The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1907-01-31
Caln1age
Sermon
BY Rev.
4 Frank De Witt Talmsse. D. D.

Los Angeles, Cal, Jan. 27.-In this
sermon the preacher shows us how
greatly 1t would conduce to the benefit
Of the world at large and to human
happiness here and hereafter IL 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
moa good. The text is Titus i'll, 8,
"Butsavoid foolish questions"
Have yon fathom line2 Then drop
it int the seas. Have you telescope?
Theh cleanse it's lens and focus it
upon the stars. Have you a crowbar?
Then with it pry open the Theoretically
seaIAi doors of the geological libraries
and finger the leaves of rock and read
the. archaeological histories of the spe
cieS Have you a microscope? Then
with the bacteriologsts roam through
the corridors of the infinitesimal and
find#an aquarium in a drop Of water
and Exquisite beauty in the end of a
fiy'&wing. God would not have placed
theAsvonders of the heavens above us
andthe wonders of the deep beneath
MS md the wonders Of the land about
us II he had not meant us to explore
then and to try to make the works of
his dngefs part of our lives
Ydu never yet met an Intelligent
manor woman who was not continual
ly asking questions and striving to IN
dersfand the unknown. The indisposi-
ton Nto Investigate and the unwilling
ness TO attempt the solution of the
problems Of life about us are always
the signs OF an intellectual weakifng.
In the spiritual life, as well as in the
political and the mechanical and the
philosophical world, the one word
EF7ek should be most often spoken by
the human lips is "Why?Y We should
be Continually asking why this2" and
why thatT' and why the other
things1 The human mind and soul
cannot mark time The mind must
either broaden out or shrivel up. The
Interrogation point is a golden key
with (which we should try to unlock
the manifold mysteries of the uni
verse.
But there is an intelligent way Of
pushinE that word ''WhyT" and very
foolish way. There is way Of asking
.'WhyY' which proves to the world that
you are sincerely DESTROYS to obtain
knowledge. Then there Is way Of
ask1n& ssWhyT which proves to the
world that you do not wish to learn,
but are moved by curiosity only or by
a desife to unsettie fundamental ques-
tions There never was foreigner
who came to America who asked more
QuestS6ps than Ii Hung Chang. But
the questions which he asked were gen
crafty Frivolous and to our ideas imper-
tinent He would ask aged maiden
ladies' why they never married and
how ODD they were. He would ask peo-
pie Why they wore false teeth. He
would ask this question and that and
the other question until he made every
one Ground him uncomfortable. Thus
some people push that word ''Why?' in
a most ridiculous way. BY the So
crate method they try to argue God
and Christ and the Bible out Of the
minds ana hearts Of their friends.
WitN the interrogation point they
wouiA advertise to the world their
transeendental reasoning powers when
they 8are only advertising their trans
cend6ntal curiosity.
ST. PauPs Advice.
Paul in his epistle to young Titus
advises him to beware of such frivo-
lous curiosity. When he tells him to
avoid foolish questions he is not cir
cum&cribing the intellect of this young
man by telling him not to think and
not TO investigate. He is laying deiEn
the broad principle which you and
woutd do well to heed when he said,
.Av9id foolish questions and genealo-
giesE and contentious and strivings
about the law, for they are unprofita7
BILE 8and vainv In other words, avoid
thosse foolish questions and contentious
which have nothing to do with pressing
home the great purposes of the gospel
Livee only for those divine truths and
self evident facts which will draw us
nearer and nearer to the cross of Jesus
CHRIST The poet expressed my inter
probation OF Paul's meaning when he
WROTE:
sonse read the blessed book-they don't
know why
1t somehow happens in their way to lie,
While others read 1t with uncommon
care.
Butt ali to find some contradictions there
Some read to bring themselves into fepute
By showing others how they can dispute,
Vhile others read because their neigh
- bors do,
To see how long twill take to read it
through.
some read to prove preadopted creed,
Thsn understand but little what they
road.
And svexy passage OF the book they bend
TO make it suit that all important end.
Some people read, as 1 have often
thought
To teach the book instead Of being
taught.
RauLis saylps. Titus. ny son. study