Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-08-22
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT ThLNAcE. DID,.
Pastor OF Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago


Frank De Witt Talmage with charac-
Is Corinthians II, %, "Despise we the
ehurch OF GodT'
While rummaging through a book
store the other day L purchased vol
ume with this suggestive title: "Why
Men Do Not Go to Church. In ii the
author gives many blunt statements.
He asserts that in New York city alone
not more than 3 per cent of all the
male population are members of the
Protestant churches. He makes this
charge against New York city, with
Its millions upon millions of dollars In
vested in church architecture. with its
millions OF dollars every year layishly
expended for eyangelistic work. lie
makes this charge against New York
city, which Is not heather town, but
which claims to be not only the wealth.
TEST but the most enlightened city In
our Christian land. The author of
that book further declared that not
more than one-half of all the inhabit-
ants of this country ever attend church.
BY that the author means the vast ma
3ority of Americans seldom set foot in
any church building, because the most
OF the half who do attend church do
80 occasionally only.
With the startling statements of that
book still fresh in my mind I would
like TO ask you the question which
Paul asked the nonchurchgoers of
Corinth. The world needs precisely
the things that the church was organ
lied to supply. 1t needs strength to
resist temptation, 1t needs rules for the
guidance of life, it needs support I'M
der afiiiction, solace in bereavement
and hope of heaven after death. All
these blessings come by Christianity.
Ut is therefore worth while. inquiring
what are the obstacles that keep men
from coming into the church and OBJ
tanning them So L not only want to
ind out why the vast majority of
people do not join or regularly attend
church, but 1 also want to try to re-
move those difficulties so that you. one
and all, will come into the fellowship
of the divine institution in which are
numbered the great hosts of the fol-
lowers of the Lord Jesus.
An Absurd Reason.
WELL" says some one In answer to
the words Of my text, ''the reason 1
despise the church of God is because
there are certain parts of the Bible /
do not understand. Therefore 1 will
not profess to believe what cannot
comprehend" Now, my friend. such
n statement is simply absurd. From
sucn talk one might suppose that the
only inexplicable things in the whole
universe are those recorded between
the lids OF holy writ. Why, there
are whole realms and cycles and uni
verses OF facts in every direction yet
untraversed and unexplained. You
cannot focus the whole heavens with
one telescope nor span infinity with
the finite. You might rs well try TO
build n range of mountains from Long
Island TO England by pitching pebbles
into the Atlantic ocean or try TO empty
the Pacific 10y dipping up the waters
with 4 sewing girls thimble as TO at
tempt to build up n system OF science
or 20 develop n belief in the Bible I'M
less you are willing to accept some
things which you cannot explain.
But, though statements may be made
In the Bible which you and / cannot
understand. the salient truths, the Cal
vary truths, the converting truths. are
all simply told truths. / defy any I'M
biased man TO read the simple words
OF the four gospels and remain blind
TO their meaning. No man can read
the story OF the prodigal son and fail
TO realize that God is represented by
the aged father, that his own sinful
HE is represented by the sins of the
younger son, that repentance and peace !
are represented by the return home !
and the divine love and forgiveness by |
the ring and the fatted calf and the
fathers kiss. Spiritual light and deep- |
or falth VIII come later. So, my broth |
or, ms you believe in God the Father,
God the Son and God the Holy Ghost: |
as you believe that Jesus suffered and |
uled upon the cross for our sins. as |
you believe that Christ has gone to |
heaven TO prepare n dwelling place for |
those who are cleansed by his blood |
you believe all that is needed to QUAIL |
iiy you TO come into the church he es- |
taplished ON earth This was the saw |
Ing belief OF the Phllippian jailer, to |
whom Paul said, believe on the Lord |
Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved |
and thy house." A man is not neces-
sarily barred from the church OF Jesus
Christ because he does not fully under
stand all the Bible. He is received and
welcomed because he believes that
God so loved the world that he gave
MS only begotten Son, that whatsoever
Delieveth on him should not perish. |
but have everlasting life"
One Pastors Experience.
One day woman came TO the most |
noted minister OF the south, the Rev.
Is. NJ. Palmer OF New Orleans. She
said, Pastor. cannot accept and be-
lieve the doctrines OF the Presbyterian
church; therefore i am afraid | must /
have my name dropped from the
church roll" What do you not be-
never asked DR.. Palmer. ''Well, there
is the Presbyterian doctrine of foreor.
dination. i cannot believe that God
knows the end from the beginning. |
cannot understand how he can foresee
everything and yet be free agent"
81 never asked you to believe the doc.
frine of REORGANIZATION" said DIR. Pal
mer. WELL" said the woman. ct cam
not believe the doctrine of election"
i never asked you to believe the doc
trine OF election" again said DIR. Pal
mer. What, then, do you want me to
believer .As n minister of the Pres
byterian church." DIR. Palmer replied. /
i have TO accept the Confession of |
Faith, but you as a lay member only
have TO believe two great doctrines.
The first is, that man is q sinner. You
believe that? The second is, that Jesus
Is q Saviour and died for your sins.
You believe that? AS a believer in
those two great doctrines, l want you
10 throw yourself upon the mercy OF
Christ, and you can be saved. This is
al the Presbyterian church or any
other Protestant church demands of
you for membership" DR.. Palmer was
right. You may not understand all of
he Bible, but you do understand and
believe enough to make you acceptable
Tor membership in Christs church.
You do believe in the atonement. You
10 believe that Jesus died 10 save Won.
Throw away your doubts, Hold to
your beliefsi The gospel church life