The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-07-02
Our Evening Sermon !

"But against any of the children of Is
rael shall not dog move his tongue,
against man or beast: that ye may know
how that the Lord doth put difference
between the Egyptians and Israel" ."-Ex.
XII.
The Lord had scourged Pharaoh until
it seemed, to use a modern slang term,
that the latter's "hide was getting thick"
He had borne the visitation of frogs, lice,
darkness, and so on, but still would not
come up to the Lords terms. The time
was not yet come, according to Gods
plan, for the delivery of the bond-men.
But it was coming! Everything else had
been tried and now it was proposed to
try death. The heart of the wicked King
was once more hardened, and the children
Of Israel were notified that at the mid
night hour the angel of the Lord should
go forth and smite the first-born of every
Egyptian household. The Israelites were
to be furnished with token in the blood
of lambs, sprinkled upon the door-posts.
L HtSc lS NOilu CduSc Lil6 SWOlu vi GilS
destroyer to pass by that household. But
even death, swift and sure. did not induce
obedience on the part of the wicked King.
Now let us make comparison between
Pharaoh then and Pharaoh as he lives
now. There is wickedness in all the
land. Gods creatures are prosecuted by
the forces of the evil one, and by the
practice of the most enchanting wiles he
gains supremacy over them, and hangs to
them with all the persistency exhibited
by him so long ago. The Lord in return
for all this wickedness and oppression,
says to the Pharaoh of the present day:
"The way of the transgressor is hard-be-
hord, / will smite thee with disease" And
the King becomes rotten, and lousy, and
decrepit. He does not even smell like
unto tuberoses-but like unto the modern
blossom of the landscape known as the
slaughter-house. But the realm and
authority are still intact. The bondmen
have become enchanted as it were-stu-
pefied by the smell. Now comes the
scourge of destruction upon the first
born. But the first-born of the modern
Pharaoh is not smitten by the sword, but
by disease, even as the sire before him.
Now we see the blood sprinkled upon the
door-posts of Gods people and their chill
dren are not smitten. though still bond
men, But behold We come to the resi-
dence of Pharaoh himself, and there are
the blood-stains upon his door, also! In
astonishment we draw near, to inspect
the symbol, and try to conceive by what
manner he came into possession of the
sign. AS we approach, the coloring upon
the post is gradually transformed, grad
ually changing from intensity of coloring
to intensity of smell. At last the miser-
able, naked, odorferous truth beaks upon
US, that instead of having the blood of
lambs upon his door posts, it is nothing
but beer.
Did we say nothing but beer? There
is something besides. The blood was
there, and still stands forth in hideous
streaks, but the wicked one has been try
ing to wash out the stains with poison
even the poison with which he has long
been attempting to destroy the human
family. And this blood upon his door
DOSJS Is Lie DIOOtl VI liIuUS-SOIlSUOuy
lambs, not his own. Tender lambs torn
from the care of heart-broken parents;
stolen from the misdt of all the near and
dear ties of earth; lambs offered indeed
as a sacrifice-nOt unto the Lord, but un-
to the Evil One i'll whose service Pharaoh
carries on the horrible work of desolation.
Upon the appearance OF the angel at this
| I .,,f41
realm will apper with smile as broad,
and as sweet as a creVice in the side OF a
gourd, and make pretense that he is one
of the Lords chosen, and in his transcend
ent idiocy will work himself into the be-
! lief that the angel cannot tell the differ
ence between Sacrificial blood, and de-
structive beer. But this household can
! not be classed with those bearing the
genuine blood-marks. This Pharaoh can
not GO forth without fear OF Il dog using
his tongue because of any inherent right
eousness in himself, yet his heart is har-
dened by the eXperience-Which the an
cient Pharaoh did not have-that the
dogs will not touch him, and do not like
to go near him. The dogs do not shun
llIu UeCdlo0 ll0 SOONl, UuV DCSttuoO ellS
smell of the beer is more than an average
dog can stand. Therefore the modern
Pharaoh sometimes mistakes stencil fol
righteousness.
The Lord has indeed put difference
between" the people Of the modern Pha
raoh and His own people. On one hano
there is prevailing health, and peace, anC
happiness. On the other there is disease
and death, and horror. Even the human
image is destroyed and the life rendered
disgusting and repulsive. Yet this differ
ence does not arouse d feeling of uneasi
ness in the mind of the King of the Bar
rel. His emotions do not spring from th
heart and mind-they are located in tn
stomach They cannot be aroused by
kindly act or Il pathetic appeal. a glas
of beer is the only inspiration which cal
arouse the sluggish nature OF this King
This alone can arouse aquickened though
within him-the thought of taking an
| other glass!
So Pharaoh sits in his den, and dali
sprinkles the beer upon his door posts i