The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-05-16
LACHRYMALS.
A Sermon by the Rev. T. Dewitt
Talmage,
Preached In the Brooklyn Tabernacle
On Sunday Morning May
18th, 1888.
Opening hymn:
"WhO are these In bright array,
This lnnumerable thrOngr'

| Ut. Ihlmhgo redu ana 6XpOunuou ble
eleventh chapter of 'Ohn. II.
Subject of the sermon: ''Lachry mails" "
Text: Psalm LyI. 8: "Put thou my
tears into thy BOTTLE"
Within the past century travellers and
| antiQuarianS have explored the ruins of
many of the ancient cities, and from the
very heart of those buried splendOrs of
other days have been brought up evil
dences of customs that long ago vanish
ed from the world. From among tOmbs
OF those ages have been brought up
lachrymatOries or lachrymals which are
walls made OF earthen-ware. 1t was the
custom Of the ancient to catch the tears
that they wept over their dead in bot
tie and to place that bottle in the graves
OF the departed, and we have many
| specimens of the ancient lachrymR-
tories or tear bottles in our museums.
The text intimates that God has an in
innate acquaintance and perpetual re-
memberance of all our griefs, and a
vial, or lachrymatOry, or bottle, in
which He catches and saves our tears,
and | bring to you the coincidence of
/ this Christian sentiment. But why talk
/ OF human griefS when we have but to
look out and behold the largest pros
| perity-great harYests In all the land I;
multitudes of men, with no cares save
how they may safely invest their large
aceumulatiOns; joy in the city mansion
and mountain cabin; joy among the
lumbermen Of Maine, as they shove
their RATS into the river; joy among the
emigrants far out upon the vast prairies.
JOyl jOyl Why talk about griefP Alasl
the world has its pangs, and now, while
L speak, there are before me thick dark
ness of soul that need to be lifted. |
stand In the presence of some who are
about to break under the assault of
temptation, and perchance, if no words
appropriate to their cases he uttered to-
day, they perish forever. come on no
FOOLS errand. / put upon your wounds
no salVe compounded by human quack-'
cry, but, pressing straight up to the
mark, L hail you as vessel In midsea
cries to passing craft: Ship ahOyl and
invite you on board vessel which has
faith for Fudder, and prayer for sails,
and Christ for captain and Heaven for
an eternal harbOr. Catherine Rhein-
feldt, a Prussian, keeps boat with
which she reseues the drowning. When
q storm comes on the coast and other
people go 10 their beds to rest she puts
out in her boat for the relief of the dis
tressed, and hundreds of the drowning
has she brought safely to the beach. In
this life-bOat Of Gospel put out to-day,
hoping by Gods help to bring ashore at
least one soul that may now be sinking
in the billOws Of temptation and trOu-
bic. The tears that were once caught
in the lachrymatOries brought up from
HeTculaneum and POmpeii are all gone
and the bottle is as dry as the seOrie of
the volcano that submertied them. Not
80 with the bottle in which God gathers
all our tears.
First, remark that God keeps per-
petually the tears Of repentance. Many
a man has awakened in the morning
80 wretched from the nights debauch
that he has sObbed and wept. Pains In
the head, aching in the eyes, sick at
heart and unfit to step into the light.
He grieves not about his misdOing, but
about Its consequences. God makes no
record Of such weeping. OF all the mill
lion tears that have gushed as the re-
suit OF such mi9demeanOrs not one ever
got into Gods bottle. They dried on the
feVeFed cheek or were dashed down by
the blOated hand or fell into the red
wine cup as 1t came again to the lips,
fOaming with still worse intOxicatiOns.
But when q man Is sorry for his past
his wasted advantages and bemOanS his
rejection of Gods mercy and cries
amidst the laceratiOns OF an aroused
conscience for help out or his terrible
predicament, then God listens; then
Heaven bows down; then scepters of
pardon are extended from the throne;
then his crying rends the heart of
compassion, then his tears are caught
In Gods bottle. You know the story of
Paradise and the Peri. 1 think 1t might
be put to higher adaptation. An angel
starts from the throne of God to find
what thing 1t can on earth worthy of
being carried back to Heaven. 1t goes
down through the gold and silver mines
of earth, but finds nothing worthy of
transportation to the celestial city. 1t
goes down through. the depths of the
sea, where the pearls lie, and finds moth
ing worthy Of being taken back to
Heaven. But, coming to the foot of a
mountain, it'sees q wanderer weeping
prod gal start but do not fall to the
ground, for the angels wing catches
them, and with that treasure speeds
back to Heaven. God sees the angel
coming and says: Behold, the brightest
gem Of the earth and the brightest Jewel
OF HeaVen-the tears Of a sinners re-
pentance. Oh, when see the Heavenly
shepherd bringing a lamb from the
wilderness, when hear the quick tread
of the ragged prodioal. bastenin0 home
to find his father, when 1 see sailor
boy coming on the wharf and hurrying
away to beg his mothers pardon for
long neglect and unkindnees. when /
see the hOuseless coming to God for
shelter, and the wretched and the vile,
and the sin-burned and the passion
blasted appealing for mercy to COM
passionate God, [ exclaim In ectasy and
triumph, more tears for Gods bOttlel"
Again, God keeps a tender remem-
brance of all your sickness. How many
OF you are thoroughly sound In DOdyp
Not one out OF tenl do not exaggerate.
The vast majority of the race are con-
slant subjects of ailments. There is
some one form Of disease that You are
peculiarly subject to. You have weak
side OF back, or are subject to headaches
or faintness, or lungs easily distressed
IL would not take very strong blow to
shtver the golden bowl of life, or break
the pitcher at the fountain. Many of
you have kept on in life through sheer
force OF will. You think no one can un-
derstand your distress. Perhaps you
look strong and 1t Is supposed that you
are hyp0chOndriac. They say you are
nervous, as IL that were nothingi God
have marcy nDnn anY man or Qnman