The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-31
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.


Los Angeles, Cal, July 24.-Wlth the national conventions as a theme and an oriental fable as a text the preacher makes some timely reflections on certain evils that anict our politics and threat en the well being of government and people. The text is Judges k, IA Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come, thou, and reign over us."
 This Is the year of great national con- ventions. The republican party sent us representatives last June to Chicago to nominate their candidate for the presiden- cy of the United States. The democratic party this month met in St. Lotus to nominate their candidate for the same office. The prohibition party, the popo- list party. the labor party, all have had their conventions and nominated their leaders. Thus the first great political battle for national office in America is not fought over the ballot box at the November polls, but in convention hall. There the different political parties agree among themselves on which of their members shall be chosen as the standard bearer of their party's principles We as intelligent men and women, are con- versant with the struggles which the | different political parties made In late 1 convention halls It is not inappropriate therefore. for us to take as our sermonic theme today the vision which Jotham had when all the trees of the forest came together in convention in the valley of Shechem, with the Jlue dome of the l hn., E~.. 1Tca- less, destroying bramble as their king.
 Topographic Setting.
 This famous parable or fable of Jotham was truly realistic in more ways than one. For a convention of trees it had l perfect topographic setting On the southern side of this famous valley Is mighty Mount Gerizim. On the northern side hoary headed Mount Ebal lifts its scared and wrinkled face. These two mountains as sounding boards tossed the echoing voices of the cheering delegates | backward and forward. Here the gurg- ling waters of many fountains sounded | a musical accompaniment to the mur- murings of many voices trying to win votes for their favorite sons. Isaiah, in prophecy, saw "all the trees of the fields clap their hands," Jotham In vision, saw the trees, as convention delegates, with moving hands, moving fet moving lips and sparkling eyes. Their rustic was to l him articulate speech. Their branches were outstretehed arms. Their names were symbols to him of hono~ and truth or of dishonor and disgrace
 | Hardly had this great convention of trees assembled in the valley of Shechem to select a king that it became self evi- dent that a great majority of the dele gates were ready to be stampeded for one | tree. Come" the majority cried. Come. | let us make the olive tree our kingr To Jotham the olive was the symbol of strength and wealth and power as we'll as of healing. But the olive tree would not become king. It declined the scepter of kingship over the trees. Then this great convention wanted to elect the fig tree king. The delegates next offered the nomination for rulership to the vine, whose rich blood had made the vine | yards of Sechem famous. But the fig tree and the vine both refused the scepter of the forest, even as William T. Sher- man, when his friends wanted to noml- nate him for the presidency. replied: T will not accept your offer If am spoken of in wonder convention hall tell my l friends I am not a candidate. If I am nominated I will not accept the nomina- tion and will not run. If I am elected
 
 statesman; a warrior, not politician"
 Bad Elements Got Control.
 But In this Jotham parable. after the olive and the fig and vine had all refused the scepter, the worst elments got control of the convention hall. Then these bad elements said to each other: Let us nom mate king after our own spirit. Let us make the curse of the field our king. Hall, bramble! King Bramble! Hail, brambe, our future ruler!' As the undesirable ele- ment of the old federalists nearly stam- peded congress In 1796 to elct Aaron Burr president of the United States so the evil elments of Jothams parable stam- | peded the convention of trees in the val ley of Shechem and elected the worthless bramble king.
 | Jotham's purpose in this parable was to 1 show danger which menaced his own country and has menaced our country all through its history. There have been in the past, as there are today, men who | conspire to get control of the political parties in order that they may nominate men utterly unfit for the high office of the presidency of the United States | Thank God, they have not succeeded | y. t, for the men who have been nominated by the various parties are men of high | character and sterling worth. But we need to be on our guard against the con spirators, who will never cease their | efforts to win that great prize. Let us identify them, that we may seduluousy | guard against their insidious attacks.
 First among the Satanic consplrators | are the infields. They say: "We cannot 1 fight God in the open We cannot as yet blot off the American silver dollar the | sentence. Tn God we trust But we can plead for so-called religious liberty We | can say that the Bible should be driven out of the public schools We can de- mand that no session of the national leg | islature shall be opened with prayer. We | can place upon the statute books the statement The United States govern ment is entirely human government | No divine hand is today guiding the helm of state. Therefore no name of God | or no prayer to any God shal we be heard in any of It's legislative buildings or public halls. We, the people of this l fair land. can decree that hereafter we | can attend to our business. We will make no public recognition of an over ruling Divine Providence.
 Trying to Drive Out God.
 | My friends. as intelligent Americans, have you not recognized the fact that the infidels, the agnostics, the atheists, the deists and all those who would deny public recognition of God are trying to drive out the Almighty from the control of our public life? What is the meaning | of the movement that has accomplished this one fact? There is hardly state college in all this land where the Bible is now studied as text book. In all those different schools the faculty makes | nrovision the teachinp of InVlish