Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-09-11
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DEWITT TALMAcE. DID,.
Ofassor Of Jefferson Park Freshly
tartan Church. Chie0go

uay' neipiui anu inspiring IN Its treat
mens. Is this discourse. in which the
preacher makes special appeal In be-
half OF the "churchless millions" The
text Is Psalm civ, %, MAN goeth forth
unto his work and to his labor until
the evening"
What time is IL, misterY' the work
man asked as l went through a large
factory. Twenty minstes past o.
answered. "Ah, them" said he. 81
have forty minutes more labor before
am my own boss" The workman
kept on pounding-five, ten, fifteen,
twenty. twenty-five, thirty, forty min
utes. During this interval, while the
minute hand was moving slowly around
the dial toward the numerical twelve,
that man and his colaborers continued
ut their work. But no sooner did the
clock begin to strike than loud fac
tory whistle was blown. Immediately
the men and the women. the boys and
girls alike. dropped their tasks and
turned their backs upon the wheels
ana the leather bands. They took of
their aprons and donned their coats
and hats. The front and the side doors
OF the great building were vortex
from which poured an onzushing food
OF humanity. The electric cars aud
the elevated trains and suburban ex-
presses were damned and crowded by
the scattering employees not only
from one but from many stores and
factories Everywhere In our large
cities imam goeth to his work and to
his labor In the morning. In the even
Ing hour man. for the most part. has
finished his daily tasks and heads to-
ward home. My text rightly describes
the social conditions OF Davidic times.
lt as truthfully pictures the labor con-
ditions OF the present day.
The ordinary average laboring man
works from sun to sun. Now comes
the practical and pertinent question,
How is he TO spend his evenings p
This Is TO be our theme. 1t is TO be our
subject for two reasons: First. because
tomorrow is Labor day. 1t is a day
iegalized as holiday by the state leg
islatures. during which all thoughtful
men and women should discuss or
hear speeches upon the great problems
which Affect the laboring classes. Such
subject as "Labor's Evenings" natu-
rally grows out Of a Labor Sunday
service.
A Spiritual Problem
IL Is our theme because this immi-
nent moral and spiritual problem can
never be rightly solved by the laboring
man alone. He needs the help OF SYM
pathetic men who have leisure to think
and plan and who have capital which
they can invest in educational appli-
onces that will yield them a return In
higher efficiency and grateful loyalty
TO their interests. The problem OF cap
ital and labor must be solved, il ever
solved, by the Christian co-operat ton
both Of the rich and the poor; by Chris
uan philanthropists placing I'm their
employees hands the means by which
they can lift themselves up.
In the solution OF this problem the
church Of Christ should take q promi-
nent part. 1t cannot afford to go on its
way indifferent to the social conditions
which are fast becoming iutolernble.
The miseries OF the poor cry alond unto
heaven. To whom have they n right to
look for help II not TO that institution
which Christ established for the re-
demption OF the world. What can the
church do for tbemf 1t may do much,
and first among the agencies IL may
employ would place the Institutional
church. Do not imagine that the
church will be desecrated by such use.
1t can never be more sacred temple
tnan when II provides a place In which
the workingman will be glad TO spend
his evenings. This does not mean that
the future church OF Christ Is to be q
dance or n billiard hall, a bowling al.
ley. n lounging place for smokers or a
Tree restaurant where tramps and beg.
gars shall come to get something for
nothing. IL does mean, however. that
the church OF Jesus Christ is TO be
something more than a mere place of
preaching and hearing. II is 10 he n
place OF sacred practical heIprulness.
IL II to become eyes for the blind and
clothing for the naked and clutches for
the lame and food for the hungry and
n,warm welcome for the friendless and
COMFORT for the hopeless. IL il literally
10 be All things to all men. 1t is to be-
come place OF social communion ms
well as OF spiritual worship.
please explain yourself more I'm de.
Snus some one says. Well. will. In
the nrst place. find that the social IN
srncs Is God implanted instinct, and
must and Will find vent out of the hu.
msuneart. The Gregarious tendency Is
strong In men, as II Is In animals. Cat
Tie travel In herds. II n farmer turns
out his cows upon the mountain sides
ne only has 10 place one bell upon one
cow Then 1t Is easy for him 10 find
the rest OF the herd. Some years ago
an inexperienced German came to live
IN Pike county, Pa, where 1 was at
that time preaching. He set that whole
county laughing. Why? In his lack
or knowledge OF animal instinct he
placed different bell on every COW.
Thus his herd OF cows would go over
tnose mountains Changing their dis
cordant bells like big orchestra tun-
Ing up its instruments for n concert
piece. 1t only needs one bell for one
herd of cattle. Cows always travel to-
gether. The same law applies to sheen
and horses and buffaloes and mostly to
birds and fish. They love to be I'm
each others society. They live In
herds or iocks or schools. The social
Instinct In the human race, as In all
animals, Is God implanted instinct.
Man viii associate with man, and no
power on earth can help 1t. He will
associate with man in the church or
else In the saloon or club or secret So
ctety. He must and will find perpetual
companionship during his evening
hours. The church should provide a
place for the harmless indulgence of
that craving.
How To Reach the MasHes.
Statement second: find by study of
books and personal investigation that
every church which has first been bnp
TIED by the Holy Spirit and then gone
forth to reach the middle or the labor.
Ing classes through the social gate has
always been blest Of God in a marvel
Gus way. A conspicuous illustration of
that fact 10 seen In st. Georges Epis-
eopal church of New York city. This