Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-01
CalnnaSe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmsee, d d.

Los Angeles, Cal, July 2s.-In this
sermon the preacher brings us to the
crossroads, where we are open to
choose the world, it's pleasures and its
unbelief on the one hand or the road
which leads to the higher life Of faith
and to eternal compnnionships on the
other. The text is | Kings xviii. 81
How long halt ye between two opin-
ions?'
Elijah, the author Of the words OF my
text, is speaking to King Ahab and to
the children of Israel. He describes
the nation as hating or hesitating
The word wns an appropriate one. A
man who Is not sure about his posi-
ton or his course, who travels little
way in one direction and then a little
way in another direction, makes no
progress. lie halts and stumbles. 1t
Is a most unsatisfactory state, whether
1t relates to people OF that olden time
or to people of our time. so many Of
whom are similarly hating. Elijah
contends that Jehovah Is God and that
Baal Is mere block Of wood or stone
that cannot hear prayer or reward
his worshipers He proposes 10 prove
It to the people then and there. Let
two affairs be erected and slaughtered
animal be laid on each. Then let
Baals priests pray TO him to send
down fire to burn up the sacrifice, and
Elijah Will pray to Jehovah toldo the
same to the other sacrifice. The result
will prove which Of the two is able to
hear and answer prayer which of the
two is Cod The proof was clear and
unmistakable. The prayer to Baal fell
on deaf ears, and there was no re-
Spouse. Elijah prayed to God, and the
fire fell on his altar and consumed it,
Then the people began TO cry, THE
Lord he IS the God. the Lord he is the
God" Now, the purpose of this ser
mon in a nutshell Is to contrast some
Of the illogical theories or false be
liefs which the people of this day are
believing with the incontrovertible
wholesome beliefs Of the Bible.
would make test case this morning
Of these theories and today let You de
eide whether YOU will worship God OF
whether you will bow before the shrine
of false philosophers.
In order to make our consideration ;
nj LOT ,,a t1,ic r
use the Socratic method Of asking aDG
answering questions. Thus | turn tc
one gentleman and say; My friend
what is you belief about God? DO yor
! believe there ever was a Creator Of the
universe? Do YOU believe there is ar
intelligent Divine Being who today l.
ruling all things? What is your ides
about God. anyway?' well" you m
swer, 81 do not believe in God. an
an atheist am an atheist In thu
| sense that am an evoutionist. I be
lieve that man is simply the highe
form Of the animal creation. In tn,
vegetable world the biologists tell u
that all plants are developed from
some earlier form Of plant so believe
that man Is a development from The
lower form OF animal life. Now. Coo
has absolutely nothing TO do with tn,
creation. Law. natural law. has de
veloped this world and nothing else
When baby comes into this world h,
Is born like puppy, and when maj
goes out of 1t he dies like dog, ant
that Is all there is in human life" ID,
you believe that. my brethren: Is sucl
theory rational? Is it according t
common sense:
Building the Temple.
Who made these avs of nature
Who constructed them? Surprising 70,
stood upon Mount Moriah in 1912 Il. c
AS you stood there you saw the work
men excavat!ng n foundation and yol
saw long line of teams drawing VI
their huge stones on the one side OF tn
hill, and on the other side Of the hill
there came up another line OF team
drawing beams and rafters and doors
Then, supposing. without noise Of ham
mer or rasping Of saw, all these differ
ent stones and beams and rafters an,
doors were put into place. would yo,
for one instant be foolish enough t
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