Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-12-18
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAcE. DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Prexby-
tartan Church. Chieaso

we may distinguish the true from the
false. The text is III John, ii, "Greet
the friends by name"
Etymology is the historian of lam
suage. 1t is the huge wardrobe I'm
which are hung up the verbal gar
ments. ancient and modern, with which
Thought has been and is accustomed to
elothe herself. 1t is the Internal ional
and interracial laboratory I'm which
one alphabet is seen to a more or less
extent to be In harmony with all other
niphabets, the same as the study OF
biology proves that the physical struo-
lures OF all living creatures, both ami
NAL and vegetable. have been evolved
primarily from the same plan. Thus
we md that as social styles in dress
change so the verbal garments for one
thought are sometimes discarded, and
new thoughts are found TO be wearing
the CASTOR verbal clothes OF other
thoughts.
The ancient word barbarian" had
an entirely different significance from
its meaning in the present day. When
L say TO you, ''He is a barbarian" you
Immediately picture a savage, q brutal
cannibal, black skinned roamer of the
African forest or Malay murderer.
who would as willingly cut out your
heart as hawk might plunge his
crooked beak into the yitals OF dove
or helpless fawn. But when Paul
wrote in his epistle to the Romans. at
am debtor both TO the Greeks and to
the berbarians," he meant he was
oh ~
under CAESARS jurisdiction. He used
the word barbarian" in the same sense
as the Chinese now use It. Among
the Chinese" writes the lexicographer,
zone who Is not a Chinaman, and es-
pec.ally European or an American, Is
eon'reculy spoken of as q western bar
oL-.il. The ancient word swift was
orr trc.ly derived from the old Saxon
vely 'wstan." which meant "to know"
- ancient language "a WITT meant "a
kncwer." one yersed in knowledge, en-
&c lite man. The modern word wit"
signides a humorous entertainer, q
funny" man. The ancient word
"heathen" meant one who lived outside
the intellectual cities. The modern
word heather" Is now applied to q
person Ignorant OF the gospel. The
spanish word ''caballero' originally
meant "a man who travelled on horse
back, The modern word "cabalIero,
means "a gentleman" The Spanish
word 'peon'' originally meant zone
who goes on foot" The modern word
'peon" means "a peasant" Now, the
simple fact Is, I'm modern Spain many
a gentleman goes on foot and many a
peasant rides.
Meaning OF "Friend.v
Thus we also find that the word
friends" OF my text has an entirely
different meaning from what the casual
reader might at first suppose. The
modern word friend" in popular dis
course means an acquaintance. one
with whom we can socially pass a
pleasant hour. one who is upon our
ealing list. one who invites US to his
nome as we may invite him to our
daughters wedding party for his COM
pany- But IN ancient times the Bib
lical word friend had n deeper. ho-
her meaning. 1t meant one who I'm the
uuest ana purest sense had his life
wrapped up in our life. AS John wes-
ley gave the definition, at meant one
who was bound TO us by self sacrifice
and the blood relation OF the atoning
cross" II meant a Christian brother.
. The modern. definition OF the word
friend Is as different from the Bib
ncal rs n wolf travelling around I'm
Sleeps clothing is at heart different
from a lamb. ''rhe friendship OF most
men In these days." wrote John Spen-
Ger, lis like some plants in the water
which have broad leaves on the surface
OF the water, but scarce any root at
all; like drums and trumpets and en-
signs IN battle, which make a noise and
snow, but act nothing" Therefore,
U man and woman, in this sermon /
would try to describe for you who are
your true friends and also show Won
whether you are true friends TO Others.
from among the scores and hundreds
or your acquaintance I would single
out few noble spirits whose love Won
ought to cultivate and whose affections
you should treasure In the holy OF ho-
lies OF your most innermost heart.
The Divine Friend.
The true friend, in the first place, is
always the one who loves the Lord his
COD with all his heart and soul ana
mind before he tries to love his brother
as. himself. he is the one who ,you,d
translate into his own life In a spiritual
sense the oft quoted advice which Po-
ionius gave TO his departing son La
ertes, TO thine own self be true. and
u must follow as the night the day
thou canst not then be false to any
man. He i- as brave and noble In his
relation to his Divine Friend, first of
All. as was the late Christian gentle
man. senator and secretary of state,
I snh.fon Fish. One night he was din
Ing or with senatorial colleague, who
nnde IN irreyerent remark In reference
10 Jesus Christ. At flrst Mr.. Fish look
% surprised and then PINNED at the
blssrhemous laughter OF his political
associate. Then he turned and quietly
but firmly said: Senator, you must
pardon me for what am about to saw.
out must request you TO desist from
repeating any such remarks In my
presence. l firmly believe In Jesus
Christ az the Saviour Of the world. or
M church 4 am member. In my
pousc try to honor him, and in hts |
Iaith expect to die. II you care longer
o claim nae as your friend, then in my |
presence, at least, You must make no
'furring remarks against one whom I |
COX upon as my best Of all friends"
a true earthly friend must, in the |
irst place, be q true friend to his Heav- |
'niy Friend, as was Isaac Newton. He |
% impressed every one with whom he
'ame in contact with his noble LOYALTY
o his Divine Master that when his
riend, the great philosopher, Gottfried |
-eibnitz, was dying he cried out again
ND again In his last sickness, 20 thou
iod OF Isaac Newton, have mercy upon
neT And yet, strange to say, there are
cores of us who seem TO think that
ur true friends can be true to us while
icing untrue to their better selves. II
hey drink with us because we get
trunk and gamble with us because we
.ambie- and sinfully fritter away their
ives because we, as spendthrifts, are
laundering ours, we call them friends
true friends AaT ord Nfalbn,.~.~.x ~