News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-12-25
News and Citizen.
MORRiSVILLE and HYDE PARK,
Thursday. Dec. IS, 1890.
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON.
HE breaches ON THE WATERS
OF MEROM.

BROOKLYN, Dec. 21.-Dr. Talmage
preached the following sermon this
morning in the Academy of Music IN
this city, and again in the evening at
The Christian Herald service in New
York. His text was Joshua II, D:
"And when all these kings were met
together they came and pitched to-
gether at the waters of Merom to tight
against Israel"
We are encamped tonight in Pales-
tine by the waters of Merom. Alter a
long march we have found our tents
pitched, our fires kindled, and though
far away from civilization a variety OF
food that would not compromise a
first class American hotel, for the most
of our caravan starts an hour ana a
half earlier in the morning. We detam
only two mules carrying so mucn Oh
our baggage as we might accidentally
need. and q tent for the MONDAY
luncheon. The malarias around tlls
Lake Merom are so poisonous that at
anv other season of the year encamp-
ment here is perilous, but this winter
NIGHT the air is tonic and healthtul In
this neighborhood Joshua fought ms
last great battle. The nations had
banded themselves together to crush
this Joshua, but along the banks OF
these waters Joshua left their carcases.
Indeed it is time that we more minute
Nv examine this Joshua, OF whom we
have in these discourses caught only
a momentary glimpse, although he
crossed and recrossed Palestine, ana
next to Jesus is the most stirring ana
mighty character whose foot ever
touched the Holy Land.
A TRADITION OF THE DEATH OF MOSES.
Moses was dead a beautiful tradi-
tion saws the Lord kissed him, and in
that act drew forth the soul of the dy-
ing Iawgiver He had been buried,
only one Person at the funeral, the
same One who kissed him. But God
never takes man away from any place
of usefulness but he has some one
ready. The Lord does not go looking
around amid a great variety of candi-
dates to find some one especially lifted
for the vacated position. He makes a
man for that place. Moses has passed
off the stage, and Joshua, the hero, ]
puts his foot on the platform OF history
so solidly that all the ages echo with
the tread. He was a magnificent fight
or but he always fought on the right
side. and he never fought unless God
told him to fight. He got his military
continent from God, who gave him |
the promise at the start, There shall |
not any man be able TO stand before |
thee all the days of thy life" God full !
filled this promise. although Joshuas |
first battle was with the spring freshet, |
and the next with a stone wall, and
the next leading on a regiment OF
whiDoed towards, and the next battle |
against darkness, wheeling the sun and
the moon into his battalion and the
last against the king of terrors, Death
five great victories.
For the most part, when the general
of an army starts out in conflict he
would Ike to have a small battle in or
der that he may get his courage up |
and rally his troops and get them
drilled for greater conflicts; but this
IT, - :. :: :.
than the leveling of Fort Pufaski, or
the taundering down of Gibraltar, or
the overthrow Of the BastiIe. 1t was
the crossing of6he Jordan at the time
of the spring freshet. The SHOWS of
Mount Lebanon had just been melting,
and they poured down mo the valley,
and The whole valley was raging tor
rent. So the CanaanItes s''Nd on one
bank. and they look across and see
Joshua and the Israelites, aud they
lauoh end say, ''Ahal aha! they can
not disturb us in time-until the fresh |
cts fall; it is impossible for them to
reach us" But after awhile they look
across the water and they see move,
ment in the army of Joshua. They say:
Whats the matter now? Why, there
must be a panic among these troops,
and they are going to fly. or perhaps
they are going to try to march across
the river Jordan Joshua is lunatic. T"
But Joshua, the chieftain, looks al his
army and cries, Forward, march J"
and they start for the bank OF the
Jordan.
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT
One mile ahead go two priests airy
ing a eIittering box four feet longand
two feet wide. 1t is the ark OF the
covenant. And they come down, and
no sooner do they touch the rim OF the
water with their feet than by an al
mighty fat Jordan parts. The army
- "a 4oshua marches right on without
&c their feet wet over the bottom
,.e Ever path of chalk and broken
H' ana Pebbles, uctil they get t.
the other bank Then they lay hole
OF the oleanders and tamarisks anC
willows and pull themselves up a banl
thirty or forty feet high, and having
gained the other bank they clap thei
shields and their cymbals, and sing -
praises of the God of Joshua. BuJ N
sooner have they reached the bani
Than the waters begin TO dash and roar
and with terrific rush they Dreai
loose from their strange '~-SDo oi.
Out yonder they have s. .ii :,
iilies of distance they. l 4n.-e "a 'i-a
- the waters roll on ''"drd the SAL
Bit as the nand Of ths Lord O., :.
AIKEN away from the Thus nnl;ftaa
waters perhaps uplited half =
mlle-as the Almighty hand is tal-on
away, those waters rush down ans
some at the unbelieving Israelites saw
Alas, alas, what misfortunel VIII
could not those waters have s+ai1
parteda Because, perhaps, we nv
want to go back. o Lord, we are en-
gagged in a risky business. Those
GUARANTEES may eat US up. How if we
want to go back2 Would it not bavo
oeen more complete miracle if the
Lord mad parted the waters to LET ne
come through, and kept them partad
10 let us go back if we are defeatodw
MY friends, God makes no nrovisia.
Tor Christians retreat. He claoro -,
pain an the way to Canaan. To oo
back is to die. The same gato,,oorass 81
that swing back the amethvstino ass
crystalline gate of the Jordan 20 IL
Israel pass through now swing sbrt a.
tillethEstine and crystalline gate
ou1 tins IS no place for the host to
stop. Joshua gives the command
forward, march," In the distance |
mere Is long grove of trees and Of
tne end OF the grove is q citv, n
elty on arbors, city with wallis Co...
ing TO reach to the heaven. to b1t+uaD
"ie very sky 1t is the great metron9
fhof !