The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-02-01
Caln1age
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt TalmaGe, d. D.

Los Angeles, Cal, Jan. 27-In this
sermon the preacher shows us how
greatly it would conduce to the benefit
of the world at large and to human
happiness here and hereafter if men
would cease to strive and quarrel over
Biblical interpretations and hair
breadth differences in creeds and cere-
monies and with simple Christian faith
unite in fraternal efforts for the com
mon good The text is Titus iii, g.,
"But avoid foolish questions"
Have you a fathom line? Then drop
it into the seas. Have you telescope?
Then cleanse it's lens and focus it
upon the stars. Have you a crowbar?
Then with it pry open the Theoretically
sealed doors of the geological libraries
and finger the leaves Of rock and read
the genealogical histories Of the spe-
cies. Have you a microscope? Then
with the psychologists roam through
the corridors Of the inf1nitesimal and
find an aquarium in drop of water
and exquisite beauty in the end of a
1y's wing. God would not have placed
the wonders of the heavens above us
and the wonders Of the deep beneath
us and the wonders of the land about
us if he had not meant us to explore
them and to try to make the works of
his fingers part of our lives.
You never yet met an intelligent
man or woman who was not continual
ly asking questions and striving to I'M
derstand the unknown. The indisposi-
ton to investigate and the unwilling
ness to attempt the solution of the
problems of life about us are always
the signs of an intellectual weakling.
In the spiritual life, as well as in the
political and the mechanical and the
philosophical world, the one word
which should be most often spoken by
the human lips is "Why?" We should
be continually asking "Why this?' and
"Why that?" and "Why the other
thing" The human mind and soul
cannot mark time. The mind must
either broaden out or shrlvel up. The
Interrogation point is golden key
with which we should try to unlock
the manifold mysteries of the uni
verse.
But there is an intelligent way of
pushing that word "Why?" and very
foolish way. There is way of asking
''Why?" which proves to the world that
you are sincerely DESTROYS to obtain
knowledge. Then there is a way of
asking "Why?" which proves to the
world that you do not wish to learn,
but are moved by curiosity only or by
a desire to unsettle fundamental ques-
tons. There never was foreigner
who came to America who asked more
questions than Ii Hung Chang. But
the questions which he asked were gen
orally frivolous and to our ideas imper
tinent He would ask aged maiden
ladies why they never married and
how old they were. He would ask peo-
pie why they wore false teeth. He
would ask this question and that end |
the other question until he made every !
one around him uncomfortable. Thus |
some people push that word "Why?" in
/ most ridiculous way. By the So
,ratic method they try to argue God .
md Christ and the Bible out of the
minds and hearts, of their friends
With the interrogation point they
would advertise to the world their
reasoning powers when
hey are only advertising their trans
.endental curiosity.
St. PauPs Advice.
Paul in his epistle to young Titus
advises him to beware of such frivo-
Gus curiosity. When he tells him to
avoid foolish questions he is not cir
the intellect of this young
nan by telling him not to think and
lot to investigate. He is laying down
he broad principle which you and
would do well to heed when he said,
Avoid foolish questions and genealo-
,ies and contentious and strivings
about the law, for they are unprofita
de and vain" In other words, avoid
hose foolish questions and contentious
which have nothing to do with pressing
lone the great purposes Of the gospel.
Live only for those divine truths and
Ielf evident facts which will draw US
nearer and nearer to the cross of Jesus
Christ The poet expressed my inter
,retation of Pauls meaning when he
wrote:
some read the blessed book-they don't
know why
t somehow happens in their way to lie,
1Nl a. r1yffh |
care,
But all to find some contradictions there.
,ome read to bring themselves into repute
By showing others how they can dispute.
While others read because their neigh
bors do.
70 see how long twill take to read It
through.
'ome read to prove a preadopted creed,
Thus understand but little what they
read,
md every passage of the book they bend
o make it suit that all important end
'ome people read, as 1 have often
% teach the book instead of being
taught.
Paul is saying, "Titus, my son, study
be spirit of the Scripture instead Of
be letter of the law" We should not
e among those Bible students who are
piritually nearsighted and hold their
yes SO close to the sacred pages that
hey can only see a sentence or word
t time, and they do not realize that
ONE of the passages of Scripture had
pecial and exclusive reference to the
ines in which they were written and
D the geographical conditions of the
yriters. That would be a very made
Iuate description Of the beauties OF
which was limited to an
lrchitect's specification of the details
# the home Of the father of American
etters. It might be absolutely correct