Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-03-18
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK De WITT TALMAcE. DID,.
Faster Of Jefferson Psrk Presby.
tsriAn Church. Chicago


worshipers In our American churches
and a plea for the observance Of q
certain reasonable etiquette. equal at
least tn that which we observe In our
worldly relations. The text is | Tim
othy Ill, 15. THAT thou mayest know
how thou oughtest to behave thyself
In the house OF God"
Are you 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
or age2 Then you have known the
anxieties OF 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 or your hat and
place it upon the hall rack. Be care
ful and don't handle the vases In the
parlor, and don't squlrm 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
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: I'VE had such a 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.
IL refined social manners are essen.
tiai in the home. they are equally i'm
portant in the house of God. So essen
tial are they to consecrated Christian
life that Paul wrote long eplstle 10
his young lieutenant. Timothy, con.
corning them. Ip this letter, wherein
are found the words Of the text the
great apostle tells how bishops and
their wives should act. and also how
oeacons and deacons' wives. But to-
day. instead OF my showing how our
ministers and church officers should be-
nave In the house OF God, | would
preach a sermon on church manners
directly TO the pew. / would try to in
culcate the reverential spirit with
which our congregations should assem-
Die for worship. 1 would try to teach
this reverence because more and more
In this irreverent age there is a tend
sncy to look upon church buildings as
places fitted for secular" enjoy ments
rather than as sanctuaries consecrated
to the presence OF Jesus Christ. 1.-THE
Lord loveth the gates of Zion more
than ell the dwellings OF Jacob" No
man ought to place foot in Gods sane
tusry unless he can do II with the SOL
emn feeling of Habakkuk, who de-
ciared, 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 1t 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 of the first word OF the first
line OF the doxology. as we'll as with
bending head to listen to the last word
or 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
a. m. to paint her picture, and he de-
iayed his coming until ten minutes aft
eric. The result was the British queen
was gone and, as far as his opportuni-
~ was concerned, gone forever. In
spiritual way many n church member
has lost great opportunity for spirit
ual blessing by not being on time at
the beginning OF a church service. God
does not turn his back upon his re-
pentant children as did >the earthly
queen upon the young artist. but we
may be sure that he marks the implied
lack OF, respect which is indicated by
chronic hardness and habltual unpunc-
tuaiity and that many blessing is lost
thereby.
Hardness DisrespectfuI.
There is not one tardy church men,
Der In a thousand who would show the
implied disrespect In not keeping an
appointment with an earthly ruler
which they frequently show to their
Heavenly King. Suppose we should
take trip east and stop in the capitol
ut Washington Suppose while So
Journing there one OF the California
senator's or congressman or q member
OF the cabinet made an appointment
for Us with the president OF the United
states. Suppose that polite note was
sent to Us by the presidents private
secretary informing US that we might
be received tomorrow morning at the
White House at IL o'clock. What
would we do? Would we sit up tonight
until very late, as some OF us are &C.
ssstomed to do every Saturday night?
Would we arise very late tomorrow
morning, about half past 8, and have
BREAKFAST about 10 O'Clock, as some Of
rs are accustomed to do every Sunday
morning? Then when the clocks min
ute hand is pointing to a quarter of IL
would we start TO dress and at the last
moment turn the house upside down
ard empty all the bureau drawers be-
cause we could not find our gloves or
hatptns or a clean handkerchief, as
some or Us are accustomed TO do every
Sunday morning7 Then would I'VE
rush across Lafayette square over to
the White House and get there twenty
minutes late. as some of Us regularly
ana Systematically always come to the
church service late. where we are to
meet Godl
Respect the Head of the Temple.
oh. mol That is not the way we
should act II we had an appointment
With the president tomorrow morning.
we, would positively see that our
clothes were all right before we went
70 sleep tonight. Then we would go
TO bed early, so that our minds would
be clear and alert and we could re-
member oil fhaf fha rraetdo0e ..ot-AA