The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1889-06-19
LOST THEIR WAY.
Sermon by Rev. T. Dewitt Tai
mage, d. d.
Lessons Drawn From the Sending Away OF
sarah's Servant, Hagar-Importance
or People Staying In the sphere
Tor which They Are Intended.


The subject Of DR.. Talmage's recent dis.
course was "People who have lost their
way.o He took for his text: "And God
opened her eyes, and she saw well Of
water, and she went and filled her bottle
with water, and gave the lad drink"-
Genesis xxi 49, The eloquent preacher
said:
Morning breaks upon Beer-sheba. There
is an early stir In the house OF old Abraham.
There has been trouble among the domes-
. tics Hagar, an assistant In the household,
and her sonia brisk lad OF sixteen years,
have become imprudent and insolent, and
Sarah, the mistress Of the household, puts
her foot down very hard, and says that they
will have to leave the premises. They are
packing up now. Abraham, knowing that
the journey before his servant and her son
will be very long and across desolate places,
In the kindness OF his heart sets about put
ting up some bread and bottle with water
in It, It is very plain lunch that Abraham
provides, but Iwarrantyou there would have
been enough OF II had they not lost their
way. "God be with you" said old Abraham
as he gave the lunch to Hagar, and good
many charges as TO how sho should conduct
tho journey. Ishmael, the boy, ! suppose
bounded away In the morning light. Boys
always like a change. Poor Ishmael He
had no idea Of the disasters that are ahead
OF him. Hagar gives one long, lingering
look on the familiar place where she had
spent 50 many happy days, each scene asso-
ciated with the pride and Joy OF her heart
young Ishmael
The scorching noon comes on. The air is
sitting and moves across the desert with In
suffera BILE suffocation. Ishmael, the boy,
begins 10 complain and lies down, but Hagar
rouses him up, saying nothing about her
own WEAKNESS or the sweltering heat, for
mothers can endure any thing. Trudge,
trudge, trudge. Crossing the dead level Of
the desert, how wearily and slowly the
miles slip. A tamarind that seemed hours
ago 10 stand only just little ahead, inviting
the travellers to come under its shadow, now
Il as far OF as ever, or seemingly So Night
drops upon the desert, and the travellers are
pillowless. Ishmsel, very weary, suppose,
instantly falls asleep. Hagar, as the shad-
ows Of the night begin TO lap over each other
--Hagar hugs her weary boy to her bosom
and thinks Of the fact that IL is her fault
that they are in the desert. A star looks
out. and every falling tear II kisses with a
sparkle Awing Of wind comes over the hot
earth and lifts the locks from the fevered
brow OF the boy. HaQar sleeps ftfully, and
in her dreams travels over the weary day,
and half awaIes her son by CRYING out In
her sleep ''Ishmaeli Ishmaelp' And SO
they 10 on, day after day and night
after night, for they have lost their
way. No path in the shifting sands, no sign
In the burning sky. The sack empty of the
fiour. the water gone from the bottle. wha,
shall she doi As she puts her faintine
IshmaeI under a stunted shrub OF the arid
plain she sees the bloodshot eve, and feels
tbe hot hand. and watches the blood burst,
ing from the cracked tongue. and there Is Z
shrek IN the desert Of Beer-sheba,, ."Wt
shail diel we shall diep, Now. no rnothe,
was ever made strong enough 10 near he,
aon crv In vain f6r a drink Heretofore sh,
had cheered her how nv promIsing n speed,
end N the iournev even smIIed unon him
when he felt desnoratelv enough. Nov
there IA notbino 10 do bnt nlaoe him under
sbrub and lei MIN d,e. she ma thought ths
abe would sit there and watch uritii III,
spfrit Of her how would 20 away forever
and then she would breathe ont her own III,
on bi. silent beaft; but AZ the how begins !,
claw his tongue In agony Of thirst ant
strtirele In distortion and bee his mother
TO slay him. she can not endure the spec
taeIe She u,Its him under Shrub and zoe,
OF bow shot and begins 10 weep until al
the desert seems sobbine and her or,
strikes clear through the heavens; and Al
sanoel OF God comes ont ON a cloud and look
down upon fine appallinv Trief and cries
siHaoar' what aileth theein She looks n,