The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-10-30
THE JERICHO ROAD.
Fourth Discourse by Rev. T. Dewitt
Talmage on the Holy Land.
Scenes Recalled and Thoughts Suggested
BIZ Journey from Jerusalem to
lJerlcho-Ehe Modern Good
Samaritan.

| founded on the text:
| A certain man went down from Jerusalem m
| to Jericho.-Luke K, 30
1t is tho morning of December 5, in
| Jerusalem, and we take stirrups for the
road along which the wayfarer Of old
| fell among thieves. who left him
wounded and half dead. With
| the fresh memory of some recent
violence in their minds, Christ tells
| the people OF the good Samaritan who
came along that way and took care of a
poor fellow that had been set upon by
| villainous Arabs and robbed ard pound
ed and cut. We encamped for lunch
that noon close by an old stone build
ing, said TO be the tavern where the
scene spoken of in the Bible eliminated.
Tumbled in the dust and CHASTITY with
wounds, the victim of the highway rob-
berry lay in the middle of the road-a
fact Of which 1 was certain, because the
Bible says the people passed by on
either side. There were twelve thou
sand priests living at Jericho, and they
had to go to Jerusalem to officiate at the
temple. And one of these ministers of
religion, I suppose, was on his way
| to the temple service, and he is
startled as he sees this bleed
ing victim in the middle of the road,
oh" he says, here is man that has
been attacked of thieves" "Why don't
you go home?" says the minister. The
man in q comatose state makes no
answer or, with half-dazed look, puts
10 IaJ 20 ohaI
head and drawls out "Wbat?" "Well,"
says the minister, 81 must hurry on
to my duties at Jerusalem. l have to
kill lamb and two pigeons in sacrifice
to-day. ] can not spend any more time
with this unfortunate. guess some
body else will take care of him. But
this is one of tho things that can not
be helped anyhow. Besides that, my
business is with souls and not with
bodies. Good morning! When you get
we'll enough to sit up, 1 will be glad to
see you at the temple"
And the minister curves his way out
toward the overhanging sides of the
road and passes. You hypocrite! One
of the chief offices of religion is to heal
wounds You might have done here a
kindness that would have been moro
acceptable to God than all tho incense
that will smoke up from your censer
for the next three weeks and you missed
the chance. Go on your way! Exc
Grated by the centuries.
Soon afterward a Levite came upon
the scene. The Levites looked after the
music of the temple and waited upon
the priests and provided the supplies of
tho temple. This Levite, passing along
this road where we arc to-day, took
look at the mass of bruises and lacera-
ton in the middle of the road. My!
my" says the Levite, this man is
awfully hurt, and he ought to be helped.
But my business is to sing in the choir
at the temple. If l am not there no
one will carry my part. Besides
that, there may not be enough
frankincensc for the censers, and the
wine or oil may have given out
and what a fearful balk in the serv-
ice that would make. Then one of the
priests might get his breast-plate on
crooked. But it seems too bad to leave
this man in this condition. Perhaps /
had better try to stanch this bleeding
and give him a little stimulant. But,
no! The ceremony at Jerusalem is of
more Importance than taking care of
the wounds of a man who will probably
soon be dead anyhow. This highway
robbery ought to be stopped. for it
hinders us Levites on our way up to the
temple. There, have lost five min
-, IuI 10 oil hooct ~
he shouts, as he strikes his heels into
the sides of the animal carrying him,
and the dust rising from the road soon
hides the hard-hearted official.
But third person is coming along
this road. You can not expect him to
do any thing by way of alleviation, be-
cause he and the wounded man belong
TO different nations which have abom-
mated each other for centuries. The
wounded man is an Israelite, and the
stranger now coming on this scene of
suffering is a Samaritan. They belong
70 nations which hated each other with
an obiurgation and malediction diabolic.
They had opposition temples, ono on
Mount Gerizim and the other on
Mount Moriah, and l guess this
Samaritan when ho comes up will
give the fallen Israelite another
clip and say: Good for you!
will Just finish the work these bandits
began, and give you one more kick that
will put you out OF your misery. And
here is rag of your coat that they did
not steal and will take that What!
Do you dare to appeal to me for mercy?
Hush up! Why, your ancestors wor-
SHIPPED at Jerusalem when they ought
to have worshiped at GeriEim. Now
take that! And that! And that" will
say the Samaritan as he pounds the
fallen Israelite.
No; the Samaritan rides up to the
scene of suffering, gets off the beast
and steps down and looks into the face
of the wounded man and says: This
poor fellow does not belong to my ma
tion, and our ancestors worshiped in
different places, but he is a man, and
that makes us brothers. God pity him,
as do" And he gets down on his knees
and begins TO examine his wounds, and
straighten out his limbs to see If any Of
his bones are broken, and says: My dear
fellow, cheer up, you need have no
more care about yourself. for am going
to take care of you. Let me feel OF
your pulse! Let me listen to your
breathingl have ia these bot
ties two liquids that will help you. The
one is oil, and that will soothe the pain
of those wounds, and the other is wine,
and your pulse is feeble and you feel