Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-25
A HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN.
CHRIST'S GREAT WORK AMONG
THE HILLS OF JUDEA.

BROOKLYN, n. u. Oct. 24,-The throngS
in and around the Brooklyn Tabernacle
on Sabbath mornings and evenings are
larger than at any time during the seven
teen years of DR.. Talmage's pastorate.
This morning the opening hymn was that
beginning:
"Oh, could | speak the matchless worth,
Oh, could sound the glories forth
That in my Saviour shinep'
The text was John xviii, 4: 81 have
finished the work which Thou gavest me
to do" The Rev. 4. Dewitt Talmage.
d. D., said:
There Is a profound satisfaction in the
completion of anything we have I'M
dertaken. We lift the capstone with ex-
ultation, while, on the other hand, there
is nothing more disappointing than, after
having toiled in certain direction, to
find that our time is wasted and our in.
vestment profitless. Christ came to
throw up highway on which the whole
world might, il il chose, mount into Heav-
en-. He did it. The foul-mouthed Grew
who attempted to tread on him could not
eXtinguish the sublime satisfaction which
he expressed when he said: 81 have fin
ished the work which Thou caves me to
do"
Alexander the Great was wounded, and
the doctors could not medioate his
wounds, and he seemed TO be dying, and
IN his dream the sick man saw plant
with peculiar flower, and be dreamed
that that plant was put upon his wound,
and that Immediately it was cured. And
Alexander, waking from his dream, told
this to the physician, and the physician
wandered out until he found just the kind
of plant which the sick man had de-
scribed, brought it to him and the wound
was healed.
Well, the human race had been hurt
with the ghastliest of all wounds-that
of sin. 1t was the business of Christ to
bring balm for that wOund--the balm
of divine restoration. In carrying this
business to successful issue the diff
culties were stupendous.
In many OF our plans we have our
friends to help US; some TO draw a sketch
of the plan, others to help us in the exc
cution. But Christ fought every inch of
his way against bitter hostility and amid
circumstances all calculated to depress
and defeat.
In the first place, His worldly occupa-
tiOn was against Him. l find that He
earned His lIvt.ibood by the carpenters
| trade-an occupation always to be highly
regarded and respected. But you know,
| AS well as do, that in order to succeed
in any employment one must give his en-
tire time to it, and have to declare that
the fatigues OF carpentry were uDfaVor-
able to the execution OF a mission which
required all mental and physical facul-
ties. Through high, hard, dry, husky,
insensate Judaism to hew way
tor new and glorious dispen-
sstion was a stupendous undertaking
mat was enough TO demand all the con-
centrated energies even OF Christ. We
nave great many romantic stories about
what men with physical toll have accom-
Dlished in Intellectual departments; but
you know that alter man has been toll.
ing all day with adze, and saw, and ham,
mer, plane and AK, about all he can do is
to rest. A weary body is an unfavorable
adjunct to a toiling mind. You whose
upbuilding of a kingdom, or the procla-
nation of new code of morals, or the
starting OF a revolution which should up
turn all nations, could yet some idea of
the incoherence of ChrIsps worldly occu-
patton with His heavenly mission.
In His fathers shop no more inter-
course was necessary than is ordi-
narlly necessary In bargaining with men
btnat have work to do; yet Christ, with
hands hard from touch of tools of trade,
was called forth TO become public
speaker, 10 preach IN the face of mobs,
while some wept, and some shook their
hsts, and some gnashed upon Him with
their teeth, and many wanted Him out of
the way.
10 address orderly and respectful as
semblages is not so easy rs il may seem,
but it requires more energy, and more
fogce, and more concentration 10 address
an exasperated mob. The villagers of
Nazareth heard the pounding OF His ham,
mer, but all the wide reaches of eternity
were to hear the stroke of His spiritual
upbuilding.
so also His habits Of dress and of diet
were against Hum. The mighty men OF
Cnrists time did not appear IN apparel
without trinkets and adornments. None
of the Casars would have appeared in
citizen's apparel. Yet here was a man
here was a pretended KinR-who al
ways wore the same coat. Indeed, ii was
far from shabby, for alter he had worn it
long while the gamblers thought 1t
worth raffllng about; but still II was far
from being an imperial robe. 1t was
coat that any ordinary man might have
worn on AN ordinary occasion.
Neither was there any pretension In
His diet. No cup-bearer with golden
challce brought Him wine TO drink. On
the seashore he ate fish, 1rst having
brOiled IL Himself. No one fetched Him
water to driak, but bending over the well
IN Samarla He begged drink. He sat
at only one banquet, and that not at all
sumptuOus, for, 10 relieve the awkward
ness OF the host, one of the guests had to
prepare wiue for the company.
Olhcr kings ride In "a chariot. He
walked. Otner kings, as they advance,
have heralds ahead, and applaudiDg sub
iects behind. Cnrists retlnue was made
up of sunburned fishermen. Other kings
sleep under embro!ae red canopy; this one
on snelterless hill. Riding but once, as
far as / now remember, on a colt, and
that borrowed.
Again, His poverty was against Fl i'm.
1t requires money 10 build great enter
prises. Men OF means are afraid OF pen
niless protector, lest a loan be demanded.
1t requires money TO print books, to build
institutions, 10 pay instructors. No
wonder the wise men OF Christs time
laughed at this penniless Christ. "Why,"
they said, ''who il to pay for this new re.
ligion? Who is to charter the ships 20
carry the missionaries? VINO ia TO ray
the salaries of the teacbersY Shall wealthy
judaism be discounted by a penniless
ChristW
The consequence was that most OF the
people that followed Christ had nothing
TO lose. Wealthy Joseph OF Arimathea
buried Christ, but he risked no social
position in doing that. 1t is always safe
10 bury q dead man. Zaccheus risked no
wealth or social position in following
Christ, but took position IN tree TO
a