The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-07-22
pR, TALMAGE'S SERMON.
VOICES OF GARDENS AND
FIELDS.

Text: My beloved Is unto me as a clus-
ter OF campfire in the vineyards of Engedi.n
Song Of solomon, l., IA.
Solomon's Song has been considered by
many as tit only for moon n,struck sentiment
talists, written by a voluptuary, thu story of
a man crazed by fair maiden, neither fit for
family prayers nor tor church. Indeed, We
must admit that there were years in Solo
mons life when he had several hundred more
wives than he was entitled to, but he re-
pented Of his sin, and God chose him to write
some of the best things about Christ that
have ever been written. Beside that,
think the criticism Of modern times
upon the inmodesty of the Ribls ccmes with
poor grace from century in which the writ
ings of George Sand came to their fortieth
edition, and Christians cannot get to the
prayer meeting because they have tickets for
make "The Black Crook" respectable.
think, however, as far as can see in my
stupidity, that there are things turned out
upon the community to-day that bid fair to
do more damage than the Song of Solomon.
Hear, now, one of his fresh and fair de-
scriptions of Jesus. If had twenty years
to preach would like to employ ten of them
in bringing out to observation those repre-
sentations of Christ that have as yet been
passed by. ldonot know why the pulpit should
hover over few types of Christ when
there are so many symbols of Jesus that have
never been discourstd upon. Why should we
employ all our time in examining few lilies
when the Bible is great garden filled with
fuchsias, and with daffodils, and with ANA
ranths, and evening primroses for the close
OF MES day, and crocnses at the foot of the
snow bank of sorrow, and heartsease for the
troubled, and passion-nowers planted at the
foot OF cross, and morning glories spread
ing out under the spleudors OF the breaking
day! Some years ago l discoursed to yol
hS,, a,xthit hos, of Jnr,,
OF the newspapers supposed it was mere
fancy of my own-the poor fools not know
ing that in Revelations, the first and the
fourteenth, the Bible speaks of Christ: His
head and His hairs were white like wool--as
white as snow"-symbolizing the eternity Of
Jesus.
1erraced on the side of the mountain were
the vineyards of Engedi. On they are sweet
placesl From a shelving of the mountain,
4OOfeet high, waters came down in beautiful
baptism on the faces of the leaves; the grapes
intoXicate with their own wine :pomegranates
with juices bursting from the rind; all
fruits, and flowers, and aromatic woods
among the sweetest Of these the campfire
plant of the text. Its flowers are in clusters
like our lilacs-graceful,f fragrant, symbolical
of Jesus; for "my beloved is unto me as q
cluster of campfire from the vineyards of
Engedi."
will carry out the idea of my text, and in
the first place show you that this campfire
plant of the text was a symbol of Christ, be-
cause of his fragrance. If had branch Of
it, and should wave it in your midst, it would
fill the house with its redolence. The cam
phire, as we have it, is offensive to some; but
the campfire plant of the text has fra
GRANGE gracious to all The vineyards of
Engedi bathel in 1.-THE branches, the buds,
the blossoms dripping with sweetness, typical
of the sweetness Of Christ.
How sweet the name Of Jesus sounds
1t soothes his so.rows heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
The name Of Cesar means power; the
name of Herod means cru city; the name OF
Alexander means conquest; the name OF De-
mosthenes means eloquence; the name Of
Milton means poetry; the name of Benjamin
West means painting the name of Phidias
means sculpture the name of Beethoven means
music the name of Howard means reform;
but the name of Christ means love- 1t is the
sweetest name that ever melted from lip or
heart. As you open an old chest that has
long been closed, the first thing that strikes
you is the perfume of the herbs
that were packed amid the clothing: so there
are hundreds of hearts here which, if opened,
would first offer to You the name Of Jesus.
Have you net seen Him. Through the dark
night of your sin has He not flashed upon
your vision! Beautiful when He comes to
save you. n ltlle Cullu was Crying very
much during the time Of the eclipse. 1t got
so dark at noon that she was afraid and kept
sobbing, and could not be silencei until
after awhile the sum came out again,
and she clapred her hands and said:
ooh, the sun! the SUM" Some of us
have been in the darkness Of our sin;
ecit1c a.. e-.irc, Is "a -sed ever our soul;
poured His beams upon our hearts. and We
cried: 1.-The sun! the sum" Beautiful dawn
in the straw of Bethlehem Khan Beautiful
in His moth RS shawl, fugitive to Egypt
Beautiful with HIS feet in the Gailean surf!
Beautiful with the children hanging about
His neck! beautiful in the home circle Of
Bethany! Fairer than the sons Of men: day
in darkness, rose of Sharon; lily Of she valley
altogether lovely! Oh! He is su b a sin
| pardoner. such a trouble soo.her, such a
wound-binder, such grave breaser, that the
| fainte5t pronunl iatlon OF His name rouseS up
the incense of the garden, and all the rer-
fume of the tropics; while the soul, in ecstasy
of affection, cries out: MY beloved is unto
me as cluster of campfire from the vine
| yards of Engedi."
/ But how shall talk Of the sweetness of
! Christ's pardon to those who have never felt
it: of the sweetness of His comfort to those
who have refused his promise; of the sweet.
ness of His face to those who have turned
unelr back up7a His love! Now, great
many people RAY think this is merely sickly
sentimentalism. Jonathan Edwards was Q
cool man. He was hasa in some of his opin
| ions, he was mover afflicted with any senti
mental ardor, and yet when the name oi
Christ was mentioned, it threw him into 0
transport. Paul was a cool logi ian
T, with ner IS unshaken in the Medi
terranean sb'pwre X, a granitic nature
contorta' nth the whole world against
him, shaking his fist in the face of the gov
ernmenS of earth and the forces of darkness
yet tho thought of Christ thrilled him
transported HIM, overwhelmed him. John
Knox was unbending in his nature and hard
| tion made the Queen shiver and the Duchess
quake yet he sat down as little child a,
the feet of Jesus. Solomon was surrounded
by all palatial splendor-his ships going out
| from E1on-geber on voyages of three years
bringing Lack all the wonders of the world
his parks aiCat with myrrh and frankin
cens,, and rustic with treas brought from
foreign lands; the traces of his stupeudous
gardens found by the traveller at this day
Solomon sits down at this place to think Of
Christ. the altogether lovely, and the alto
gether far: and whilst seated there comes
breath of the spices and aromatic woods, ant
of the blossoms in through the palace win
dow, and he cries OUT IN v beloved is unit
me as cluster Of campfire from the vine
yards of Engedi.n
Oh, rich and rare, exquis ite and everlast
ing perfumel Let it in every poor man'
windows; plant it on every grave; put it
leaves under every dying head wreathe it
blossoms for every garland: wave its branchc
IN every home; and when l am about to die
and my hand lies cold ard stiff and whit
upon the pillow, let some plain and humol
soul come and put in my dy ing grasp this liv
ing branch VITA clusters .'of campfire from
the vineyards of Engedi"
1t is many years now since found IN
Lord, and must in your presence tell yo
how good He has been to my soul. Ofte
since then have given Him a hard thrust i
His sore side but He has been patient wit
me by day and by night 1t is the grief o
my life that have treated Him SO badly
but He has never let me 60 / have seen n
wonderful sights, have heard no wonderfr
sounds, l have no marvellous experience;
has been a plain story of patience on His par
and of unworthinesso on my part Some of IN
, dear friends before me have had NOR
, rapturous experience Christ to them hn
been the connquerer on the white horse, O
, the sun of righteousness, setting everytbin
ablaze with light; or the bridegroom, con
ing with lantern and torches To me it hs
been a very quiet and undemonstrative e.
perience 1t has been something very swee
but very still How shall I describe it,
have il now: "My beloved is unto me as