Milford chronicle., 1904-02-26
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
terian Church, Chicago


tee, the business man the humble
worker and the homekeeper the rich
and the poor alike-as a summons to
the annual duties of the season Of spir-
ltual preparation. The text is joel l..
H. "Sanctify We fast; call a solemn
assemblage"
1he Presbyterian church has enrolled
among its leaders many intellectual
theoiogians. Entitled TO a prominent
place among them by his learning. phil
osophic acumen and sanctified common
sense is Dr. Francis L. Patton former
ly president Of Princeton university
ana now president of Princeton TheO-
logical seminary. Many of his weighty
utteraness have impressed me. but none
more than one he made on the value
and usefulness of the Episcopalian
church.
His words in substance were: Il be-
heye the Episcopalian church is one of |
the most effective churches in exist I
ence today. l believe in its ritual: be- I
heve in its teachings. If l were not a
Presbyterian, l would certainly be an
Episcopalian. But. though | love and
honor the EpiscOpalian church I also
believe that the most absurd of mon
strosities is a Presbyterian in his form
OF worship trying TO ape an Episcopa-
nan. While we are Presbyterians LET
us remain Presbyterians. When we
want to become Episcopalians in our
form of worship. in responsive read I
irgs and in all that the Episcopalian
service implies, let us become Episco- I
RfrH do To-
the Presbyterian pulpit into a chancel
or the grand old simple service of the ]
Presbyterian church into a concert by \
surpliced choir and into the liturgy S
OF the Episcopalian church."
The Spring Fast.
Amen. say l, to the SQUAD advice of
Dr. Patton. The simple doxolocy. the pI
TWO or three congregational hymns. st
the chapter read from the Bible. the m
earnest prayers and the doctrlual MS IN
well as practical sermon can never be de
excelled as service for the grand OLD "
church which the names of John Cal NJ
win and John Knox and Thomas CbaI- ar
mers and Thomas Guthrie and Lowell rie
Mason ana William Taylor ana John tn
nan nave made immortal. But, though tn
! would not have the Presbyterian 'B,
church adopt ritual, l still insist that eai
the Episcopalian church has not an ex- ma
elusive title to all the good things she hi2
may hold dear. Especially do | affirm we
lhat she has not sole right TO her i
spring fast' which starts with Ash ing
wednesday and closes with Easter's ma
lawn Way back in Joel we read the the
Command, 'Sanctify We a fast: call a urg
'olemn assemblage." If that divine doe
onimand is still in force for us as for and
fOu ancient people, is there a better Am
lme for its observance than the neriod feel
recedlnS our commemoration of tbe dell
assion and resurrection of our Lord? Eng
was at this season Of the year. too. had
nat the Master withdrew to the desert but
efore the beginning Of his ministry satiC
nd there, fasting for forty days. pre- He'll
lred FOR the ordeal Of his temptation here
will be well for Presbyterians MS for wen
plscopalians to mediate on that ex- had
'rlence Of cur Lord and draw near IN thou
N IN our hearts. We must have self with
for sin before we csn truIv hOus
We closer union with God. Therefore thou.
e purpose Of this sermon is to show manC
~ the EpiscOpalian Lent should he Lent,
me Presbyterian Lent. also why chan
spring fast which is the time of shoul
lengthening Of days" should be to til
served all over the world by all God!
ristlans. no matter to what individ- its b,
churches they may belong. heart
Warning of Spiritual DANGER churc
he Episcopalian Lent, in the first durin.
&C. calls a halt to the social dissi- Christ
ions now being practiced in all the the y
;e cities. 1t cries, Peace, be stillr' minar
ne social whirlpool which is grad. busine
y sucking down its many strug- to pra
e victims as Peter was once being to pra
Wn into the depths Of the Galilean prayer
. IL says to the women of the
iaI ABYSS, You have something The
er TO live for than a nightly round ness u
ecepuons and parties and a never heard
ng succession of afternoon tens " audien
lys TO the young men of the $50 "AIen. -
abyss" who, under the power Of ambitic
1lants, are trying to work in the ways "
by day and to dance almost ev nv lif,
nlght until l or o'clock in the have m
ing Young man. you had better tering
ana consider to what purpose you tainly
evoting the best energies Of your thought
u warns the social devOtee Of OF my
llrltual danger Of his course. as a should
New York capitalist warned him to mon.
e nnancial danger, when some could m
ago ne said; The young men ing an
VIII not succeed in business are men,
VINO night after night may be ter who
IN the ballrsoms and the dance life. II
ina at the city clubhouses drink Christian
httie' playing cards little and Christian
expensive dinners. They are be a Oh
mes called the drones OF so the Lent
lhls Is misnomer. Like some higher !
insects that sport for a day in man. {
inner sunshine, they are minute mechanic
;uVes Their lives in the econo- Make yol
social life make one of the pet like Paul