DR. TALMAGE'S SERMON. Plumb-Line Religion. “And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what Joes: thou? and I said, a plumb-line.” Amos Tue solid masonry of the world has to me a fascination. Walk about some of the triumphal arches and the cathe- drals, four or six hundred years old, and see them stand as erect as when they were builded, walls of great height, for centuries not bending a quarter of an inch this way or that, So greately honored were the masons who builded these walls that they were free from taxation and called *‘free’’ masons. The trowel gets most of the credit for these buildings, and its clear ringing on stone and brick has sounded across the ages, of just as much trowel, and my Bricklayers and carpenters, in importance as text recognizes stone masons, it. and I'E BUILDING OF WALLS, an instr the end of w ened, wall, and, as the plummet naturally seeks the centre of gravity in the earth, the workman discovers where the wall recedes, and where it bulges out, and just what is the perpendicular, O iment made of a cord, at use 1 t i i "- il wall of character, which the Israelites had built, and, in that way, testing if ‘“*And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? and I said, a plumb- 1; "" sine, LO NAD WHAT THE WORLD W is a straight up-and-down Much of the so calle way and is horizontal, sentiment and bends this times, It state of morals, is glaringly imperfect, and How shall it ter, and it needs reconstruction. brought into perpendicular? Only the divine measurement, ‘‘And Lord sald unto me, Amos, what thou? and I said, a plumb-line.”’ The whole tendency of the times is to make us act by the standard of wi others do. If they play cards, we play cards, It they dance, we d If they read certain styles of books, we read them. We throw over the wall of our character the tangled piumb- 1 Fr } 1 “i 1 ag line of other lives and reject at Ance, THE INFALLIBLE TEST, The question be what God thinks which Amos saw, me should right, but what is right, This perpetual reference to the behavior others, as though it decided thing but human fallibility, take as wide as the world. ten thousand plumb-lines in use only one is a true and exact, anc 18 the line of God's eternal right, you think is not of 18 construct and fix up the Ten Command- ments. To many they seem too rigid. The tower of I’isu leans over about thi teen feet from the perpendicular, anc people go thousands of miles to see its inclination, and, by extra and various architectural con- rivances, it is Kept leauing from cen- tury to century. Why not have the ten granite blocks of Sinaiset a little as- ? Why not have the pillar of truth Why isnot an ellipse Why 8 not ar oblique as as straight and down? My friends, we must have standard; (rod’s or man’s? The divi ine i thrown over all merchandise, r races lant a leaning tower? as good as a square » OO E 4 up ’ shall it be dumb-line needs to be Thou- discovered the tendency of buyers to depreciate He an article lower and it was not when he has pure at the lowest point he told everybody what a sharp bargain he had struck, and how he had outwitted the merchant. *‘It is naught, saith the l but when he is his way, then he boasteth.” (Proverbs 20 : 14.) SOCIETY iy sands of years ago Solomon ae 1 FOOCH, lower, and saving hased uver: gone IS SO UTTERLY ASKEW matter that you seldom Il king price that he : tog he puts on a higher value than Ie proposes to receive, knowing that he will have to drop. And if he wants fifty, he asks seventy-five, And if he wants two asks five hundred, *'It naught,” the buyer. *“*The fabric is tive; the style of goods is poor; I can get elsewhere a better article at a small- er price. It is out of fashion, it is dam- aged; it will fade; it will not wear well, ”? After awhile the merchant, from over- persuasion or from desire to dispose of that particular stock of goods, says: ““Well, take it at your own price,’ the purchaser home with light step, and calls into his private office his confidential friends, and chuckles while be tells how that for half price, he got the goods, In other words, he lies, and was proud of it, Nothing would make times so good, and the earning of a livelihood so easy, a the i vi tas h HI sand, He is saith and goes right. Suspicion strikes through all bargain-making. Men who sell know not whether they will ever get the money. Purchasers know not whether the sample, And what, with the large number of clerks who are making false entries and then absconding to Canada, and the explosion of firms that fail for millions of dollars, honest men are at their wits’ end to make a living. Ile who stands up amid all the pressure and does right is accomplishing some- thing toward the establishment of a high commercial prosperity. 1 have deep sympathy for the laboring classes who toil with hand and foot, But we must not forget the business men, who, without any complaint or bannered pro- cessions through the street, are endur- ing A STRESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES terrific. The , fortunate people of to- day are those who are receiving daily wages or regular salaries, And the men most to be pitied are those who conduct a business while prices are fall- ing, and yet try to pay their clerks and smployees, and are in such fearful straits that they wonld quit business to- morrow, if it were not for the wreck and ruin of others, When people tell wo at what a ruinously low price they — purchased an article, it gives me more dismay than satisfaction, I know it means the bankruptey and defaleation of men in many departments, The men who toil with the brain need full as much sympathy as those who toil with the hand. All business life is struck through with suspicion, and panics are tho result of want of confidence, The pressure to do wrong is stronger from the fact that in our day the large busi- ness houses are swallowing up the smaller, THE WHALES DINING on blue-fish and minnows. The large houses undersell the small ones because they can afford it. They can afford to make nothing, or actually lose, on some styles of goods, assured they can make it up on others, So, a great dry goods house goes outside of its regular line and sells books at cost or less than cost, and that swamps the booksellers ; or the dry And the same thing or i ZOOS consequence is tha the are merchants of small in terrific struggle I'he Cunard hing against all the coun the measur on ay from the igpon that effect anything for the human race begin ends with Revelation, id religion the everlasting “Love God al hat A ‘et { OT 48 yourseil., lgion of skies the « Goel-giver BEGIN AT THE WRONG END, The Bible ligion demands that we first got (roxd, 4 at the other bottom and try to stand at the foot of the top wh, ligions begin measure up, ‘hey the wall, up t of hi theory and speculation, and mmet and a string tied fast And they throw the plummet this way, and throw the plummet another way and break a head there, and then they throw nal stand at up when Fools! Wny will you the foot of the wall measuring a «| few days ago I was in the long walk, A down? BLOWING SOAP BUBBLES, and green, and and sparkling, orbicular, and in so But she blew once too often and all the glory vanished into suds, Then I turned and took a glass of water, and was refreshed, And so far as soul thirst is concerned, I put against all the blowing, glittering soap- bubbles of worldly reform and human speculation, one draught from the foun. tain from under the throne of God, clear as crystal, Glory be to God for the religion that drops from above, not coming up from beneath! “And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? and I said a plumb-line.”’ Iwant you to notice this fact, that when a man gives up the straight up- and-down religion in the Bible for any new fangled religion, it is generally to suit his sins. You first hear of his change of religion, and then you hear of some swindle he has practised in Colo- rado mining stock, telling some one if he will put in ten thousand dollars he can take out a hundred thousand, or he has sacrificed his chastity, or plunged into irremediable worldliness, His sins are 80 broad he HAS TO BROADEN HIS RELIGION, and becomes as broad as temptation, as broad as the soul’s darkness, as broad as hell, They want a religion that will al- low them to keep their sins, and then at death say to them: ‘““Well done, good and faithful servant,’”’ and that tells them : “* Allis well, for there is no hell. ”’ What a glorious heaven they hold be- fore us! Come, let us go in and see it, There is Herod and all the Babes massacred, There is Charles Guiteau, and Jim Fiske, and Robespierre, the friend of the French guillotine, and all the liars, thieves, house-burners, gar- roters, pickpockets and libertines of all the centuries. They have all got crowns, and thrones, and harps, and | sceptres, and when they chant they sing: | and power to the Broad Religion that | lets us all into heaven without | ance and faith in those disgrace mas of ecclesiast My text gives i tunity ol ng a } VOUNY melt Who al 1 3 : ical old-fogyis me a useful yvord Savi forming ili oath, and never gambl value of a pin, ar inside of a haunt of ten years Police, and a dete of my church, 1 expl out ol $1 Lie ago, tht, not in pulpit wople the of underground city I was never intoxicat and never committed one ness, restrained | God, without which have gone headlong famy I have don’t believe planet at the more, Hear it, men and girls, all the fun is ont mav seem attract ful, and like the man dews are poisonous, happiness, is in a Chris poverty O11) ain TWO BROTHERS, converted a year ago in sunday morning, during sermon, or hymn, No one the time, The persons on either side of him suspected nothing, but in that young man’s soul this process went young one was one prayer, or on ; man amid the temptations of help ; save me from making the mistake that some of my comrades are making, and save me now.” And quicker than a flash God rolled heaven into his soul, He is just as jolly as he used to be, is just as brilliant as he used to be, He can strike a ball or catch one as easily as before he was converted, With gun or fishing rod in this summer vacation, he was just as skilful as before. The world is brighter to him than ever. He appreciates pictures, music, innocent hilarity, social life, good jokes, and has lenty of fun, glorious fun. But his brother is GOING DOWN HILL. in the morning his head aches from the Shilmpagus debauch. Everybody sees he is in rapid descent. What cares he for right or decency, or the honor of his family name? Turned out of employ- ment, depleted in health, cast down in spirits, the typhoid fever strikes him in the smallest room on the fourth Sony. of a fifth rate boarding house, sursihg and calling for his mother, and fighting back demons from his dying pillow, which is besweated and torn to rags, He plunges out of this world with a shriek of a destroyed spirit. Alas for that kind of fun! It is remorse, It is despair, It is blackness of darkness, It is woe unending and long reverber- ating and crushing as though all the mountains of all continents rolled on him in one avalanche, POOR FUN. My soul, stand back from such fun, Young man, there is no fun in ship- wrecking your character, no fun in dis- gracing your father’s name. There ls no fun in breaking your mother’s heurt There is no fun in the physical pangs of There is no fun in the 8 death-bed. There is no fun Paracelsus, out said he led in profligate 1 : HOSSOIN. h, this plumb-line of the everlasting : will throw it ral defle over Our Inf PUT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON. Buspar, Oor. 18, 1887. Power to Forgive Sas, LESSON TEXT, (Matt. 9: 1.8, Memory verses: 41.) LESSON PLAN. Toric OF THE QUARTER ; King tn Zion. GoLpeEN TEXT For THE QUARTER: Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth 1s thine; thine is the kingdom, © Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.—1 Chron, 29 : 11, Jesus the Lessox Toric: The King's Author. ity over Sin. ( 1. Authority over Sin Assumed, va. Lesson ihority over Sin Donbled, va, Outiine :° be VE. 68 GOLDEN TEXT: The Sm of man hath power to forgive sins, —Matt, 9 : 6. Dany Home M. Matt, authority T.—Mark 2 : lel narrative, W.— Luke 5: 1 narrative, Luke 7 forgiven, LESSON ANALYSIS, OVER BIN A Brought: 4 4 } I. AUTHORITY I. A Bick Man hey brough Mark 6 : 56), y Wert WV waters farsi forever --—— Post OMice Names, 1 £4 03 OL WU0 Here are sot names of Texas post offices: Shoo Fly, Poetry, sion, Vox Populi, Hayrick, Glory, ball, Baby Head, Exile Dime-box, Uz, Fairy, Ditto, Tennessee has these queer names: Yum Yum, Hatmaker, Sweet 1. Trump, Miser, Aunt, Pokeberry, Hel} SeCiU- ps . Missouri unique imens of nomenclature: Peculiar, Pure Air, Good Night, Lingo, Pay Down, Useful, Umpire, And in Georgia you car 14 SOIme Swe find: Up, Duck, Hat Off, Pumpkin, Rocovery. Alabama has some dresses: Dollar, Dug, Slip Up, Fall, Kentucky Drone, Alligator, ad- Pea, fantastic Widows, isn't far behind with : Viper, Pig. ginia for these; Peanut, Hall, Rain, Ah Sid, Potato. You can discover in South Carolina, a Bonnet, a Dutchman, and a Bach- elor’s Retreat, In Ohio, Philanthropy and Sodom. Bet, In In In in Wisconsin, a Dry Bone. West Virginia, Gin, Arizona, a Total Wreck, Dakota, Worms, In Kansas, Popcorn, In Arkansas, Delay, In Oregon, a Bake Oven. In Montana, an Anaconda. In Minnesota, Faith, CoroNkEL ReppeErk went into a Park row restaurant the other day, and calling a waiter to his table ordered a beef stew, two eggs, fried on one mde, a plece of pineapple pie and a cup of coffee with plenty of milk. The waller walked to a bole in the wall and warb- led: “One life preserver! Pair o' white wings, sunny mde up! Er South American gravestone! Cup o' yaller with a choker on I" If it is truth, what does it matter who says it? Je ring Pardon Bestowed : the ¢ Lily us decrees: 1) Si Forgive- OUBTED, with them (Luke 15: 2). II. The Lord's Discernment : J ] ng their thoughts said (4) indest my thought afar r thair 1 said (Matt. the reasoning of their heart ike 9: 47). himself knew what was in man John 2 : 25 IIL. The Convincing Question : Whether , 10 say. ...or to say, Arise, and walk? (6 Jesus answered . I will question (Matt, 23 : 24). image and superscription? + EA), of John, . or from men? {Mark 11 : 30). the scribes that the Christ is m of David? (Mark 11 : 35). , “Said within themselves*' (1) In- ward communings ; (2) Secret com- munings ;: (3) Evil communings, 2. “Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts,’ (1) Hearts searched ; (2) iS easier Py Po si} ask you And all men did marvel (Mark 5 : 20), They were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things (Luke 5 : 1. “That ye may know.” (1 sirableness of knowing ; possibility of knowing ; means of knowing, 2. **He arose, and departed to his house.”” (1) How he left his house ; (2) How he returned to his house ; (3) The intervening transformation, . “They were afraid and glorified God.” (1) A great act of the Lord (2) A grand result in men.—{1}; Stricken with awe; (2) Praiseful to God, 25} The de- LESSON BIBLE READING, BIBLE HISTORY OF THE BCRIBE 1. Their General Characteristics: { Tosser ’ 115 5: 14). Were men of superior wi 27:32: Ezra 7: 0). { i i buked, 3. “Whether is easier?” (1) The works ; ity to do spiritual works, AUTHORITY OVER SIN STRATED. 111, DEMON- The Son of man hath no power on mission of sins (Acts 5 : 31). the of 38). you remission sins (Acts 18: our trespasses (Eph 1:7). He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins (1 John 1 : 9). 11. The Demonstration : That ye may know....saith he... Arise... .and he arose (6, 7). They will believe the voice of the latter sign (Exod 4 : 8), No man can do these signs, ....except God be with him (John 3 : 2). The very works that 1 do, bear witness of me (John 5 : 36), Though ye believe not me, believe the works (John 10 : 38), NL The Result: ‘When the multitude saw it, they were afraid, and glorified God (8). The multitude marvelled, saying, It was never so seen (Matt, 9 : 33). They were adl ax and glorified God (Mark 2 : 12). ONSpICUoOusiy 22 : 15). . Thelr Special Employments ies to king < Sal i: 2 Kings 12 : 1 3 vir 1" a id . AS » . Their 1.4 vwlations to Christ: i$ Bopdd Robinson piace: nd Passover weeks later, in DD. 98 - The place was Caps +h wid 3 tna INGICALES wil Ys $ os $ og Piainly suales -——— Why She Wore a Shawl. New York to go on a moon- light excursion the Hudson river, The night finally arrived, and the moon flooded field and river with a glow of early richness. When the party was ready to leave the house which had Aezvous, it was noticed that one of the n charming young ladies of the coterie had a shawl on. “What's the matter, Lucy,” inquired one young lady, ‘4 you afraid of taking cold?” “No! nol” she replied. “Perhaps you are troubled with malaria,’ suggested a young man who was struggling to direct all his vitality into a mustache. “I never bad malaria,” replied the pretty creature with a simle, “The thermometor is up at 86, roast if you wear thatshawl.” “I'm willing to roast,” she rather pettishly. “Don’t you know why Wears ' laughed her little brother, as he wiped some taffy off his mouth with his jacket-sleeve, “You keep still, you John Henry!” turned 1088 are You'll said, she a trifle red, The boy got out of reach and yelled: “I'll tell you why she wears that shawl. Bob puts 1 Then there was a scene, John Henry was driven summarily to bed, and the party started for the scene of the festiv- ity. A Thrifty Soul in Russian Uniform. General Skobeleff was working in his tent one evening near the Danube, or near a pond, when a Turkish bomb dropped at the theesbold of his tent. The General bad just time to see the sentry outside stoop down and throw the shell into the water, Skobeleff ap- proached the soldier and said: “Do you know you have saved my life?” ‘I have done by best, General,’ was the reply, “Very well, Which would you rather have, the St, 's Cross or one hundred roubles?’ The senti- nel hesitated a moment and then said: “What is the value of the St 's Otoms, my Genstard “What do mean cross itself is of no it may be worth five roubles, but it Is an honor to “Well, my General,” said “if it fs like that, give roubles and the of The sentry, it should be not Jew, with a fine Semitic profile,
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