National Republican., 1886-07-05

"THE HAMPToNs," July 4.-Wmle tne
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage, d. D., is absent
from his pulpit in Brooklyn and recreating
in the country, he continues to preach,
taking subjects suggested by summer
scenes and surroundings, and his dlscourses
constituting course entitled "Voices OF
Gardens and Fields" Following is the
first sermon in tae series, preached to-day
from the text, "My beloved is unto me as
cluster Of campfire In the vineyards Of
Engedi." Song OF Solomon, chapter !,
verse IA;
solomon's Song has been considered by
many as fit only for moOn-struck senti-
mentalists; written by voluptuary, the
story Of a man crazed by fair maiden 1T
neither for family prayers nor for church.
Indeed, we must admit that there were
years In Solomon's life when he had several
hundred more wives than he was entitled
to; but he repented Of his sin, and God
chose him to write some OF the best things
about Christ that have ever been written.
Besides that, think the criticism of modern
times upon the immodesty OF the Bible
comes with poor grace from a century In
which the writings Of George Sand come
to their fortieth edition, and Christians
cannot get 10 the prayer meeting because
they have tickets for places Of amusement
go depraved that they make the "Black
Crookn respectable. think, however, as
far as l 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-
scriptlons Of Jesus. III had twenty years
to preach would like TO employ ten OF
them in bringing out to observation those
representations OF Christ that have as yet
been passed by. l do not know why the
nnlpff qbanlH hnvar n fay tynpQ Of
Christ when there are SO many symbols Of
Jesus that have never been discoursed
upon. Why should we employ all our
time in examining few lilies when the
Bible is great garden filled with fuschias,
and with dairodils, and with amaranths,
and with evening priuroses for the close OF
life's day.. land crOouses at the foot OF the
snow bank Of sorrow, and heartsease for
the troubled, and passlon-nowers planted
at the foot OF cross, and morning glories
spreading out under the splendors OF the
breaking dayp Some years ago l dlscoursed
TO you about 'the white hairs of Jesus,n
and some Of the newspapers supposed 1t
fools not knowing that in Revelations, the
first and the fourteenth, the Bible speaks OF
Christ, ''IIis head and His hairs were white
like wool--as white as snow''-symbolizing
the eternity OF Jesus.
Terraced on the side Of the mountain
were Iue NlHe1uTub VI bUkGuls Ou, lucy
were sweet places From shelving Of the
mountain, 400 feet high, waters came down
in beautiful baptism on the faces OF the
leaves the grapes intoxlcate with their
own wine; pomegranates with juices burst
ing 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 lllacs-
graceful, fragrant, symbollcal Of Jesus;
for "my beloved is unto me as cluster OF
campfire from the vineyards Of Engedi.n
! win carry out the idea of my text, and
in the first place show you that this cam
phire plant Of the text was a symbol Of
Christ, because of Its fragrance. II had a
branch OF 1t, and should wave It in your
midst, It would fill all the house with its
Iedolence. The campfire, as we have it, is
offensive to some but the campfire plant
of the text had a fragrance gracious to all.
The vineyards OF Engedi bathed In 1.-THE
branches, the buds, the blossoms dripping
with sweetness, typical Of the sweetness
Of Christ
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In q believers ear
1t soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
The name Of Caesar means power; the
name OF Herod means cruelty: the name Of
Alexander means conquest; the name Of
Demosthenes means eloquence; the name
OF Milton means poetry; the name OF Ben
jamin West means painting; the name Of
Phidias means sculpture; the name Of
Beethoven means music; the name Of How
ard 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 per-
fume 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 not seen
Him2 Through the dark night Of your sin
has He not flashed upon your visionH Beau,
titul when He comes to help, beautiful
when He comes TO save. A little child was
crying very much during the time OF an
eclipse. Itgot so dark at noon that she was
afraid, and Kept sobbing, and could not he
silenced, until after awhile the sun came
out again, and she clapped her hands, and
said: 80, the sun! the SUM" Some of us
have been In the darkness OF our sin;
eclipse after eclipse has passed over our
soul; but after awhile the Sun OF Righteous
ness poured His beams upon our hearts,
and we cried: "The sun! the sunl' Beautiful
dawn in the straw Of the Bethlehem Khanl
Beautiful in his mothers shawl, a fugitive
TO Egypt! Beautiful with his feet In the
Galilean surf Beautiful with the children
hanging about his neckl Beautiful In the
home circle of Bethany Fairer than the
sons OF men; day-spring from on high;
light for those who sit In darkness; rose OF
Sharon; lily of the valley-altogeth
lovelyl' Oh, He is such a sin-pardoner, such
-trouble'soother, such wound binder,
such grave-breaker, that the faintest pro-
nunciation OF his name rouses up all the
incense OF the garden, and all the perfume
of the tropics; while the soul, In ecstacy OF
affection, cries out: "My beloved is unto
me as cluster of campfire from the Vine
yards Of Engedi.n
But how shall talk OF the sweetness OF
Christ's pardon to those who have never
felt 1t; OF the sweetness OF His comfort tc
those who have refused His promise; Of the
sweetness of His face to those who have
turned their back upon His lover Now, {
great many people may think this is merely
sickly sentimentalism. Jonathan Edwards
was cool man. He was harsh In some OF
any sentimental ardor; and yet, when the
name OF Christ was mentioned, 1t threw
him into transport. Paul was q coo
logician, with nerves unshaken In the Med
iterranean shipwreck, granite nature
comfortable with the whole world against
him, shaking his fist In the face of the gov
ernments of earth and the forces OF dark
ness; yet the thought Of Christ thrilled him
transported him, overwhelmed him. JohI
Knox was unbending In his nature an(
hard In some respects. The flash OF hi
indignation made the queen shlve
and the duchess quake; yet ne sa
down us little child at the fec
OF Jesus. Solomon was surrounded by
all palatial splendor-his ships going ou
from EZion-geber on voyages Of three years
bringing back all the wonders of the world
his parks aioat with myrTh and franklin
cense, and a-rustle with trees brought from
foreign lands; the traces Of his stupendonI
gardens found by the traveller at this day
Solomon sits down In this place to think o
Christ, the altogether lovely, and the alto
gether fair; aud whilst seated there come
breath OF the spices and aromatic woods
and Of the blossoms In through the palace
window, and he cries out: "My beloved 4
unto me as cluster Of campfire from th,
vinavarda NJ En0adf -