Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-01-16
Calnase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee. d. D.

religious beliefs that vex and confuse
the earnest soul the preacher in this
sermon supplies the only test whereby
the truth or falsehood 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 efticacious? Are
their dogmas, tenets and creeds, their
cial, fraternal or religious spirit as or
ganizations-are 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 infallible test is supplied to us by
Christ himself by which we are en-
abled to decide as to the real value
of any religious system. He tells us
that we may know whether its claims
are valid by its effect on the lives of
its adherents. 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 a 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 it 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
as these men.
l have seen these fakirs. They did
notsseem to me to be men or even wild
beasts. They were d lower creation.
They seemed to have crawled out Of
the darkest caverns of an inferno. 1
have seen them with their matted hair
and filthy bodies; l have seen them
with uncut finger nails six inches long
and twisted about in all shapes; /
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
q 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 it. Their
hair, matted with filth, reached nearly
to their waists and was painted yell
low, and on this they threw occasion
sTAlly handfuls of dust and ashes. A
Rickening feeling came over me at the
slight of this human degradation, espe
clally when remembered that there are
in India more than million of these
half crazed mendicants and frauds
who are revered and almost worshipet
by multitudes of men and women, wh'
will actually stoop and kiss their feet
Are these the fruits of India fakiT
ISM" you ask rs that the result o
the oath of poverty under which som
Hindoos worship? Then l want non
of it, Away with it. Its fruits ar
worm eaten and filthy diseased an
bad" BY the fruits found in the live
of the believers We must judge the II
suit of a creed or system of belief.
Not True worship.
Why do you not worship God as d
the dancing dervishes Of the east
How do they worship him? you asl
Instead of entering a little church, d
you or l, to kneel in prayer, they begi
to move around in circle. They kee
on circling around and around unit
your brain gets dizzy with looking {
them. They dance on and on, more an
more furiously, until after awhile som
work themselves into the most violeI
forms of physical hysteria or in ute
bodily exhaustion drop in their track
in dead swoon. oh you say to III
that is no true worship of God. TIL
holy God does not expect any devote
TO make an imbecile out Of himsel
Away with the worship of the dancir
dervishesr' By the fruits of a creed
cult, studied in the lives of the ms
and women who believe in and pract
1t, you can judge the truth or the fal
" of the teachings
BY the same criterion according
which we judge the failures Of I
false religions the world is TO judge l
failure or the efficacy Of the gospel
Jesus Christ. The Saviour, in
words OF my text, is practically sayiI
.'AIen. women. 1t is to you I look
exhibit the principles Of my relig