Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-01-21
Caln,aSe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee. d. d.

Times of multiplied and conflicting
religious beliefs that vex and confuse
the earnest soul the preacher in this
sermon supplies the only test whereby
the truth or fasehood of any religion
is TO be discovered The text is Mat
thew V. IA. "Ye are the light OF the
world"
AT no time since the beginning of
the world has man been confronted
with such multiplicity of diverse and
even conflicting systems of religious
belief as now. Yet all of these sys-
TENS appeal with more or less force for
his acceptance and support. In the
east MohammedaniSm. Confucianism,
Buddhism and similar beliefs maintain
the ancient vigor of their creed in the
appeal to human credulity and super
stition. while Europe and the western
world have their numerous systems of
creeds and cults each presenting its
claims for mans belief and allegiance
Thus the great problem presents itself:
Are these systems of religious belief
and worship really eflicacious: Are
their dogmas. tenets and crceds. their
ways of thinking and living. their so
cial. fraternal or religious spirit as or
ganiZations-ar these things what
they ought TO be or what they claim to
be: Are their teachings true? And
how may we distinguish beyond all
doubt the true from the false?
An infallble test is supplied TO us by
Christ himself by which we are ell
abled To decide as to the real value
of any religious system. He tells us
that we may know whether its claims
are vaIid by its effect on the lives of
its adhercnts. I'VE shall know them
by their fruits. DO men gather grapes
OF thorns or figs of thistles: Even so
every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit. but corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit
An illustration of this test is furnish
ed by the fakirs of India. The princi-
pie of self denial is commendable. and
we admire men who sacrifice their COM
fort and devote themselves TO service
for the world. But the principle ceases
to be admirable when il produces vol
untary squalor and filth such as are ex-
hibited by the fakirs. 1t must be a
corrupt tree that produces specimens
of humanity so debased and disgusting
rs these men.
| have seen these fakirs. They did
not seem 10 me TO be men or even wild
beasts. They were a lower creation.
They seemed to have crawled out OF
the darkest caverns of an inferno.
have seen them with their matted hair
and filthy bodies: | have seen them
with uncut finger nails six inches long
and twisted about in all shapes; l
have seen them, as John l.. Stoddard
describes them in one of his lectures:
"A combination OF beggar. fanatic. i'm
poster and spy. In disgusting sur
roundings resembling garbage heap.
score OF these men were seated, en-
tirely naked. upon mound of ashes,
in which they rolled repeatedly. They
even rubbed the dirt all over their
bodies. which had been previously
creased in order to retain il. Their
hair. matted with filth. reached nearly
to their waists and was painted yell
low. and on this they threw occasion
ally handfuls of dust and ashes. A
sickening feeling came over me at the
sight of this human degradation. espe-
cially when l remembered that there are
in India more than million of these
half craZed mendicants and frauds,
who are revered and almost worshiped
by multitudes of men and women, who
will actually stoop and kiss their feet"
Are these the fruits OF India fakir-
ISM" you ask. rs that the result of
the oath of poverty under which some
Hindoos worship: Then l want none
Of it. Away with it, Its fruits are
worm eaten and filthy diseased and
bad" BY the fruits found in the lives
Of the believers We must judge the re-
suit of a creed or system of belief.
Not True worship.
Why do you not worship God as do
the dancing dervishes OF the east?
How do they worship him?' you ask.
Instead of entering a little church. as
you or |. to kneel in prayer. they begin
to move around in circle. They keep
on crcling around and around until
sOdi StlS uiLI. Win iOOhlHS at
them. They dance on and on. more and
more furiously. until after awhile some
work themselves into the most violent
forms of physical hysteria or in utter
bodily exhaustion drop in their tracks
in Il dead swoon. oh" you say to me,
that is no true worship of God The
holy God does not expect any devotee
to make an imbecile out of himself.
Away with the worship of the dancing
dervishes.' BY the fruits of a creed or
cult. studied in the lives of the men
and women who believe in and practice
it. you can judge the truth or the falsi-
ty of the teachings.
BY the same criterion according TO
which we Judge the failures of the
false religions the world is to judge the
failure or the efficacy of the gospel of
Jesus Christ. The Saviour. in the
words of my text. is practically saying:
Men. women. il is to you look TO