The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1902-04-24
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.

Subject: Danger in Delay-The Folly of
Postponing the Acceptance of the
Gospel Invitation-Sy mpathy For the
Skeptics-Time to Be Religious.
WASHINGTON, D. C.-In the following
discourse, prepared by DR.. Talmage before
his illness, the folly and danger of post
poning the acceptance OF the gospel lnvl-
tation are exposed on the text, Luke XIV,
Is, and they all with one consent began
to make excuse"
After the invitations to 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 great ban
quet was spread, the invitations were cir
culated, and now the regrets come in.
The one gives an agricultural reason, the
other stock dealers reason, the other
domestic reason. All poor reasons. The
fact was, they did not want to go. And
they all with one consent began to make
excuse"
So now God spreads great banquet.
It is the gospel feast, and the table reaches
across the hemispheres, and the invita-
sit down and drink out of the chaices OF
Gods love, while other multltudes decline
coming the one giving this apology, and
the other giving that apology, and they
all with one consent begin to make ex-
cuse." / propose, so far as God may help
make for not entering the Christian life
Apology the first: [ am not sure there
is anything valuable in the Christian re-
ligion. 1t is pleaded that there are so
many impositions in this day; SO many
things that seem to be real are sham. A
gilded outside may have hollow inside.
There is so much quackery in physics, in
OF bIpg nDiif1pc that 10 the
habit of incredulity. and after awhile they
allow that incredibly to collide with our
holy religion. But, my friends, | think
| religion has made a pretty good record IN
! the world. How many wounds it has
salved! How many pillars of fire it. has
many simoom struck deserts it hath turned
into the gardens OF the Lord How it
! hath stiiled the chopped seal What rosy
/ LIGHT it hath sent streaming through the
rift Of the storm-cioud! What pools of
/ cool water it hath gathered for thirsty
/ Hagar and Ishmaell What mama whittier
| than coriander seed it hath drOpDed all
around The camp OF hardy bested pilgrims,
| What promises it hath sent out like holy
/ watchers to keep the lamps burning around
! deathbeds, through the darkness that
/ lowers into the sepulcher! What flashes
| of resurrection mornl
Besides that, this religion has made so
/ Methods. across the Atlantia ocean with
| his silver trumpet to blow the acceptable
wear of the Lord until it seemed as if all
our American cities would take the king
dom Of heaven bv violence. 1t sent Jehudi
/ Asbman into Africa alone in a continent
Of naked bar6arians. to tit the standard
I OF civilization and Christianity. 1t made
! John Milton among poets. RaDhael among
painters. CHRISTOPHER Wren among archi-
/ tects. Tborwaldsan among scu,ptors. Han
del amo9c musicians. DUPONT among mill
/ tarv commander. and to rive new wings
TO The imagination and better balance to
the Indictment and more determination to
the viii and greater usefulness to The life
and qranGer nobility TO tbe soul there is
nothing in all the earth like our Christian
reTGion. Nothing in RELIGION? WHY. then,
ali t6nte Cb ris55ns IS were deceived When
in their divine moment they thought thew
saw The castles Of lie blessed. and vour
( child fhaf With nnufterab,e aronv YOU
but away into the grave YOU will never
See him aoqio or hear his sweet voice
nor feel The throb of his vouag heart