Milford chronicle., 1905-01-20
Ca(naQe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase. D. D.

sermon supplies the only test whereof
the truth or falsehoOd Of any religio
is to be discovered The text is Mat
thew v, IA, "Ye are the light Of tn
world"
AT no time since the beginning 0
the world has man been confronte,
with such a multiplicity Of diverse anC
even conflicting systems of religious
belief as now. Yet all of these sys
TENS appeal with more or less force fol
MS 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 efficaciOus? Are
their dOgmas. tenets and creeds, their
ways of thinking and living, their So
cial, fraternal or religious spirit as or
ganizations-are these things what
they ought to be or what they claim to
be2 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. "Ye 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
10 be admirable when it produces vol
1ntary squalOr and filth such as are ex-
libited by the fakirs 1t must be a
corrupt tree that produces specimens
IF humanity so debased and disgusting
IS these men.
l have seen these fakirs They did |
lot seem to me to be men or even wild |
beasts. They were lower creation. t
They seemed to have crawled out Of I
he darkest caverns of an inferno. 1 1
ave seen them with their matted hair [
md filthy bodies; I have seen them z
With uncut finger nails six inches long a
nd twisted about in all shapes; 1
ave seen them. as John L. Stoddard
escribes them in one of his lectures: q
A combination of beggar, fanatic, i'm n
OstOr and spy. In disgusting sur h
resembling a garbage heap, W
score of these men were seated en- +,
rely naked, upon a mound of ashes, o,
which they rolled repeatedly. They h,
zen rubbed the dirt all over their Of
odies, which had been previously s.
'eased in order to retain it. Their Y,
lir, matted with filth, reached nearly al
their waists and was painted vel "
W. and on this they threw OCCASION a
~ handfuls Of dust and ashes. A IN
,kening feeling came over me at the vi
sht Of this human degradation. espe- IN
lily when remembered that there are tb,
India more than a million of these wi
If crazed mendicants and frauds. Pr
10 are revered and almost worshiped ot
mulutudes Of men and women. who TTe
Il actually stoOp and kiss their feet" I'M,
re these the fruits of India fakir- Z
~ you ask. rs that the result Of nj,
oath Of poverty under which some onr
ldoos worship? Then 1 want none noy
II. away win IT, Its fruits are we
rm eaten and filthily diseased and raw
l. BY the fruits found in the lives of
the believers ye must judge the re- ma,
OF creed or system Of belief. son
Not True worship. hon
Thy do you not worship God as do thrC
dancing dervishes of the east? sur
NV do they worship himY you ask. can
tead Of entering a little church, as the
OF |. to kneel in prayer, they begin tive
move around in q circle. They keep gins
circling around and around until plar
r brain gets dizzy with looking at mou
q. They dance on and on. more and we
e furiously. until after awhile some
k themselves into the most violent Di
IS Of physical hysteria or in utter itua
~ exhaustion drop in their tracks com
dead swoon. "Oh," you say to me, Thei
t is no true worship Of God The upor
God does not expect any devotee kiss
lake an imbecile out Of himself my
y with the worship of the dancing bOue
ishesP By the fruits of creed or as Y
It, studied in the lives Of the men grou
who believe in and practice have
~ can judge the truth or the falsi. they
the teachings. surfi
the same criterion according to with
b we judge the failures of the for a
religions the world is to Judge the dyinl
re or the efficacy Of the gospel Of in a
j Christ. The Saviour in the have
8 OF my text, is practically saying: raj b
. women, 1t is to you l look to incen