Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-03-21
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE, DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
terrain Church, Chicago


prevalent lack of decorum among the
worshipers in our American churches
and a plea for the observance of a
certain reasonable etiquette, equal at
least to that which we observe in oui
worldly relations. The text is Tim
lothy iii, 10, THAT thou mayest know
how thou oughtest to behave thyself
in the house of God"
Are you a parent? Have you ever
dressed up your little children and
sent them forth alone to visit when
they were about ten or twelve years
Of age? Then you have known the
anxieties of a mother or father as to
their social behavior. Before they go
you say: Now, son, be careful about
your manners. When you enter Mrs.
So-and-so's home take off your hat and
place 1t upon the hall rack. Be care
full and don't handle the vases in the
parlor, and don't squirm on your chair.
When you IRE at dinner be sure and
keep your hands off the table and
don't spill the food upon the table
cloth, and don't ask for a second help
ing Of anything or talk with your
mouth full. When Mrs. So-and-so
passes you plate say Thank you
Remember, my boy, that your mothers
home is to be judged by your table
manners" When the child leaves the
house your mind follows him and
stays with him all day long. And, oh,
the pride that sweeps into the parental
heart when, next day, you meet your
friend, at whose home your little chill
dren dined, and she congratulates you
in these words: 1--WE had such a lovely
children's party yesterday. And. Mrs.
So-and-so, want to tell you how we'll
your children behaved. Your boy was
a perfect little gentleman, and your
daughter little lady" All, such con-
graduation as that is as sweet SAVIOR
TO the maternal heart.
Refinement In the Church.
If refined social manners are essen
tial in the home, they are equally i'm
portant in the house of God. So essen
tial are they to a consecrated Christian
life that Paul wrote a long epistle to
his young lieutenant, Timothy, con-
corning them. In this letter, wherein
are found the words of the text, the
great apostle tells how bishops and
their wives should act, and also how
deacons and deacons' wives. But to-
day, instead of my showing how our
have in the house of God, l would
preach a sermon on church manners
directly to the pew. l would try to in
culcate the reverential spirit with
which our congregations should assem-
BILE for worship. l would try to teach
this reverence because more and more
In this irreverent age there is a tend
ency to look upon church buildings as
places fitted for secular enjoyments
rather than as sanctuaries consecrated
to the presence of Jesus Christ. THE
Lord lOveth the gates of Zion more
than all the dwellings of Jacob" No
man ought to place foot in Gods sane
tuary unless he can do it with the sol
emn feeling of Habakkuk, who de-
clared, The Lord is in his holy temple;
let all the earth keep silence before
him.
First the church building is the tryst-
Ing place where God promises to meet
his children at certain times. That
means it is a place Of rendezvous,
where you have an appointment to
commune with Christ at least twice
every Sunday and perhaps once or
twice during the week. One inference
from that fact is that when q congre-
cation assemblies on the Sabbath day
the worshipers should always be on
time and be ready to lift their voices
In praise at the first word of the first
line of the doxology, as we'll as with
bending head to listen to the last word
hf the last line of the benediction.
We once read how young artist lost
an opportunity to win immortal fame
by not being on time. He had an ap-
pointment with Queen Victoria at 10
1. m. to paint her picture, and he de-
layed his coming until ten minutes aft
er 10. The result was the British queen
was gone and, as far as his opportuni-
~ was concerned, gone forever. In a
kPlIlludA W ay I1ClADCA
las lost a great opportunity for spirit
aal blessing by not being on time at
.he beginning of a church service. God
Hoes not turn his back upon his re-
pentant children as did the earthly
queen upon the young artist, but we
nay be sure that he marks the implied
hck OF respect which is indicated by
lhronic hardness and habitual unpunc-
tuality and that many blessing is lost
hereby.
Tardtness Dfsrespectful.
There is not one tardy church mem
Der In a thousand who would show the
implied disrespect in not keeping ar
appointment with an earthly ruler
which they frequently show to theiI
Heavenly King. Suppose we should
AXE a trip east and stop in the capito
II Washington. Suppose while so
burning there one OF the Californis
lenators or congressman or a member
II the cabinet made an appointment
mr. ms with the president of the Unite(