Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-04-24
TALNAGEs
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMaGc. DID,.
Pastor OF Jefferson Park Preshy-
terrain Church, Chicago


CT the numerous class that dallies with
evil Indulgence. making a mock Of dan
ger and needless of admonition until
II is too late. The text is Proverbs xiv,
o, "Fools make a mock at SIM
There are times when hints and deli
cate phraseology are inadequate for
useful purpose, and when the kindest
and wisest course is to use plain. out
spoken characterization shot forth on
arrows of denunciation and excoria-
ton. So in my text Solomon says
plainly that the man who mocks at sin
is a fool. When the human body is
slowly but surely being eaten up by n
cancer, ii is time to use the surgeons
knife. The gangrened limb needs am
putation, not balms or plasters or poul-
tees or fragrant ointments. And when
men and women with wide open eyes
deliberately place themselves in posi-
ton where they may inhale the fetid
atmosphere, rocking with the deadly
germs of that contagious and fatal
plague called sin, it is high time that
some one should be bold enough 70
stigmatize them by an appropriate
name. They are not misguided chill
dren who are merely lost in the crook
cd byways of life's journey. They can
see the evil results of sin everywhere
they go If they will only look as they
are capable of looking. They are not
mental weaklings who have been con-
fined behind the iron bars oS lunatic
asylum. They can think, and clearly
think, IL they will and do what they
ought TO do. Such men and women are
displaying suicidal folly, and the only
appropriate name for them is that
which Solomon applies to them; they
are fools. Going TO destruction by
their own choice and volition. mocking
at victims who have already been de
stroyed, Needless OF the fate impend-
ing over their own heads, they are as
foolish as would be u sea captain who
I'm midocean and in the grip of hurri-
cane broke his rudder chains, threw his
chart overheard and smashed his COM
pass.
When gigantic sin is working evil to
the body polite and is endangering our
national well being. Solomon's method
Is demanded. President Roosevelt evil
IDENTITY thought so when, n short time
ago, referring TO a common sin. he
wrote: 81 do not know whether most
pity or despise the foolish and selfish
man or woman who does not under
stand that the only things really worth
having in life are those the acquire
Inent OF which normally means cost
and effort. The man or the woman
who deliberately avoids marriage and
has heart so cold as TO know no pas
sion and n brain so shallow and selfish
as to dislike having children is I'm effect
criminal against the race and should
be an object OF contcmptuous abhor-
renee 10 all healthy people"
Why Mocl<crs Are Fools. %.
The same kind OF warning against
sin Hugh Latimer gave when lie sent
20 Henry VIII, his king, the present
OF New Testament. with these pun
gent words written in plain letters up
on the fly leaf: ''For this ye know that
no unclean person hath any inheritance
in the kingdom OF Christ and of God"
The same kind of warning against sin
In high places John knox used TO give
when as court preacher he would look
down from his pulpit and denounce the
sins of his ruler until the beautiful
Mary, queen OF Scots, would grit her
teeth and turn pale and clinch her tiny
fists in paroxysms OF rage. Let me
show you why the Knockers ut sin are
fools; also why men and women I'm the
daily wallis Of 81,
morning and evening and ask the Ueav-
emily Father 10 protect and guide and
save them from the evil temptations
which beset them everywhere they go.
Evil temptations Invariably are intro
duced TO their victim in n seemingly
harmless way. They seek your COM
partnership ut first as friends, and not
as enemies. They do not approach you
glaring and convulsively working their
claws and leap at you, as the man eat
ing monster might try to get Mt your
throat when in all his fury he is Gagged
In the geological gardens OF cnlcutta.
But temptations come TO you at first
with the soft fur and the purring salu-
tation of the little kitten which might
nestle IN your lap. They come insid-
reach you wrapped in the beautiful
garment which is sent TO You from far
on India. They come with all the fra
GRANGE OF the poisonous leaf which
brings death to every creature that
touches 1t. Or. Cuyler once gave n
wonderful description OF one of the
poisonous trees. aptly called the Judas
tree. He said that the blossoms OF this
tree are of n brilliant red. From far
and near the fatal beauty OF those
flowers attracts the insects. Yet sew
cry bee wandering in search of honey
that alights upon the blossoms imbibes
fatal opiate and drops to the earth
Beneath this enticing tree the earth is
strewn with the victims OF its fatal
fascination" That fatal plant is q
vivid symbol of the way deadly sin
nrst appeals to its victims. Sin in the
beginning fascinates the eyes as with
The brightest OF floral colors. 1t fasci-
mates the ear rs with the sweetest Of
harmonies. 1t soothes the sense of
touch as with the velvety softness OF a
tigers paw, while beneath Is concealed
the sharp claw. 1t first wooes its vic.
tim to pillow his head upon the lap Of q
beautiful Delilah, and while the sinner
sleeps his lips are parted in a smile as
he dreams the happiest of dreams.
How Temptation Comes.
Sin Is sweet poison" once wrote
Anthony Burgess. lit tickleth while it
stabbeth. The first thing it does is to
bewitch, then to put out the eyes, then
TO take away the sense of feeling" 1t
Is when the temptation is concealed
and hidden among attractive surround
ings that 1t has its greatest danger The
mighty furred bruin of the Rocky
mountains is not caught by the steel
trap lying unconcealed in the opened
pathway. He shambles along, shifts it,,
pushes 1t aside with his paw, moves
round Ii or leaps over it. but when that
trap IS concealed under the green grass
short distance from tie tempting
meat then the mountain bear has need