Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-09-04
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
The Eminent Brooklyn Divine's Sun
day Sermon.
Subject. "Famine strick H."


your brotherb be Nth you."-Genesis, xiii, 3.
This summer, having crossed eighteen Of
the United States North, South, East and
West, | have to report the mightiest har-
vests that this country or any other
country ever reapel. II the grain gam
blers do not somehow wreck these har-
vests, are about TO enter upon the grand
est scene OF prosperity that America has
ever witnessed. But while this is so in our
own country, on the other side of the At
lantic there are nations threatened with
famine, and the most dismal cry that Is
ever heard will fear be uttered, the cry
for bread. | pray Col that the contrast
between our prosperity and their want may
not he as sharp as in the lands referred to
by my text. There was nothing to eat.
Plenty Of corn in Egypt, but CHASTITY lam
inc in Canaan. The cattle moaning in the
stall. Men, women and children awfuly
white with hunger Not the failing of one
crop for one summer, but the failing of all
the crops for seven years. A nation dying
for lack of that which is so common on your
table AMI so little appreciated; the product
of harvest field, and grist-mill, and oven; the
price of sweat and anxiety and struggle
Bread Jacob the father has the last
report from tue four-bin, and he finds
that everything is out; and he
SAYS TO his sons: "Boys, hook up the wag
J
thing to eat" The fact was there was
great corn crib in Egypt The people Of
Egypt have been largely taxed in all ages,
at the present time paying between sew
enty and eighty per cent. of their products
to the government No wonder in that
time they had large corn crib, and
il was full. To that crib they came from
the regions round about-those who were
famished-some paying for corn in money;
when the money was exhausted, paying for
the corn in sheep and cattle, and horses and
camels; and when they were exhausted, then
selling their own bodies and their families
into slavery.
The morning for starting out o. the cru
SADIE for bread had arrived. Jacob gets his
family up very early. But before the elder
sons start they say something that makes
him tremble with emotion from head to
foot, and burst into tears. The fact was,
that these elder sons had once before been
in Egypt to get corn, aud they had been
treated somewhat roushly. the lord OF the
corn-crib supplying them with corn, but say
ing at the close of the interview; "Now,
you need not come back here for any
more corn unless you bring something
better than money-even your younger
brother Benjamin. Alb Beniamin-that
very name was suggestive of all tenderness.
The mother had died at the birth of thF { son
"A spirit coming and another spirit going
and the very thought of parting with
benjamin must have been a heart-break.
The keeper Of this cOrn-crib, nevertheless,
says to these older sons: There is no need
of your coming here any more for corn UNI
less you bring Benjamin, your fathers dar-
ling Now Jacob and his family very
much needel bread; but what a struggle
it would be to give up this son. The
Orientals are very demonstrative in their
grief, and hear the outwailng OF the father
as these older ones keen reiterating in his
ears tho announcement of the Egyptian
lord, I'VE shall not SEQ my fsce unless your
brother be with yOu." why did you tell
them you had brother" said the old
man, complaining and Gliding them.
"Why, father they said, 'he asked us
all about oar family and we had no idea
he would make any such demand upon us
as he has made" mo use Of asking me-"
said the father 81 cannot, | will not, give
I'D benjamin. The fact was that the old
man had lost children; and when there has
been bereavement in a household, and
child taken. it makes the other children in
the hou sehO.d more precious. 80 the day
for departure adjourned, and Adjourned,
and adiournel Still the horrors OF the
famine increased, ana lou1er moaned the
cattle and wider open cracked the earth,
jacob, in despair, cried out - his sons,
Take Ben amin and BE- of The older
sons tried to cheer up their father. They
said: I'VE have strong arms and stout
hearf. and no harm will come 10 Benjamin.
Well see that he gets back again" Fare
well r. said the young man 10 tho father, IN
q tone Of assumed good cheer Fare
w-e-l-lr said the old man; for that word has
moro quayers in it when pronounced by the
aged than by the young.
Well. the bread party-ttc bread embassy
drives up in front OF the corn-crib OF
Egypt. These corn-cribs are filled with
wheat. and barley, and corn in the husk,
for those who have Travelled in Canaan and
Egypt know that there is corn there CORE
sponding with our Indian maize Huzza.
the Journey is ended. The lord OK
the corn-crib. who is also the prime minis
ter. comes down to these arrived travellers,
and says: "Dine with ms to-day. How Is
your father, Is this Benjamin, the younger
brother whose presence demandedf Inc
travellers are introduced into the palace.
They are worn and belusted Of the way;
and servants come in with basin
of water in one hand and towel
in the other. and kneel down before
these newlv-arrivet travellers, washing Off
the dust Of the way. The butchers and
poulterers AMI caterers OF the prime MIN
lister prepare the repast. The guests are
seated in small groups, two or three at
table. the fool on a tray; all the Injuries
from imperial gardens, AMI orchards, and
acuuariums, and avlaries are brought
there. and are filling chalice and platter.
Now is the time for this prime minister II
he has grudge against Benjamin, 70 snow
it. Will be kill him, now that he has him In
his hands2 Oh. MOI This lord OF the corn
crib is seated at his own table, and he looks
over to the table Of his guests; and he sends
n norton to each of them, but sends
larger portion to Benjamin, or as
the Bible quantity puts it: "BenJa-
minis mess was five times as much as any
of theirs Be quick and send word oac1
with the swiftest camel to Canaan 70 oid
Jacob, that Benjamin is well all IS well
he is faring sumptuously the Egyptian loro
did not mean murder and death but nc
meant deliverance and life when he en-
nounced to US on that day: 'Ye shall not see
INV face unless your brother DO with you ,"
We'll NV friends, this world Is famine
struck of sin. 1t does not yield single
crop of solid satisfaction. 1t Is dying III
is hunger-bitten. The fact that 1t does
not. cannot, feed a mans heart was wei
illustrated in the life OF the Englsh com,
edian. All the world honored him-id
everything for him that the world couig
do. lie WIS dppiNuiCh III
applau,lei in the United States. He reused
no nations into laughter. He had no
equal. And. yet although many people
snpposed him entirely happy, and that
this world was completely satiating MS
eouI ne sits down and writes: II never
in my life put on new hat that It dld not
rain and ruin it. | never went out IN o
shabby coat beca use 1t was raining ano
thought all who hal the choice would keep
In doors that the sun did not burst forth
in its strength and bring out with it all the
butterflies OF fashion whom | knew and
who knew me. never consented to ac-
cept part hated, ont OF kindness TO au-
other, that | dill not get hissed by the
public and cut by the writer. | could not
take drive for few minutes with Terry
without being overturned and having my
elbow-bone broken, though my friend got
off unharmed. | could not make cove
nant with Arnold, which, thought was to
make my fortune without making his IN
stead. than in an incredible space of tim -
think thirteen months-I earned for him
twenty thousand pounds, aud for myself
one. | am persuaded that it were to sat up
as beggGr, everyone in my neighborhood
would leave off eating bread" That was
the lament Of the worlds come Ian and
joker. All unhappy. The world did every
thing for Lord Byron that it could do. ami
vet in his last moment he asks friend TO
come and sit down by him and read, as most