The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-05-22

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Brooklyn, May 1.-THE largest con-
Vregation that has been in attendance a.
Talmage's Tabernacle for many weeks
was present this morning, filing every
seat and making it difficult to obtain
standing room. The unusual throng had
undoubtedly gathered in anticipation
that Mr.. Talmage would refer in his ad'
dress to his recent trial by the Presby'
terry and his acquittal, but Mr.. Talmage
was silent on that point.
DR.. Spear, Mr.. Talmage's senior Coun-
sci in the trial; Hon. A. W. Tenny, who
has indirectly conducted Mr., Talmage's
defense; and Rev. Mr.. St. John, an ardent
supporter of the Brooklyn divine, were
among those present. The platform was
adorned with an immense floral horse
shoe composed of choice gems emblem
attic of "good luck" Following is the
sermon in full
Subject; "Gleanings"
TEXT: "And she went and came, and
cleaned in the field after the reapers, and
her hope was to light on a part Of the
field belonging to Boaz, who was of the
kindred of ElimeleCh. Ruth ii, "
The time that Ruth and Naomi arrive
at Bethlehem is harvest time, 1t was the
custom when sheaf fell from load in
the harvest field for the reapers to refuse
to gather it up. That was to be left for
the poor who might happen to come
along that way, If there were handfulls
of grain scattered across the field after
the main harvest had been reaped, in
stead of raking it, as farmers do, it was,
by the custom of the land, left in its place,
30 that the poor coming along that away
might CLEAN it and get their bread. But
you say, What is the use ofall these har-
vest fields to Ruth and Naomi ?" Naomi
is too old and feeble to 60 out and toll in
the sun; and can you expect that Ruth,
the young and the beautiful, should tan
her cheeks and blister her hands in the
harvest feld2 Boaz owns large farm,
and he goes out to see the reapers gather
in their grain, Coming there, right be-
hind the swarthy, sun Drowned reapers,
he beholds beautiful woman cleaning
"a woman more fit to bend to harp or
sit upon throne than to stoop among
the sheaves. All, that was an eventful
day. 1t was love at first sight. Boaz
forms an attachment for the womanly
gleauer-an attachment full of undying
interest to the Church of God in all ages
while Ruth, with an ephah, or nearly
busheI, of barley goes home to Naomi
to tell her the successes and adventures
of the day. That Ruth, who left ber ma
tive land of Moab in darkness, and trav'
eled, through an undying affection for
her mother-in.law, is this morning in
the harvest field of Boaz, is affianCed to
one of the best families of Judah, and
becomes in after times the aHCestress of
Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory Out of
30 dark night did there ever dawn 30
bright a morning?
Ilearn, in the first place, from this sub
iect, how trouble develops character. 1t
was bereavement, poverty and evils that
developed, illustrated and announced to
all ages the sublimity of Ruth's ChaTac-
ter. That is a very unfortunate man who
has not trouble. 1t was sorrow that made
John Bunyan the better dreamer, and
DIR. Young the better poet, and O'Connell
the better orator, and Bishop Hall the
better preacher and Havelock the better
soldier, and Kitto the better encyClOT@d.
ist, aud Ruth the better daughter in law.
l once asked an aged man in regard to
his pastor, who was very brilliant man; ;
"Why ia it that your pastor, so very bril-
liant, seems to have 80 little heart and
tenderness in his sermons?" " WE'LL"
he replied, "the reason is our pastor has
never mad any trouble. When misfor.
tune comes upon him, his style will be
different" After while the Lord took
child out of that pastors house; and
though the preacher was just as brilliant
as he was before, oh, the warmth, the
tenderness of his discourses The fact
is that trouble is a great educator. You
see sometimes musician sit down at
tie instrument, and his execution is cold
add formal and unfeeling. The reason is
that all his life he has been prospered
But let misfortune or bereavement come
to that man, and he sits down at the in,
Btrumant, and you discover the pathos in
the first sweep Of the keys. MisfOrtunes
and trials are great educators. A young
doctor comes into sick room where
there is a dying child. Perhaps he is
very rough in his prescription, and very
rough in bis manner, and rough in the
feeling OF the pulse, and rough in his an
swer to the mothers anxious question
but years roll on, and there has been one
d5ath in his own house; and now he
comes into the sick room, and with tear.
ful eye he looks at the dying child, and |
he Gays: "Oh, how this reminds me of
my Charlie" Trouble, the great educa-
tor, Sorrow-I see lis touch in the grand
eat painting; | hear it's tremor in the
sweetest song; | feel its power in the
mlphtlest argument. GreCian mythology |
said that the fountain of Hippocrene was |
struck out by the foot of the winged |
horse Pegasus, l have often noticed in |
hfe that ths brightest and most beautiful |
fountains Of Christian comfort and spir.
ltual life have been struck out by the |
iron.shod hoof of disaster and calamity.
see Daniels courage beet by the fash
OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS furnace. | see
Panp5 prOwess best when / find him on
the toundering ship, under the glare of
the lightning in the breakers of Melca
tIod crowns his children amid the howl
ing OF wild beasts, and the chopping of
blood. .spIashed guillotines, and the crack.
ling fires of martyrdom. 1t took the per.
BecutiOns of Marcus Aurslus TO develop
POlycGrp and Justin Martyr. Ittook the
POpe's bull and the Cardinals curses and
Tue worlds anathema to develop Martin
huthsr. It took all the hostilities against
me Scotch Covensnters, and the fury Of
Lord Clsverhouss to develop James Rem.
wick, and Andrew Melville and Hugh
MlAall, the glorious martyrs of Scotch |
history, It took the stormy sea, and the |
December blast, and the desolate Neu,