Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-08-27
Calna9e
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae, d. d.


the larger freedom of the spiritual
world are picturesquely contrasted.
The text is John viii. 22. The truth
shall make you free"
The word freedom has charming
sound. Like unto xylophOne. each
one of its letters seems TO he golden
bar Like unto n silver throated trum-
pet. its voice sounds just as enchant-
ing In the rich mans palace as In
the peasants hut. Like unto the pleas
ants call for his mate. II seems TO rec
ognize no government save the scepter
of love. Like unto the aeOlian harp.
which emits its most thrilling notes
when the wintry storms throb through
its strings. this word freedom never
has more plaintive melody than when
IL Is uttered by beings who pine for II
while they cringe under the lash OF the
taskmaster and spend their lives In
the bondage of tyrants ut whose word
they may have TO die.
There have been orators whose tones
were so penetrating and impressive
that the words they uttered took II new
and deeper meaning. 1t was said OF
George Whitefie.d. the famous evan
gelist. that his voice was of such COM
audience into tears by the information
he could throw into the word MesO-
pOtamia. But II Is not by melOdiOus
tones that the word freedom reaches
the heart most powerfully. but by the
heroic deeds of men who have suffered
and died to win the blessing for their
people. II was thus uttered by Spar
tacus. the Roman slave and gladiator,
when he led the insurrection against
the throne OF the Caesars and offered
as a libatiOn for that word his own
blood. which was shed upon the battle
field OF Silarus In II b. G. We can
hear il thus spoken In the clarion calls
of Bernardo O'IIiggins. the great lib
orator Of Chile. or of Toussaint Lou
venture fighting for the liberty of Haiti.
or of a Maceo dying for Cuba, or OF
Garibaldi struggling for the liberation
of his beloved Italy.
o freedom, thou art more than a
mere word. Thou art strong armed
angel Of light. breaking the shackles Of
the slave. ummuzzling the lips of the
patriot, lifting the shadow from the
home. Under this benignant rule every
mans abode Is his castle. surrounded.
like the ancient fortresses of the old
world, with the moat whose waters
were iupassable TO the minions Of a
hi rf hA IF nd
who would place the coronation robes
around every human shoulder. Thou
wouldst put the crown of gold upon ev
cry manly or wOmanly brow as thou
dost say: Man. lift high thy forehead.
for thou art king! Woman. God has
made thy head the resting place for a
diadem which Is the equal of the crown
that have placed upon thy husbands
brow" Yes. yes; no word I'm all the
English language has more potent
sound than that of freedom. for, as God
gave TO King Solomon everything
prince could want because the young
king had asked Of him wisdom" so
every good thing in life is accessible to
the earnest. aspiring soul when free
dom removes the barriers TO It's flight.
what IL Freedomf
But as I began TO study my text
asked myself this important question:
"What Is freedOmY Is IL unbridled II
cense? Does II practically say. Man.
you are free: therefore you can do as
you will. no matter what your desire
may be" Does IL mean an emancipa-
ton proclamation which liberates from
obedience to all law? When, on Jan. I,
1868. Abraham Lincoln in the White
House signed his name TO the famous
state paper which declared that all
black men and black women under the
stars and stripes ARE and henceforth
shall be free" II did not mean that the
negro was set free to follow his own
unbridled inclinations. but that he
owner TO be under the control Of the
same law that his owner himself has to
obey.
Freedom has its limitations. We
ind those limitations I'm the physical,
the mental and the social as well as
I'm the spiritual world. Biologists find
them I'm the dumb brutes and In the
vegetable and mineral kingdoms as
well as In human society. Thus my
subject today, THE Limitations Of
Liberty" offers a wide scope for natu-
raj and spiritual investigation. and
shall endeavOr to show that the only
true freedom that the spiritual man
can enjoy is In the surrender of him
self to the service of Christ In be-
coming servant of Christ. I'm taking
his will as the law Of our lives. we are
set free from the dominion of sin and
enjoy the glorious libe:ty Of the chill
dren OF God.
The physical man is surrounded by
Limitations which. like impossible bars.
restrict him to certain kind Of life
IL he tries to break out OF the Enclosure
he bruises and batters his body against
those bars. ! am not now abiding to
the penalties suffered by the glutton
and the drunkard, which are only too
obvious. There are penalties against
Overindulgence In legitimate courses.
A man may so devote himself to his
business or profession as to neglect the