediately silenced. As on summer
day when the forests are full Of life, chat.
ter, chirrup and Garcia mighty chorus OF
bird harmony. every tree branch an orchcs.
tra-if hawk appear in tho sky, every
voice stopa and the forests are still.
Just 80 have seen lively religious cir
Gle silenced on the appearance OF anything
like religious conversation. No one had
anything to say save perhaps some old pa
triarch in the corner Of the room, who
really thinks that something ought to be
said under the circumstances; 30 he puts
one foot over the other and heaves n long
sigh and says, "Oh, yes; that's so, that's
so!"
Nv friends. the religion of Jesus Christ
Il something to talk about with glad
heart. 1t is brighter than the sunshine.
Do not 20 around groaning abou. your re-
l;:ion when you ought to be singing It or
talking it in cheerful tones; OF voice. How
often it is that we find men whose lives
are utterly inconsistent who attempt to
talk religion aud always make failure OF
it! Ny friends. we mus. live religion OF
we cannot talk it. II m:a Is cranky ana
4 ~ hat I'd HaaI /.
ings and then begins to t,lk about Christ
and heaven. everybody il rcpe!led by it.
Yet have heard such men say in whining
tones. I'VE are miserable sinners The
Lord bless you" THE Lord have mercy on
you," their conversation intcriarded with
such expressions which mean nothing but
canting, and cantinS IL the worst form OF
hypocrisy. II We have really felt the re.
ligion of Christ in our hearts, let Us talk
it. and talk it with an illuminated counte-
nance, remembering that when two Chris
tian people talk God gives special atten-
ton and writes down what they say: Ma
lachi iii. 10, Then they that feared the
Lord spoke often one to another, and the
Lord hcarkened and heard it: and book
OF remembrance was written.
Again. remark, we must bring the reli.
sion Of Christ into our cmployments. "Oh:
large sums OF money or il he have an ex-
tensive traffic. bat in the humble work IN
life that ! am called to the sphere is too
small for the action OF such grand, heaven.
~ principles" Who tod you so: Do you
not know that God watches the faded leaf
on the brooks surface as certainly as He
does the path of blazing sum: And the
moss hat crecps up the side OF the rock
makes as much impression upon God s
mind az the waving tops Of Oregon pine
and Lebanon cedar. aud the alder, crack.
ling under the cows hoof, sounds as loud
in Gods car a. the snap of a words con.
fagration. When you have anything to do
in life, however humble i. may seem to be,
God is always there to help you to do It.
If your work is that OF 4 fisherman. then
God will help You. as He helped simon
when He dragged Gerncsarct. II your
you. as when He talked at the well curb
to the Samaritan woman. If you arc en-.
gagged in the custom house. He will !eid
you as He led Matthew sitting at the re-
ceipt OF customs.
4 religion that is not good in one place
is uot worth anything in another place.
The man who has only dav's wages in hi,
pocket as certainly needs the guidance o..
religion as he who rattles TIE kcy3 OF =
bank and could abscond with hundred
thousand dollars.
There are those prominent in the
churches who seem to be on public occa.
sions very dcvous who do not pat the
principles OF Christ's religion into practice.
They are the most incxorable OF creditors.
They are the most graspiny OF dealers.
They are known as sharpers on the street.
They fleece every sheep they can catch. 4
country merchant comes in to buy spring
or fall goods, and he gets into the store of
one OF these professed Christian men who
have really no grace in their hearts. and he
Is completely swindled. He IL so overcome
that he cannot get out Of town during the