The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1904-03-18
TALMAGE
SERMON
~
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor of Jefferson Park Presby.
terrain Church. Chicago

Los Angeles, Cal, March 13.-Thi
sermon Is a good natured rebuke to tn,
prevalent lack of decorum among th,
wOrshipers in our American churche.
and a plea for the observance of &
certain reasonable etiquette, equal al
least to that which we observe in oul
worldly relations. The text Is I Tim
othy iii, Is, ''That thou mayest know
how thou Oughtest to behave thyselt
in the house of God"
Are you u parent? Have you ever
dressed up your little children and
sent them forth alone to visit when
they We're about ten or twelve years
of age? Then you have known the
anxleties 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 it 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 are 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
dng 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 dfned, and she congratulates you
In these words: eve had such lovely
children'S party yesterday. And. Mrs
So-and-so, want to tell you how well
your children behaved. Your boy was
perfect little gentleman, and your
daughter little lady" All, such con-
graduation as that is as a sweet SAVIOR
to the maternal heart
Refinement In the Church,
II refined social manners are essen.
DIAL in the home, they are equally i'm.
portant in the house of God. So essen
hal are they to 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
ministers and church officers should be-
have in the house of God, l would
preach sermon on church manners
directly to the pew. 1 would try to in
culcate the reverential spirit with
which our congregations should assem-
BILE for worship. | would try to teach |
this reverence because more and more
In this irreverent age there is tend
ency to look upon church buildings as
places fitted for secular enjoyments !
rather than as sanctuaries consecrated |
TO the presence of Jesus Christ. 1.-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 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 a 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 well as with
bending head to listen to the last word
Df the last line of the benediction.
We once read how a young artist lost
an opportunity to win immortal fame
by not being on time. He had an ap-
pointment with Queen Victoria at 10
4. m. to paint her picture and he de-
Iayed his coming until ten minutes aft
er TO- Tile result was the British queen
was gone and, as far as his Opportuni-
y was concerned, gone forever. In
spiritual way many a church member
has lost great opportunity for spirit
nal blessing by not being on time at
the beginning of church service. God
loes not turn his back upon his re-
Dentant children as did the earthly
queen upon the young artist, but we
nay be sure that he marks tue implied
ack Of respect which is indicated by
10 for nd hah |
;uality and that many blessing is lost
hereby
TardfnesS DisrespectfuI.
There is not one tardy church men,
Der in a thousand who would show the
implied disrespect in not keeping an
with an earthly ruler
which they frequently show to their
Heavenly King. Suppose we should
axe trip east and stop in the capitol
It Washington. Suppose while So
burning there one of the California
senator's or congressman or a member
# the cabinet made an appointment
lDr us with the president of the United
States. Suppose that polite note was
ient to US by the presidents private
secretary informing us that we might
70 received tomorrow morning at the
White House at IL o'clock. What
would we do7 Would we sit up tonight
rntn very late, as some Of us are &C
to do every. Saturday nlght7
Would we arise very late tomorrow
morning. about half past 9. and have
breakfast about 10 O'Clock, as some Of
us are accustomed to do every Sunday
Then when the clocks min