Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-16
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
terieAn Church. Chicago

Chicago, July 12.-In view OF the
startling increase in the crime Of self
destruction, as shown by the latest
statistics, the subject chosen by DR..
Tamage for his discourse today is
most timely one. His text Is Job II, 8,
Curse God and die"
Two incitements--de fierce,
definite, outrageous. The one urges
the broken hearted father. the financial
bankrupt, the physically tormcntcd
man, to grit his teeth and. with fash
Ing eyes and uplifted hand hur fu-
tile malediction at the Almighty, to
curse God with an eternal blnsphcmy.
What q shocking, appalling suggestion!
Enough to make all heaven stand
aghast in horror and to render even the
demon infested caverns of a hopeless
inferno silent with fear and to turn
the flushed cheeks aflamc with the fires
of eternal woe white with terror.
Curse God Who could do that but
human being crazed and desperate and
reckless under intolerablc anguish?
The second Indictment puts In the
hands of the sufferer the suicides
knife, the hangman'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 1t during the past four years In
Chicago alone 1 ,294 persons passed out
of life by the suicides gate in three
years-nine victims on n 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 to spread the per
ncious 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, blissful 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 1t cannot be stayed 10y up
l braiding mangled corpse or by call
ing a dead man a coward. would
prayerfully and earnestly try TO indi-
cate some of the causes which produce
if. 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
prccipice or tumbling into a suicides
. grave. The gunpowder magazine can
l be exploded by a spark. We would
I deal this morning with primal causes
=, rather than with resultant conflagra-
! tons.
| Atheism Responsible.
D First. charge atheism with the chief
responsibility for the crime. Self muir
= dor is the hideous black visaged ex-
l ccutoner of the mcrcless monster we
call atheism. agnostcism, intidelity. II
I, is the old, Shiny serpent coilcd up un
g gnared and worm eaten tree of unbe
e lief, at the foot Of which sits the grin
ming, blear eyed nag misery grooming q
dirgc for lullaby. 1t is the death rat
l. tie of human being whose parched
lips have been set to the rim of the
d chalice filled with the scorching, poi
l. sonous connection of blasphemy an(
o falsehood compounded by a Noltaire, {
= Rousseau, a Thomas Paine or Rober
2, G. Iugersoll 1t is the wArtstone, we
l. with human blood, upon which the
t. moral sensbilities can be blunted ant
e at the same time the suicides knife
l. sharpened, for It teaches immortal maj
" that there Is no hereafter and that h,
e Is responsible for his lifes actions t
10 no Divine Maker and King.
n No suicidal razor was ever hone(
l. upon the leaves of the opened Bible
It Though the morning newspapers al
y most every day are blackened will
H. the awful obituary tragedies Of mel
al and women who have deliberatel.
IT taken their lives by the bloody hant
Of self murder, you cannot find amoni
a those who persisted, in the full posses
sion of reason, single consecrate'
l. Christian church member. You can
l not find one person among them al
'e who realized that he was believe,
e child of God and that he expected t
a go to meet loving Heavenly Fathe
D. unless the person killed himself dur
70 ing fit of temporary insanity. as di
r Hugh Miller, the great Scotch scientist
a who blew out his brains during meL
z, tai arrangement, or that eminent Ney
e. York clergyman who. in deiriun
| leaped from a window. Why? TIL
he Bible distinctly and emphatically DE-
clares that no man has n right to con
re they must answer for this terribl
u crime before the judgment seat c
lie Christ, and 1t holds out to them n
Is hope Of pardon during all cternit.
Read the eighth chapter of Revelation
ID And murderers and whoremongei
t. and idolaters and all liars shall hay
20 their part in the lake which burnet
le with fire and birthstone. which is Il
y second DEATH Read the first cpist
IN Of John, third chapter and fiftccnt
verse: mo murderer hath eternal H.
abiding in him" In the sound of 81
divine warning, does any Christi
4an, with his eyes wide open, atteml
sound the 'open sesame" Of Il
g. pearly gates of the New Jerusae
with the crack of suicidal pisto
Dare any Christian Inv self lpstrucfio