The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1902-11-21
SIN OF BLASPHEMY.
Rev. Frank De Witt Talmage
Discourses on Profanity.
He Makes Vigorous Protest Against
Habit which Is Prevalent,
Cruel, COwardIy and Sin
ful-lIow to Reform.
Icopyrlght. 1902. BY Louis Klopsch.l

Copyright 1902. by Louis Klopsch.l
CHICAGO, A vigorous pro-
test against the prevalent habit Of pro-
family is made by Rev. Frank De Witt
Talmage in this sermon on the text
Exodus Xxx, Z, Thou shalt not take the
name Of the Lord thy God in vain"
The blasphemer's condemnation is a
mighty theme. Its curse indirectly af-
fects the whole human race. Every
man belongs to one Of two classes-ei-
ther he is blasphemer and therefore,
on account Of his profanity, comes di-
recty under the condemnation Of God,
or else he belongs to that large class
whose ears are polluted by his profane
utterances, I'm which class are some
who listen with indifference or con-
tempt, while others shudder with hor-
ror as they hear the blasphemous men,
tion Of the name Of their Master and
King.
The blasphemer is essentially a cow
ard, because he infiicts suffering on
persons who are powerless to resist or
retaliate. 1t is q hard word, but use
the plain, unvarnished Anglo-Saxon
word which describes the cowardly act.
| want you swearers TO realize the ex-
tent Of the injuries which you are do
Ing against some Of your fellow men
when you swear in public. l want
you to fully realize how you are cut
ting and lacerating Christian hearts
with your blood curdling oaths by try
Ing to put yourself, If possible, in your
Christian brothers place, who is COM
PEELED to listen every day to the public
utterances Of profanity. You can judge,
perhaps, how your Christian neighbor
feels by supposing that some one is
speaking slightingly and disrespectful-
ly and slanderously of some one you
very dearly love. You have n mother
or a wife or, perhaps, to use a better
Illustration, young daughter whom
you fondly cherish. Suppose I'm some
public place you should hear her name
yilified. What would you do? Why
need you answer? Even now l can
see your cheek flush and your teeth
become set and your hands clinch to-
gether. You would Immediately de-
mand an apology from the vilifer or
perhaps, II you are an impulslve man,
you would raise your fist and knock
that man down. You would do just |
what a friend OF mine did some years
ago in Waynesburg, W. Va. He was
bringing home the dead body of his |
little girl, who was his idol. As a |
great, rough brutal porter took the |
coffin out Of the baggage car he, the
father, said to him; Man, please be
careful. Don't handle that box rough |
ly." But when the porter in spite Of
that plea swore at the coffin and used
a contemptuous epithet about the be-
loved form within 1t and roughly let
the box tumble upon the platform, as
an average expressman lets trunk fall
to the ground, my friend doubled up
his fist and knocked that porter clear
into the tracks. He hit him so hard
that the policeman who ran up at first
thought him dead. But, though the
policeman was about to arrest the suf-
fering father, he did not, for when he
heard Row the porter had sworn at the
body Of the dead child he turned and
said, Brother, II that brutal porter
comes to, hit him again little harder
than you hit him before, and | will
stand By and, If necessary, help you"
That spirit which my friend showed
toward the porter who swore at his
little girls body you, o blasphemer,
would show toward any one who
would Insult the fair name Of a pure,
noble daughter, whom you devotedly
Iovedl
Now. my sinful brother, you who are
addicted to the habit Of swearing in
public, did you ever stop to think that
nearly always there are Christian men
and women around you who love the
name of Jesus Christ more than they
love their father or mother or wife or
daughter, or you love your child? Did
you ever stop TO think that by your
you are dishonoring the
name Of that Christ for whom those
men and women, If necessary, would
be willing to die? Have you a right to
insult their Christ's name any more (
han they have a right to insult your
,hild2 oh, my blaspheming brother, l
,alled you a cruel coward. l take it (
Ill back. 1 take that statement back,
because you may have sinned thought
essly. cannot believe that you have
intended to do this cruel
hing. In the past you have not real 9
zed the enormity of the injustice {
which by the public habit Of profanity J
rou are doing against some Of your fel-
ow men. You are so kind hearted you s
you'd not hurt a dog or cat Surely
lfter this you will cease to use bias 8
,hemous words In public and not fur {
her cut and lash into the bleeding
learts Of your Christian brothers and
listers with the sharp. merciless i'm
,iety which has heretofore proceeded
rom your profane lips. :
Profanity is not only a cruel. but I
lso a very foolish. habit. My profane Q
,rother, can you cite me one instance s
n all your life when the indulgence In :
he habit of swearing helped you In
he least? Did the stone over which
ou stumbled get out Of your way and
pologize to you because you cursed
(? Did the winds ever abats when
ou we're crossing the seas because you
Iasphemed them? Did your employ :
es ever love you better or work FOR
ou harder because you lost your tenn
er and hurled at them a whole lorna
o OF oaths? Did your horse ever drive e
etter because you swore at him until
.ou were red in the face? Did the
lood stop flowing when you cut your !