Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-10
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE. DID,,
- Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
terrain Church. Chicago

ment, 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 unit
the evening"
What time is 1t, misterT the work
man asked as I went through q large
factory. Twenty minutes past g." ]
answered. "Ah. then" said he, 81
have forty minutes more labor before
l 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
at 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
| and the leather bands. They took off
| their aprons and donned their coats
| and hats. The front and the side doors
Of the great building were a vortex
from which poured an onrushing food
Of humanity. The electric cars and
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 man 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.
1t 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?"
This is to be our theme. 1t is to be our
subject for two reasons: First, because
tomorrow Is Labor day. 1t is n day
legalized 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
a subject as "Labor's Evenings" natu
rally grows out of a Labor Sunday
service.
A Spiritual Problem.
1t 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-
ances 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, if ever
solved, by the Christian cooperation
both of the rich and the poor; by Chris
tan philanthroplsts placing in their
employees hands the means by which
they can lift themselves up.
In the solution of this problem the
church of Christ should take a proml-
nent part. 1t cannot afford to go ON its
way Indifferent TO the social conditions
which are fast becoming intolera BILE.
The miseries Of the poor cry aloud unto
heaven. TO whom have they a right to
look for help If not to that institution
which Christ established for the re-
demption of the world. What can the
church do for them? 1t may do much,
and first among the agencies It may
employ l would place the institutional
church. Do not imagine that the
church will be desecrated by such use.
1t can never be more sacred temple
than when it provides 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 a
dance or billiard hall, a bowling al
ley, lounging place for smokers or a
free restaurant where tramps and beg
gars shall come to get something for
nothing. 1t does mean, however, that
the church Of Jesus Christ is to be
something more than mere place of
preaching and hearing. 1t is to be a
place Of sacred practical helpfulness.
1t is to become eyes for the blind and
clothing for the naked and crutches for
the lame and food for the hungry and
a warm welcome for the friendess and
comfort for the hopeless. 1t is literally
to be all things to all men. 1t Is to be-
come place of social communion as
well as Of spiritual worship.
"Please explain yourself more in de-
TAIL" some one says. Well. will In
the first place, and that the social in
stinct is n God implanted instinct, and
must and will find vent out of the hui
man heart. The gregarious tendency Is
strong in men, as it is in animals Cat
tie travel in herds. If farmer turns
out his cows upon the mountain sides
he only has to place one hell upon one
the rest of the herd. Some years ago
an inexperienced German came to live
in Pike county, Pa, where I was at
that time preaching He set that whole
county laughing. Why? In his lack
Sf knowledge of animal instinct he
placed a different bell on every COW.
Thus his herd Of cows would go over
those mountains changing their dis
cordant bells like big orchestra tun-
Ing up its instruments for concert
herd Of cattle. Cows always travel to-
gether, The same law applies to sheep
and horses and buffaloes and mostly to
birds and fish. They love to be In
each others society. They live In
herds or iocks or schools The social