Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-11-17
TALMAGE'S TALK.
[COntinuod from First Paqe. |

NV Sl'VH ncr living water; that is
water from flowing spring in distinc
ton from the water of that we'll which
was rain water. But why did jacob
want reservoir there when there i.
plenty OF water all around and abund.
ance of springs and fountains and
seemingly no need of that reservoir:
Why did Jacob go TO the vast expense
OF boring and digging well perhaps
two hundred feet deep as first complet.
ed, when, by going little way off he
could have water from other fountains
at little or no expense. All, Jacob was
wise. He wanted his own well. Quar-.
rels and wars might arise with other
tribes and the supply of water might be
cut of, so the shOvelS and pick-aXes and
boring instruments were ordered and
the well of nearly four thousand years
ago was sunk through the solid rock.
When Jacob thus wisely insisted on
having his own well he taught us not to
be unnecessarily dependent on others.
Independence of business character.
Independence Of moral character. In
dependence OF religious character.
Have your own well Of grace, your own
well OF courage, your own well OF divine
supply. II you are an invalid you have
right to be dependent on others. But
II God has given YOU good health, COM
mon sense, and two eyes, and two ears,
and two hands, and two feet. He equip
ped YOU for independence of all the uni
verse except Himself. If He had meant
you to be dependent on others you
would have been built with cord
around your waist to tie fast TO some
body else. No, you are built with COM
mon sense to fashion your own opin-
ions, with eyes to find your own way,
with ears To select your own music,
with hands TO fight your own battles.
There is only one being In the universe
whose advice you need and that is God.
Have your own well and the Lord will
fill il. Dig il if need be through two
hundred feet of solid rock. Dig It with
your pen, or dig it with your yard
stick, OF dig ii with your
shovel, or dig it with your Bible.
JACOBS FORESIGHT.
In my small way never accomplish
anything for God or the Church, or the
world, or my family, or myself in con-
tradiction to human advice and in
obedience To divine counsel. God knows
everything and what is the use of going
for advice to human beings who know
so little that no one but the all-Sceing
/ God can realize how little il is. | sup
pose that when Jacob began to dig this
we'll upon which we are sitting this
noontidc, people gathered around and
said: "What useless expense YOU are
going TO. when rolling down from yond-
Ter Mount Gerizim and down from
yonder Mount Esal, and out yonder in
the valley is plenty Of water" "Oh,
replied Jacob, "that is all true but sup
pose my ncighborS should get angered
against ne and cut off my supply oil
mountain beverage what would | do.
Forward, ye brigade OF pick-aXeS and
crowbarS and 20 down into the depths
OF these rocks and make Inc indepen
dent of all except Him who ill the bot
ties OF the clouds must have my OWL
welll''
Yonng man, drop cigars, and cigar
cites, and wine cups, and the Sunda!
excursions aud build your own houS'
and have your own wardrobe and b'
your own capitalist. "Why, | have
only five hundred dollars income ;
year" says some one. Then spend fou
hundred dollars of it in living and tel
per cent OF it or fifty dollars in benevo
lence and the other fifty in beginning L
dig your own well. Or, if you have ;
thauSand dollars 4 year, spend eigh
hundred dollars of it in living-ten pc
cent or one hundred dollars in benevo
lence and the remaining one hundred il
beginning 10 dig your own well. Thu
largest bird that ever flew through thu
air was hatched out OF one egg, and tn,
greatest estate was brooded out of ont
dollar.
suppose when Jacob began to di.
this we'll on whose curb we are nov
featcd this December noon, it was a dr.,
season then as now and some one come
lup and SAYS: Now. Jacob, Suppose
YOU get the well fifty feet deep or tw,
hundred feet deep and there should b,
no water 10 ill it, would you not fee
Silly?" People passing along the roaC
and looking down from Mount Gerziu
or Mount Ebal near by would laugh
and say: That is Jacobs well, grea
hole in the rock, illustrating the man.
folly" Jacob replied. There never
has been well in Palestine or any
other country, that once so thoroughly
dug was not sooner or later filled from
the clouds, and this will be no cXcep
ton" For months after jacob haC
completed the well people went by ou
of respect for the deluded ole
man put their hand over then
mouth 10 hide smoker and til,
well remainded as dry as tn,
bottom of kettle that has been hang
ing over the fire for three hours. Blu
one day the sun was drawing watOr anC
the wind got round to the east and i
began TO drizzle and then great dropl
SplaShed all over the well-curb and tn,
heavens opened their reservoir and The
rainy season poured il floods for 81!
weeks and there came maidenS to tn,
well with empty pals and carried then
away full and the camelS thrust theil
mouths into the troughS and were salts
fed and the water was in the well three
feet deep. and fifty feet deep, and TIVE
hundred feet deep, and all the Bedouin'
of the neighborhOod and all the pasSers
by realized that Jacob was wise in hav
ing his own well. Ny hearer, it is YOU
part to dig your own well and it is God:
part to fill il. You do your part anC
He will do His part.
A DEAD CITY.
On and on we ride until now, we have
come to Shiloh, dead city on n hill
surrounded by rocks, sheep, goats
olive gardens and vineyards. Her,
good Eli fell backward and broke hi
neck, and lay dead at the news from
his bad boys PhineaS and Hophni; anC
life Is not worth living after ones chill
dren have turned out badly. and more
fortunate was Eli, instantly expirini
under such tidings, than those parents
who, their children recreant and profli
gate, live on with broken hearts to SEE
them going down into deeper anC
deeper plunge. There are fathers and
mothers here to-day to whom deatl
would be happy release because of theil
recreant sons. And il there be recrean
sons here present, and your parents b'
far away, why not bow your head III re
pentance, and at the close OF this ser
vice 90 to the telegraph Office and put Il
on the wing OF the lightning that yor
have turned from your evil ways? BE
fore another twenty-four hours have
passed, take your feet off the sad hearts
at the old homestead. Home to thy
God. o prodigal.
Many, many letters do | get in purpor'