Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-08-23
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor of Jefferson Park Presby-
terian C4urch, Chicago

Chicago Aug. 17.-In this discourse,
the decline of churchgolng. its cause
and It's remedy are discussed by Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmage with charac-
teristic vigcr and dlrectncss. The text
is | Corinthians Ii, 30, "Despise we the
church Of GOd?"
While rulnmagIng through book
store the other day purchased vol
ume with this suggestive title: "Why
Men DO Not Go to Church" In 1t 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 It's
millions Of dollars every year lavlShly
expended for cvangclistic work He
makes this charge against New York
city. which Is not Il heathCn town, but
which claims to be not only the wealth
lest but the most enlightened city in
our Christian land. The author of
that book further declared that not
more than Onp-half of all the lnhabit-
ants of this country ever attend church.
BY that the author means the vast ma
jOrlty Of Americans seldom set foot In
any church building. because the most
Of the half who do attend church do
so occasionally only.
With the startling statements Of that
book still fresh in my mind | 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
ized to supply. 1t needs strength to
resist temptation. II needs rules for the
guidance Of life it needs support un-
der afllictlon. sOlace In bereavement
and hope Of heaven after death. All
these blessings come by Christianity.
1t is therefore worth while inqulring
what are the obstacles that keep men
tanning them. SO not only want TO
find out why The vast majority Of
people do not join or regularly attend
church. but 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 tie Lord Jesus.
An Absurd Reason.
well" says some one in answer to
the words Of my text, the reason |
despise the church Of God Is because
there are certain parts of the Bible !
do not understand. Therefore will
not profess to believe what | cannot
comprehend" Now. my friend. such
a statement is simply absurd. From
such 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 as well try to
build range Of mountains from Long
Island to England by pitching pebbles
into the Atlantic ocean or try to empty
the Pacific by dipping up the waters
with sewing girls thmble as to at
tempt to build up system Of science
or to develop a 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 I cannot
the salient truths. the Cal
vary truths, the converting truths, are
all simply told truths. defy any un-
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 |
the aged father. that his own sinful |
life 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 fattcd calf and the |
fathers kiss Spiritual light and deep |
pr faith will come later SO. my broth i
or, as you believe in God the Father, |
as you believe that Jesus suffered and |
died upon the cross for our sins. as
you believe that Christ has gone to |
leaveI 10 prepare dwelling place for
hose who are cleanSed by his blood
you believe all that Is needed TO quail
fy you to come into the church he es.
abliSLPd on earth This was the say.
NJ belief Of tle Philirpan jailer, to
whom Paul said "Eclievc Oh the Lord
Iesus Christ and thOu shalt be saved
md thy house" \ man is not neces-
;arily 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
lis only begOtten Son. that whosoever
)elieveth on him should not perish.
)ut have everlasting life"
One fai tors Experience.
One day woman came to the most
loted minister of the south. the Rev.
B. NJ. Palmer of New Orleans. She
'aid. Pastor, cannot accept and be-
ieve the doctrines of the Presbyterian
.hurch; therefore | am afraid | must
lave my name dropped from the
,hurch roll" What do you not be-
lever asked DR.. Palmer. well, there
s the Presbyterian doctrine of foreor
lination. | cannot believe that God
lnows the end from the beginning. |
.annot understand how he can foresee
and yet be free agent"
L never asked you 10 believe the doc