The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-12-25
THE JERICHO ROAD.
Fourth Discourse by Rev. T. Dewitt
Talnage on the Holy Land.
Scenes Recalled and Thoughts Suggested
by q Journey from Jerusalem to
RJericho-The Modern Good
Samaritan.

Below we give the fourth of the
series OF discourses on the Holy Land
delivered by Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage
in Brooklyn and New York City. 1t is
founded on the text:
Acertain man went down from Jerusalem
to Jericho.-Luke x. 81.
1t is the 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 and pound
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 | 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 offieiate at the
temple. And one of these ministers of
religion, 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, there is a man that has
been attacked of thieves" why DOM
you go homer" says the minister. The
man in q comatose state makes no
answer or, with half-dazed look, puts
his wounded hand to his gashed fore
head and drawls out '.What?" "Well, :"
says the minister, 81 must hurry on
to my duties at Jerusalem. 1 have to
kill lamb and two pigeons in sacrifice
to-day. l can not spend any more time
with this unfortunate. guess some
body else will take care of him. But
this is one of the 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, 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 more
acceptable to God than all the incense
that will smoke up from your censor
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
the temple. This Levite, passing along
this road where We are to-day, took a
look at the mass of bruises and laceSa-
ton in the middle of the road. MY!
myp' 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 | am not there no
one will carry my part. Besides
that there may not be enough
frankincense 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 little stimulant. But
no! The ceremony at Jerusalem is of
more Importance than taking care of
the wounds of 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, l have lost five min
utes already! ''Go along, you beast, :"
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
4 do any thing by way of alienation, be-
cause he and the wounded man belong
to different nations which have abom-
mated each otEer for centuries. The
wounded mn is an Israelite, and the
stranger now coming on this scene of
suffering is Samaritan. They belong
to nations which hated each other with
an obiurgation and malediction diabolic.
They had opposition temples, one on
Mount Gerizim and the other on
Mount Meriah, and guess this
Samaritan when he comes up will
give the fallen Israelite another
clip and say: Good for you! I
will Just finish the work these bandits
began, and give you one more kick tina.
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 Gerizim 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.
tton, and our ancestors worshiped in