Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-11
THE GOSPEL ARROW,
Shot From the Bow Of Gad's Ever
,@l lasting Promise.
Hunters Of Mems Souls, Whose Quiyers are
Filled With Shafts Pointed With Right
--- eousness and Feathered
.r From the
WHITE WING OF THE DOVE OF PEACE
Special 20 the Reltster.

Special 10 the Register.
BROOKLYN, n. Y, September 10.-Dr. Tai
mage preached in the Tabernacle this even
ing as follows: .
Subject, "Mixhty Hunters"
Text: Genesis, x. g.: HE was a mighty
hunter before the Lord"
The autumnal search for game is about
to open. The gun will in many parts OF
the country take the place Of the croquet
hammer and lawn tennis racket. In our
day hunting is sport; but in the lands
and times infested of wild beasts, 1t was a
matter of life and death with the people.
1t was very different from going out on
sunshiny afternoon with patent breech
loader, to shoot red birds on the fats, when
Pollux, Achilles and Diomedes went out
to clear the land of lions and tigers and
bears. NV text sets forth Nimrod as he
70, when it presents him with broad shoul.
ders and shaggy apparel and sun. Drowned
face, and arm punched with muscles,
"a Mighty Hunter Before the Lord"
l think he used the bow and the arrow
with great success, practicing archery.
have thought if it is such great thing and
such brave thing to clear wild beasts
out of country, fit is not a better and
braver thing TO hunt down and destroy
those great evils Of society that are stalk
ing through the laid with fierce eye and
bloody paw, and sharp tooth, and quick
spring. The Lord Jesus in his sermon
used the art of angling for an example,
when he said 81 will make you fishers OF
men," and so think have authority for
using hunting as an illustration OF gospel
truth; and l pray God that there May be
many a man in this congregation OF whom
it may after while be said: "Hc was q
mighty hunter before the Lord" How
much awkward Christian work there
is done in the world! How
many good people there are who
Drive Souls Away from Christ
instead of bringing them to him! All their
fingers are ADMINISTRATIONS blunderers
who upset more than they right. Their gun
has crooked barrel and kicks as il goes
of. They are like a clumsy comrade who
goes along with skillful hunters; at the
very moment he ought to be most quiet, he
is cracking an alder or falling over log
and frightening away the game. How few
Christian people have ever learned the
lesson of how the Lord Jesus Christ at the
we'll went from talking abouta cup of water
to the most practical religious truths which
won q wonan's soul for God! Jesus in the
wilderness was breaking bread TO the people
] think il was very good bread: il was very
light bread, and the yeast had done its work
thoroughly. Christ, after he had broken
the bread said TO the people: Beware OF
the yeast or of the leaven of the Pharisees."
So natural a transition it was and how easily
they all understood him. But now few
Christian people there are who understand
how to
Fasten the Truths OF God and Religion
TO the souls OF men.
Truman Osborne, one of the eyangelists
who went through this country some years
ago, had wonderful art in the right dircc-
tion. He came to my fathers house one
day, and while we were all seated in the
room he said: "Mr. Talmage, are your
children Christians" Father, said, Yes;
all but Dewitt" Then Truman Os.
born looked down into the fire place and
began TO tell story of a storm that came
on the mountains and all the sheep were
in the fold, but there was one lamb outside
that perished in the storm. Had he looked
me in the eye ] should have been angercd
when he told that story; but he looked
into the Fireplace, and it was so pathetic.
ally beautifully done that | never found
any peace until was
Inside the Fold.
where the other sheep are The srchers of
olden time studied their art. They were
very precise in the matter. The old books
gave especial directions as to how an archer
should do. He should stand erect and firm,
bis left foot little in advance OF the right
foot. With his left hand he must take hold
of the bow in the middle, and then, with
the three fingers and the thumb OF his
right hand. he should lay hold of the arrow
and attix it to the string-so precise was the
direction given. But how clumsy we are
about religious work. How little skill and
care we exerse! How often our arrows
miss the mark Oh, that We all were
mighty hunters before the Lard" In the
first place, il you want to be effectual in
doing good, you must be
Very sure OF Your weapon.
There was something very fascinating
about the archery of tolden times. Perhaps
you do not know what they could do with
the bow and arrow. Why, the chief bat
ties fought by the English Plantagencts
were with the long bow. They would take
the arrow of polished wood, and feather it
with the plume Of bird, and then 1t
would fly from the bOwstring OF plated
silk The bloody fields of Agincourt and
Galway Moss and Neviiles Cross heard the
loud thrum OF the archer's bowString.
Now, my Christian friends, We have
mightier weapon than that. 1t is the ar
row of the Gospel. 1t is a sharp arrow; 1t is
q straight arrow; ii is feathered from the
wing OF the dove of Gods spirit; 1t fees
from bow made out OF the wood OF the
cross. As far as can estimate or calculate
it has brought down 3O0,000,OO0 OF souls
Paul knew how to bring the notch of that
arrow on to the bowstring, and its whir
was heard through the Corinthian theatres
and through the courtroom until the
knees OF Felix knocked together. 1t was
that arrow that stuck in Luther's heart
when he cried out, "Oh, my sins! Oh, my
sins!" III it strike a man in the head, 1t
Kills His sceptieism;
if il strike him in the heal it will turn his
step; il il strike him in the heart he throws
up his hands as did one Of old when wound.
ed in the battle, crying: 20, Galileean,
thou hast conquered"
In the srmory Of the Earl OF Pembroke
there are old cOrselets which show that the
arrow Of the English used TO go through the
breast plate, through the body OF the war
nor and out through the back plate. What
a symbol Of that gospel which is sharper
than a twoedged sword, piercing TO and
dividing asunder soul and body aud
the Joints ana marrow! NOulQ 10 uOu We
had more faith in that gospel! The hum
blest man in this house, if he had enough
faith in il, could bring hundred souls 70
Jesus,
Perhaps FIVE Hundred.
Just In proportion as this age seems to
believe less and less in IL, ] believe more
and more in it. What are men about that
they will not accept their own deliverance?
There is nothing proposed BY men that can
do anything like this gospel. The religion
Of Theodore Parker was a sirocco OF the
desert. covering up the soul with dry sand.
The religion OF Renan Is the romance OF be-
lieving nothing The religion of Thomts
Carlysle is only a condensed London fog.
The religion of the HuKlsys is merely
pedestal on which human philosophy sits
in the night Of the soul, looking
up to the stars, offering no hell 10 the na
tions that clouch and groan at the base
Tell me where there Is one man who has re-
jected that gospel for another who is
satished and contented in his
scepticism, and will take car tomorrow
md - 4
n ide Five Hundred Niles 90 See Him
The full power OF the gospel has not yet
been touched. As a sportsman throws up
his bands and catches the ball fyiny
through the air. Just 50 easily will thi.
n n