Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-04-03
TALsAgAGE
SERMON
BY Rev,
FRANK DE- WITT TALNAGE. DID,.
Fastcr OF jefferson Pa-k Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

uuhhiiuSterS severe rebNke 10 t9uit
finders, gossips, sIanGerers and scan
dal mongers and shows by contrast
how Christlike it is to be generously
silent rather than cersoriOus in deal
ing with the weaknesses OF others. The
text is III Samuel /, 20. Tell It not In
Gath; publish it not in the streets of
Askelon.''
silence" once wrote trenchant
and poetic author. SIS only music
asleep" BY the grace of God would
prove that gospel silence may be mu-
steal without being always somnolence.
1t is often gospel harmonies wide
awake and in full diapason. The gold
en- lips OF silence can sometimes be
more eloquent in their gospel signifi-
canoe than the silver tongue of speech.
There is great excitement in the Da-
vidic encampment. a sentinel sees a
courier at full speed running down the
valley. Coming nearer. he calls out
with painting voice. ''Tidings. my lord
tidings for the new kingr From the
different tents the swarthy limbed sol
diers, who were resting from the con-
quests over the Amalekites. swarm
the young commander. There he pros
trates himself upon the ground. He
announces that Saul has been defeated
and has committed suicide: Jonathan
has been slain. The empty throne is
now ready for its new occupant. the
conqueror of the mighty Philistine. Go.
Hath. What was the result2 Did Da-
vid tell his followers to exult over the
fallen king? Did he say to his COM
panions I'm arm: Good for SAUL His
defeat served him right. Divine JUS
tice has avenged my wrongs He had
no business to try to Kill me TO satisfy
his jealousy. He had no right to drive
me into exile. He should not have be-
come an apostate and defied the divine
power which had anointed him king of
Israeli" MOI David had the silver
tongue of speech. No psalmist ever
sang sweeter than this sweet singer of
Israel. But David had the golden lips
of gospel silence. He lifted his hand
in warning. He practically said this:
DO not exult over your fallen king.
Do not advertise his faults TO the world
lest the uncircumcised Pbilistines re-
Joice. Do not sneer at Gods amounted.
Let bis faults be buried In his tomb.
Only remember and talk about his good
qualities. Tell tx not in Gath; publish
IL not in the streets of Askelon"
Would that we. one and all, might be
as charitable i'm our comments upon
those who have sinned and wronged
us as David was with Saul Would
that we might talk only about the good
qualities OF those with whom we come
N nr,1
faults with the magnifying power of
microscope and study his virtues
with the minifying power OF the in
verted end OF a telescope. Would that
we might cease 20 write our human
concentrations i'm the sands, which
are washed out by the rising tides in
day, and that we might rather chiscl
our concentrations In the solid rocks,
which shall publish them forever.
Golden Lips OF silence.
The golden lips OF gospel silence
never banquet upon carrion. We know
that healthful physical body has to
draw its strength from clean provender.
III piece OF meat is decomposed and
microscopically diseased, IL will make
unciean any body into which IL is alb
sorbed. When one OF the presidents
elect. many years ago. was about TO
be inaugurated. his enemies tried 10
poison him. They placed poison In the
food In certain hotel where he was
stopping at the time I'm the city OF
Washington. Scores and / believe.
hundreds OF guests eating at that hotel
were poisoned. Some OF the guests lost
their lives. Many more were doomed
N Of
The president elect did not suffer be-
cause at that dinner he did not take
any or the poisoned food Only the
ravens and the buzzards could feast
upon the carcasses floating about
Noah's ark; not the dove with her
wings covered with silver and her
feathers with yellow gold. What is
true in reference TO the physical body
Is also true in reference 10 the mind
and the spirit. Ifw allow our thoughts
TO feed upon what is depraved in other
mems characters, then our thoughts !
Will themselves become depraved If |
we allow our lips TO revel in utterIng
the scandals and describing the weak. |
nesses and the sins OF our neighbors |
or friends or enemies, then our own |
tongues will become defled.
This law-that what we let our minds |
ieed upon decides what our minds are /
10 De-is frrevocable and all powerful. |
III Is so farreaching in its results that |
Jesus. In the gospel OF Matthew, de- |
ciares that he vii, condemn us not |
only for our evil actions, but also for
our evil thoughts. "Ye have heard that
1t was said by them of old. Thou shalt
not commit adultery. But I say unto
you that whosoever looketh on n wom-
an to lust after her hath committed
adultery with her already I'm his heart,
we are to be condemned not only for
what we say and DO, but also for what
we think
"Oh, no." says some nearer. 'That is
not square. a man should not be con-
demned for what he thinks. The
thought action OF the brain is abso-
iutely involuntary. We think in spite
or ourselves. We sin only when we
carry out the evil desires OF our souls.
We do not sin necessarily when we
think eviily." All, ms brother, you are
mistaken. A man can indirectly gov
ern his thoughts. IS he can directly
govern his actions. If n mau allows
his eye only to see pure pictures and
TO read good books, his ear to hear only
what is good and true in reference to
his fellow men; If man allows his
tongue to repeat only that which is
generous and loving and gentle-that
mans mind and spirit will become
true and good. If his mind becomes
pure. then his thoughts and his de-
sires will become pure, as well as his
actions.
Reaching FOs Lofty Ideals,
n man cannot Eft himself up by pull.
Ing at his boot straps He raust have
q pure ideal to draw him out OF him
self. When Munkacsys famous pic
ture Christ Before Plate" was being
exhibited in ore Of our American cit
les. an unkempt and aJthy booking man