Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-02-28
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S sun
DAY SERMON.
Subject: The House on the Wall"

TEu: And the young men that trere
spies tcent IN, and brought oWt Rdhdb. and
her father and her mother; and her breth-
rem, and oil that she had. Joshua vi, %.
An enthusiastic welcome was given to
Dr. Talmage in the Brooklyn Academy of
Music when he preached his first sermon
after his return from the Holy Land. Every
seat was occupied, and all standing room,
even the space on the stage behind the
preacher, was filled. The two opening hymns
were 'Blest Be the Tie That Binds and
Land Ahead" Before he began preach
he was glad to reach home and speaking of
his church which was burned he expressed his
great pleasure that the new walls were al
ready rising. The subject of the sermon was
The House on the Wall" The preacher
said:
When, only a few weeks ago l visited
Jericho, l said Can it be possible that this
dilapidated place is Jericho that Mark
Antony gave a wedding present to Cleo
ratra: Where are the groves of palm
trees? Where are Herod's palaces that once
stood here: Where is the great theatre from
the stage of which Salome told the people
that Herod was dead? Where is the
sycamore tree on the limb of which
Laccheus sat when Jesus passed this place?
W here is the wreck of the walls that fell at
the blowing of the rams horns? But the fact
that all these have disappeared did not hinder
me from seeing in imagination the smash of
everything on the fated day save one house
on the wall. That scene centuries ago comes
back to me as though it were yesterday.
There is very sick and sad house in the
city OF jericho. What is the matter? Is it
poverty? No. Worse than that Is it
leprosy? No. Worse than that Is il death?
No. Worse than that. a daughter mas for
Saken her home. By what Internal plot she
was induced to leave / know not: but they
look in vain for her return. Sometimes they
a ton var Ito bnr- and Iowy
start up and say: 'She comesr' but only to
sink back again into disappointment That
is the first scene in this drama of the Bible.
In a house on the wall of the city is that
daughter. That is her home now. Two spies
have come from the invading army to look
around through Jericho and see how best it
may be taken. Yonder is the lost child i'll
that dwelling on the wall of the city.
First, Rahab-fOr that was the name of the
lost child-frst, Rahab secreteS the two spies
and gets their pursuers off the track; but
after awhile she says to them: Il will make
a bargain with you. will save your life if
you will save my life, and the life of my
father and my mother and my brothers and
my sisters when the victorious army comes
upon the city" Oh, she had not forgotten
her home yet, you see. The wanderer never
fOrgets home.
No sooner have the men united the scarlet
cord from their bodies than they look up and
they say You had better get all your
friends in this hOuse-yOur father, your
mother, your brothers and your sisters: YOU
had better get them in this house. And,
then, after you have them here, take this
red cord which you have put around our
bodies and tie it across the window; and
when our victorious army comes up, and
sees that scarlet thread in the window, they
will spare this house and all who
are in it. Shall it be SOP cried the
spies ave. aye said Rahab, from the WIN
dow, lit shall be So" That is the second
scene in this Bible drama. There is knock
at the door Of the old man. He looks up, and
says: Come ill.," and 10. there is Rahab
the lost child; but she has no time to talk
They gather in excitement around her, and
she says to them: Get ready quickly, and
go with me to my house The army is COM
ing. The trumpet! Make haste, Fly!
The enemyw That is the third scene in this
Bible drama.
The hosts of Israel are all around about
the doomed city Of Jericho. Crash! goes the
great metropolis, heaps on heaps. The air
suffocating with the dust, and horrible with
the screams of dying city. All the houses
fiat down. All the people dead. All, no. no.
On a crag Of the wali-the only piece of the
wall left Standing-there is house which we
must enter There is a family there that
have been spared. Who are they? Let us go
and see Rahab her father her mother her
brothers, her sisters, all safe, and the only
house left standing III ali the city. What
saved them Can you tell me why O, it was
the scarlet line i'll the window That is the
fourth scene in this Bible drama.
Ny friends there are foes coming upon US
more deadly and more tremendous, to over
throw our immortal interests. They will
trample us down and crush US out forever,
unless there be some skilfuI mode of rescue
open.
In the first place. carrying out the idea of
my text, we must stretch this scarlet cord
across the window of our rescue. There
comes a time when man is surrounded
What is that in the front door of his soul? it
is the threatenings of the future. What is
that in the back door of his soul? 1t is the
sins of the past. He cannot get out of either
of those doorways. If he attempts it he will
be cut to pieces. What shall he do? Escape
through the window of Gods mercy. That
sunshine has been pouring in for many day
Gods inviting mercy. Gods pardoning
mercy. Gods all conquering melCy. Gods
everlasting mercy.
1t is easy to get into sin. young man. It
is not so easy to get out of it. A young man
goes to the marble counter of hotel. He
asks for a brandy smash-called 50, l sup
pose, because it smashes the man that takes
1t. There is no intOxication in it. AS the
young man receives it he does not seem to
be at all excited. 1t does not give any glossi-
ness to the eye. He walks home in beauti-
full apparel, and all his prospects
are brilliant. That drink is not going
to destroy him. but it is the first step on q
Dau AOou. ears nave passed on, ana see
that young man after he has gone the whole
length of dissipation. 1t is midnight, and he
is In hotel-perhaps the very one where he
took the first drink A delirium is upon
him. He rises from the bed and comes to
the window, and it is easily lifted; so
he lifts it. Then he pushes back
the blinds and puts his foot on the
window sill. Then he gives one spring,
and the Waterman finds his disfigured BODY.
on the pavement O. if he
1v al ba haI