Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-07-13
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
tcrien Church. Chicago


statistics, the subject chosen by DR..
Talmage for his discourse today is a
most timely one. His text is job ii, o,
course God and die"
Two acknowledgements, fierce,
definite. outrageous The one urges
the broken hearted father. the financial
bankrupt. the physically tormented
man, 20 grit his teeth and. with fash
ing eyes and uplifted hand. hurl a fu-
tile malediction ut the Almighty, TO
curse God with an eternal blasphemy.
What shocking. appalling suggestion!
Enough 10 make all heaven stand
Rghast In horror and TO render even the
demon infested caverns OF a hopeless
inferno silent with fear and TO turn
the flushed cheeks aflame with the fires
OF eternal woe white with terror.
Curse God! Who could do that but a
human being crazed and desperate and
reckless under intolerable anguish?
The second Indictment puts in the
hands Of the sufferer the suicides
Knife the hGpgman's moose or the vial
labeled with the two fatal words,
deadly Poison" To how many in
every age has that insidious temptation
come? In the United States alone
more than 10000 persons have yielded
TO il during the past four years. In
Chicago alone 1924 persons passed out
Of life by the suicides gate in three
years-nine victims on a single Sab
bath. In two months of the present
year seventy-fve lives have ended in
self immolation. How long will the
human race listen TO that hideous voice
which babe Job seek in death escape
from his misery? That tempter's voice
Is sounding louder and louder every
day. Shall the crime of self murder
be allowed longer 10 spread the per-
nicious doctrine that with one stroke
OF the razor across the jugular vein
or with one plunge in front of a flying
locomotive or with one leap from high
building or lofty palisade the would be
suicide can find rest. eternal rest God
given. bllssful Oblivion for all who are
weary OF life and peace for souls sick
OF the results OF sin?
The increasing suicidal epidemic of
the present generation should be halted
In its onward march of destruction.
lift my voice today in warning against
this evil. II cannot be stayed by up
braiding a mangled corpse or by call
Ing dead man a coward. l would
prayerfully and earnestly try to indi-
cate some Of the causes which produce
It. Then. in guarding you against the
incipient evils, | might perhaps by the
grace Of God keep some from ever tot
tering and swaying on the verge of the
precipice or tumbling into a suicides
grave. The gunpowder magazine can
be exploded by u spark. We would
deal this morning with primal causes
rather than with resultant confiagra-
tons.
Atheism Responsible.
First, l charge atheism with the chief
responsibility for the crime. Self MUIR
der is the hideous black visaged ex-
ecutioner OF the merciless monster we
call atheism. agnosticism, intidelity. II
Is the old, Shiny serpent coiled up un-
der the overshadowing branches of the
gnarled and worm eaten tree of unbe-
lief. at the foot of which sits the grin
ming. blear eyed bag misery grooming O
dlrge for a lullaby. Ii is the death rat
tie OF a human being whose parched
lips have been set to the rim of the
chalice filed with the scorching, poi
sonous connection of blasphemy and
talsehood compounded by Voltaire, q
Rousseau, a Thomas Paine or a Robert
g. Ingersoll. Ii is the milestone, we
with human blood, upon which the
moral sensibilities can be blunted and
at the same time the suicides knife
sharpened, for IL teaches immortal mar
Is responsible for his life's actions Il
no Divine Maker and King.
No suicidal razor was ever hone(
upon the leaves OF the opened Bible
Though the morning newspapers al
most every day are blackened witt
the awful obituary tragedies OF mel
and women who have deliberatel.
taken their lives by the bloody hant
Of self murder. you cannot find amoni
those who persisted. in the full posses
sion OF reason, a single consecrate'
Christian church member. You can
not find one person among them al
who realized that he was a believes
child OF God and that he expected t
20 10 meet loving Heavenly Fathe
unless the person killed himself dur
Ing fit of temporary insanity. as di'
Hugh Miller. the great Scotch scientist
who blew out his brains during meu
tai arrangement. or that eminent Ney
York clergyman who. I'm deliriuu
leaped from a window. Why? TIL
Bible distinctly and emphatically do
clares that no man has a right TO con
NIT self murder. IL warns men tina
they must answer for this terribl
crime before the Judgment seat @
thirst. and IL holds out to them n
hope OF pardon during all eternit,
Read the eighth chapter OF Revelation
And murierers and whoremonger
and idolaters and all liars shall hay
their part in the lake which burnet