Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-23
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
The Dangers that Surround the
Kingly Office Portrayed,
And Likened to the Dangers Met and
Conquered by the Lieutenants of
Christ - Though Many Fall
the King Stiu Lives.

nOunced to deliver the following sermon
in Paris, on his return trip from the Holy
Land. His text was:
Jehosheba, the daughter Of King JOram,
sister of AhaZia1, took JOash, the son of
Ahaziah, and stole him from among the
Kings sons which were 81 ain; and they hid
him, even him and his nurse, in the bed
chamber from AthaIiah, so that he was not
slain. And he was with her hid in the house
of the Lord six vears.-II. Kings, XII, ?, 3.
Grandmothers are more lenient with
their children's children than with their
own. At forty years of age, if disci-
pline be necessary. chastisement is used,
but at seventy the grandmother, look
ing upon the misbehavior of the grand
child, is apologetic, and disposed to sub
stitute confectionery for whip There
is nothing more beautiful than this mel
lowing of old age toward childhood
Grandmother takes out her pocket
handkerchief and wipes her spectacles
and puts them on, and looks down into
the face OF the mischievous and rebel
ious descendant, and says: Il don't
think he meant to do it; let him off
this time; I'll be responsible for his be-
havior in the future" My mother, with
the second generation around her-a
boisterous crew-said one day: Il sup
pose they ought to be disciplined, but
can't do it. Grandmothers are not fit to
bring up children" But here, in my
text, We have grandmother of differ
ent hue.
1 have within a few days been in Je-
rusalem, where the occurrence of the
text took place, and the whole scene
came wildly before me while l was go
ing over the site of the ancient temple
and climbing the towers of the Kings
palace. Here in the text it is old Atha-
liah, the queenly murderess. She ought
to have been honorable. Her father was
King. And yet we find her plotting
for the determination of the entire royal
family, including her own grandchil-
dren. The executiOners' knives are
sharpened. The palace is red with
blood of Princes and Princesses. On all
sides are shrieks, and hands thrown up,
and struggle, and death groan. No
mercy! KILL Kill! But while the ivory
floors of the palace run with carnage,
and the whole land is under the shadow
of a great horror, a fieet-footed woman,
a clergyman's wife, Jehosheba by name,
stealthily approaches the imperial
nursery, seizes up the grandchild that
had somehow as yet escaped massacre,
wrapped it up teRderly but in haste,
snuggles it against her, flies down the
palace stairs, her heart in her throat
lest she be discovered in this Christian
a abduction. Get her out of the way as
soon as you can, for she carries precious
burden, even young King. With this
youthful prize she presses into the room
of the ancient temple, the church of
olden time, unwrapS the young King
and puts him down, sound asleep as he
is, and unconscious of the peril that has
been threatened; and there for six years
he is secreted in that church apartment
Meanwhile old Athaliah smacks her
lips with satisfaction, and thinks that
all the royal family are dead.
But the six years expire, and it is now |
time for young JOash to come forth and |
take the throne, and to push back into |
disgrace and death old Athaliah. The |
arrangements are all made for political |
revolution. The military come and |
take possession of the temple, swear 10y |
atty to the boy Joash and stand around |
for his defense. See the sharpened |
swords and the FURNISHED shields! |
Every thing is ready. Now, JOash, half |
affrighted at the armed tramp of his !
defenders, scared at the vociferation of |
his admirers, is brought forth in full re-
gala. The scroll of authority is put in |
his hands, the coronet of government is
put on his brow, and the people clapped, |
and waved, and huzzaed, and trumpeted.
what is that?" said Athaliah." What
is that sound over in the temple?"
And she flies to see, and on her way
they meet her and say: ''Why, haven't
you heard? You thought you had slain
all they royal family, but Joash has
come to light"
Then the queenly murderess, frantic
with rage, grabbed her mantle and tore !
it TO tatters, and cried until she foamed
at the mouth:
"You have no right TO crown my
grandson. You have no right to take
the government from my shoulders.
Treason! Treason!'
While she stood there crying that, the
started for her arrest, and she
took short cut through back door of
the temple and ran through the royal
stables; but the battle axes of the mill
tary fell on her in the barn-yard, and
for many a day, when the horses were
being Embossed from the chariot, after
drawing out young Joash, the fiery
steeds would sport and rear passing the
place, as they smelt the place of the
The first thought I hand you from
this subject is that the determination of
is an impossibility. When
a woman is good, she is apt to be very
good, and when she is bad, she is apt to
be very bad, and this Athaliah was one
of the latter sort. She would extermi-
nate the last scion of the House of
David, through whom Jesus was to
come. There was plenty of work for
and undertakers. She would
clear the land of all GOd-fearing and
people. She would put an
end to every thing that could in anywise
with her imperial criminality.
She folds her hands and says: THE |
work is done; it is completely done" Is |
it? In the swaddling clothes of that
church apartment are wrapped the cause :
of God, and the cause of good govern
ment That is the scion of the house
of David; it is Joash, the Christian re-
former; it is Joash. the friend of God; |
it is Joash, the demolisher of Baalitish
Rock him tenderly: nurse |
him gently. Athaliah, you may kill all
the other children, but you can not kill
him. Eternal defenses are thrown all
around him, and this clergyman's wife,