Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1894 — “A CHEERFUL CHURCH” [ARTICLE]

“A CHEERFUL CHURCH”

That Soon Became a Wreck and Ruin. A Sermon That Will Ever Remain Memorable—A Service Followed by a Sacrifice. The Brooklyn Tabernacle was crowded, Sunday, to the doors. The sermon was one of Dr. Talmage’s best efforts, and was remarkable from the fact that before the congregation had all departed the building was in flames and was entirely destroyed. Dp. Talmage’s theme was, “ A Cheerful Church,” and the text was selected from Solomon’s Song iv, 1, “Behold, thou art fair, my love.” He said: “Higher criticism” says that this book of Solomon’s Song is a love scene, a forlorn maiden sighing for her heap. If so. it is an unclean and debauched utterance inserted in the pure word of God and is not fit for common reading. My opinion is that it is an inspired ode setting forth the feeling of Christ toward the church and of the church toward Christ. It was not through any spirit of personal courage or reckless advehture that I was led from one of the warmest and most congenial pastorates in Philadelphia that a man ever enjoyed to this then most uninviting field, but it was the feeling that God had called me to the work, and I was sure he would see me through. I have thought that it might be profitable to us~to state briefly what kind of a church we have been trying to establish. In the first place, I remark that we have been trying to build here a Christ.an church, distinctively such —in other words, a church where we should preach the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. My theology has all gone into five, letters—Jesus, Jesus, the pardon of all offenses. Jesus, the balm for all wounds. Jesus, the eyesalve for all blindness. Jesus, the foundation for; all structures. Jesus, the guide through all perplexities. Jesus, the hope for all discouragements. Jesus, the reform for all wrongs.

Do you ask more minutely what we believe? I can tell you. We have no dry, withered, juiceless theology. We believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, the deliverer of the distressed, the home for the homeless, the friend for the friendless. We believe in Jesus Christ, able to save to the uttermost, pardoning the guilty, imputing His righteousness to .the believer. We believe in the Holy Ghost, the comforter, the sanctifier. cheering up the heart in life’s ills and kindling bright lights in every dark landing place. We believe that the whole race is so sunken in sin that nothing but the omnipotent arm of God can ever lift it out. We believe in grace- free’ grace,, sovereign grace, triumphant grace, etern-" al grace. We believe in a bible, authentic in its statements, immaculate in its teachings, glorious in its promises. We believe in heaven, the abode of the righteous, and in hell, the residence of those who are soul suicides, of their own free choice refusing the divine mercy. We believe in the salvation of all men who accept Christ by faith, be they sprinkled or immersed, worship they in eathrcdral or in log cabin, believe they in Presbyterianism or Episcopacy, dwell thev utider-Italian skies or in Siberian snow storms, be they Ethiopian or American. All one in Christ, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, on the way to one heaven. I remark, further, that we have tried here to build a church distinctively unconventional. Instead of asking, as some people are disposed to do, how other people do it, we have asked the question how people do not do it. Imperious custom has decided that churches shall be augular, cheerless, gloomy, unsympathetic, forgetting that what men call pious gloom is impious, and that that church has the best architecture where the people are most comfortable, aud that that is the most efficient Christian service where the people are most sick of sin and most anxious after Christ and heaven. And so we called the architects together for our first church building and said “Give us an amphitheater,” that is a large family circle, gathered around a fireplace, I remark, further, that we have tried here to build and conduct a cheerful church. While,as you know, we have not held baok the terrors of the law and the sterner doctrines of the gospel, we have tried in this house to present to this people the idea that the gladdest, brightest, happiest thing in all the universe is the Christian religion. There is so much trouble in the world. Business men have so many anxieties, toiling men have so many fatigues, orphans have so many desolations — for God's sake, if there! be any bright place on earth, show it to them. Let the church of Jesus Christ be the most cheerful spot on earth. The happiest Christians that I have ever known have been persons from sixty to eighty years of age. By that time people get over the shams and pretenses of society and have no longer any patience with any thing, lika-impos turn in religion. O Christian, how dare you be gloomy?* Is not God your father? Is not Jesus Christ your Savior? Has not your path all through been strewn with mereioq? Are you insensible to the foot that there are glories awaiting you in the better

land? —doxologies of celestial worship, eternal chorals* tearless eves, sopgs that resound under arches of strength, and hosannas that clap their hands at the foot of the throne. Is it nothing to you that all the hills of heaven afe radiant with the faces of those who havq gone up from you, and who are waiting for vour coming, ready to keep with you eteral holiday?" Is there nothing in songs that never cease, in hearts that never ache, in splendors that'' never die, to make you glad? Then take no more mercy at the hand of thy God! Give back the marriage ring of love that Jesus put on y°ur finger in the day of your espousal. Plant no more of the flowers of heaven where there ought to be nothing but nettles and nightshade: I remark, further, that we have here tried to build a church abreast of the times. It is all folly for us to try to do things the way they did fifty or one hundred years ago. We might as well be plowing with Elijah's crooked stick, or go into battle with Saul’s armor, or prefer a canalboat to an express train, as to be clinging to old things. What we most need now is a wide awake church. People who are out in the world all the week, jostling against this lightning-footed century, come into the church on the Sabbath and go right to sleep unless, they have a spirited service. Men engaged in literary callings all the week reading pungent, sharp writings, cannot be expected to come and hear our ecclesiastical humdrum. Did I say that the church ought to be abreast of the times? I take take that back. The church of God . ought to be ahead of the times=-so far in advance as the cross of Christ is ahead of all human invention. Paul was 1,000 years ahead of the day in which he lived. The swift footed years that have passed since Luther died have not vet come up to Luther’s grave. Give iniquity 4,000 years the stare and the feet of Christianity are so nimble that if you but give it full swing it will catch up and pass it in two bounds. The church of God ought to be ahead of the times. I remark, further, that, we have tried here in the love and fear of God to build a church that would be characterized by conversions. I have heard of very good people who could preach on for fifteen or twenty years and see no conversions, but yet have faith. It takes a very good man to do that. I do not know how a man can keep his faith up if souls are not brought to the Lord Jesus Christ, That church that does not bring men and women to the feet of the Savior is a failure. I care not how fine the building, or how sweet the music, or how eloquent the preaching, or how elegant the surroundings—it is a failure. The church of God was made for just one thing—to get men out of the world into the kingdom of heaven. Here is Brooklyn, here is New York, here are the United States, here the whole world to be converted. It is 1,894 years since Christ came, and vet Europe, Asia. Africa, North and South America are still unevangelized. More people are born every year into the world than are born into the kingdom of God. At that rate Task any one who can do a simple sum in arithmetic to calculate when this world will be brought to Jesus. At that ratio, never, never, never!

A boy goes along the street at night and sees a fine house beautifully lighted up and hears music, and he says, “I ivish I was in there, but I have not been invited,” and so he passes on. Here is the church of God, lighted up with festivity and holy mirth, and the world passes along outside, hears music and sometime wishes it was inside, but says that it is not invited. Oh, invite the world to come in! Go out into the highways and hedges. Send a ticket of invitation, printed in these words, “Come, for all things are now ready.” If this world is ever to be brought to God it will not be by the handful of ministers we have in this country. It will be by the great masses of Christian men and women discharging their duty. If the private church membership of this country would but put on their armor and go forth I believe that in fifteen years this whole land would be redeemed for Christ. - Would to God that all the people were prophets! I am never afraid to hear a man say that he is going to preach. If he can not preach people will not go to hear him. If he can he has a message from the Almighty, and I would have him deliver it. Look out how you interfere with him. Since we have been together as pastor aud people how many have been promoted to- the glories of heaven! They died sweetly, calmly, as only Christiaps can die. They have put down the staff of their pilgrimage; they have taken up the palm of the victor. The Lord Jesus has swung His arm through this church a good many times. He has been up and down all these aisles. He has taken the little children—the dear little children. He came down into the garden to gather the lilies and the aged as well. One who sat right here, so that when I used to preach I could almost put my hand on his head, when I came back from my summer vacation was gone. Oh, how thp glories of heaven shone around that old man’s face as he sat here Sabbath after Sabbath! Gone now, happy spirit! Happy with all those who have passed the flood! I thank you for all your kindness, for all your sympathy, for all your prayers for me as pastor. It is a sorrow to me that I am to be absent even for a few months. I have la-

bored to the full extent of physical, mental and spiritual endurance for this church. Now we start out on our twentysixth year. How many of us will close it here I know not. But, living or dying, let Us cling to Christ. Oh, ■that all the people would love' Him! I wish that I cquld take this audience this morning and wreathe it around the heart of my Lord Jesus Christ': Oh, he is such a dear Savior! He is such a loving Jesus!, He is sc precious! He is ail the world to me. He is heaven to me. He washed away my sins. He comforted me in days of darkness and trouble He is mine. O blessed Jesus! Sweetest sound I ever heard or ever expect to hear is thy name. Ride on, King -Jesus, ride on! Blessed be the Lard God of Israel from everlasting tc everlasting, and let the whole earth be filled with His glory! Amen and amen! - --- —iC.