Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-06-26
FLocKs AT THE WELL
Or. Taimage EIaborates the Old
Bible Story. +
The Meeting Of Jacob and Raehel-The
Gospel well-The Water aPanacea for
All the Ills that Flesh Is
Heir To.
AN ELOQUENT AND PRACTICAL SERMON
S1,eciol 10 The ReoisteT.

BROOKLYN, June 25.-Talmage preached
at the Tabernacle, this morning, to large
congregation, taking his text Genesis XIX.
g.: 1--WE can not until all the focks be
gathered, and till they roll the stone from
the wells month, then we water the sheep"
The doctor said:
The scene in Mesopotamia, beautifully
pastoral. A,,well of water is of great value
in that region. The fields round about
white with three focks of sheep laying
down waiting for the watering. l hear
their bleating coming on the bright air, and
the laughter Of young men and maidens
engaged in rustic repartee. look off and
see other hoeks of sheep coming. Mean.
while Jacob, stranger, on the interesting
errand of looking for wife, comes to the
well. 4 beautiful shepherdess comes to
the same well. see her approaching, fol.
lowed by her fathers flock of sheep. II
was a memorable meeting. Jacob married
that shepherdess, The Bible account OF 1t
is: Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his
voice and wept." 1t has always been
mystery to me what he found ts cry about
But before that scene occurred Jacob ac-
costs the shepherds and asks them why
they postponed the shaking of the thirst of
these sheep, and why they did not immedi-
ately proceed to water them. The shep-
herds replied to the effect: 1--WE are all
good neighbors and as a matter of courtesy
we wait until all the sheep OF the neigh
borhood come up. Besides that, this stone
on the wells mouth is somewhat
heavy and several of US take hold
of it and push it aside, and
then the buckets and the troughs are filled
and the sheep are satisfied. We cannot
until all the foeks be gathered together,
until they roll the stone from the wells
mouth, then we water the sheep"
oh, this is a thirsty world. Hot for the
head and blisteping for the feet and parch-
ing for the tongue. The worlds great want
isa
Cool, Refreshing, SatisfyinG Draught.
We wander around and we find the cistern
empty. Long and tedious drought has
dried up the worlds fountains. Nearly
nineteen centuries ago q shepherd with
crook in the shape OF cross and feet cut
to the bleeding explored the desert pas
sages of this world, and one day came across
we'll thousand feet deep, bubbling and
bright and epalescent, and looked to the
north, and the south, and the east and the
west, and cried out with voice strong aud
musical that rang through the ages: "Ho,
every one that thirsteth come ye to the
waters"
Now a great flock Of sheep to-day gather
around this gospel well. There are great
many thirsty souls. l wonder why the
fiocks of all nations do not gather-why so
many stay thirsty; and while am wonder
Rs Rogks ab4bet be tgiht,h@erSSat i, h@S te8 Ftdg f6
the stone from the wells mouth, then we
water the sheep"
II herd of swine come to well they
angrily jostle each other for the precedence.
III q drove of cattle comes to we'll they
hook each other back from the water. But
when flock OF sheep come, though nun
dred of them shall be disappointed they
only express it by a sad bleating. They
come together peacefully. we want
great multitude to come around
The Gospel Well.
| know there are those who do not like
crowd-they think a crowd is yui gar. IL
thew are pressed for room in church 1t
makes them positively impatient and bel
| lieerent. We have had people permanent
| ly leave our church because so many other
people come to it. Not so did these oriental
sbepberds. They waited until all the
| fiocks were gathered, and the more tiocks
that came the better they liked it, and so
we ought to be anIiou that all the people
| should come. Go out into the highways
| and the hedges and compel them TO come
indipent without the gospel Of jesus. 10
to the poor and tell them the atituence
there is in Christ. Go to the blind and
| tell them of the touch that gives
eternal illumination. Go TO the
lame and tell them OF the JOY that
will make the lame man leap like a hart.
Gather all the sheep off OF oil the noun
tains. None so torn of the dogs, none SO
sick, none so worried, none so dying as 70
be omitted. Why not gather great flock? !?
All Brooklyn in the flock; all New nork
in the flock; all London in the flock; all the
world in the flock. This
Well Of the Gospel
is deep enough to put out the burning
thirst Of the twelve hundred million oil the
race. Do not let the Church by spirit Oh
exclusiyepess keep the world out. Let
down all the bars, swing open all the gates,
scatter the invitation, "whosoeyer Will
come, let him come;" come white and
black: come red men Of the forest; come
LapI ander cut of the snow; come Patago'
niap out OF the heat; come in furs, come
pantine under palm leaves; come one,
come all; come now. As at this well oi
Mesopotamia Jacob and Rachel were be
trothed, so this morning at this well oil
salvation Christ, our Shepherd, will meet
yeu coming in with your long hocKa Q,
cares and anxieties, and de VIII stre.cn ou'
His hand and pledge you with aiiectioh
while all Heaven will cry out: "Bshol q
the bridegroom cometh, 60 ye out 70 mee
him.
You notice that this we'll OF Mesopotamii
had a stone on il. which must be removed
before the sheep could be watered, and
find on the
, Well OF Salvation
to-day, impediments and obstacles which
must be removed in order that You MAJ
, obtain the refreshment and life of thi
Gospel In your case the impeachment i
| pride of heart. You cannot bear to COM
J 10 so democratic q fountain; you do no
r | want to come with so many others. IL 4
TO Won like when Won are dry, coming to
town pump as compared to sitting IN
, | parlor slipping out of chased chaiice whicl
has lust been lifted from silver saiyeI
: Not 80 many publicans and sinners; To-
want TO get to heaven, but 1t must De IN
l SPECIAL Cer, your iect Uu iunASn ose~.N
e and band Of music on board the tram
e You do not want to be in company wit
rustic Jacob and Rachel, and 20 be drinkin
| out of the fountain where 10 600 sheep hav
been drinking before you. You will has
= remove the obstacle of pride, or nsye
sa --our way to the we'll You will hay
nnu - . -e came. willing TO take h
"ster @ Of life in s.. way and at any han.
4 snd in any kind Of p,.>Tn elsng CUT:
L6yd Jesns, / am dying Of th-"| 'i's 10
'he water or Eiermsf Afe.
whether Is tfcueh or gobleti give me th
water of life. r care NOT In what II come
to me-. Away with all your hihdfmees @
pride from the wtHs mouth. -
Here is another mzS Who is kept bac
from this water of life ~ the STONE Of a
/ obdurate heart which lies oTeL the mouth 9
the well. You have no more fesling on thi
| subject than If God had yet to do you tn
fret kindness. or you had to DO God th
first wrong Seated on his lap all thes
, years, bis everlasting arms sheltering You
where is your gratitude? Where Is ~
morning and evening prayer Where AZ
your consecrated lives? / say to you, 9