The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-07-22
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINES SUN
+, DAY SERMON.
Subject: Gospel of the Weather"

4 wv
11xviii., 2S.
h THIS Book of Job has been the subject o
mbounded theological wrangle. Men have
knade it the ring in which to display theil
Ecclesiastical pugiism. Some say that the
BOOK of Job is a true history; Others, that it
Rs an allegory; others, that it is an epic
poem: others, that it is a drama. Some say
THAT Job lived eighteen hundred years be
Rore Christ, others say that he never lived at
hll. Some say that the author Of this book
WAS Job; others, David; Others Solomon.
The discussion has landed some in blank in
@daity. Now, have no trouble with the
Books of Job or Revelation-the two most
mysterious books in the Bible-because OF a
Eule adopted some years ago.
p Iwade down into a Scripture passage as
long as can touch bottom. and when can
not then ! wade out I used to wade in until
It was over my head and then got drowned.
Il study passage of Scripture so long as it
Is comfort and help to my soul, but when
It becomes q perplexity and spiritual up
turning I quit. In other words we ought to
wade in up to our heart, but never wade in
hntil it is over our head No man should
bver expect to swim across this great ocean
bf divine truth | go down into that ocean
as I go down into the Atlantic Ocean at
East Hampton. Long Island, just far enough
TO bathe; then come out. never had any
Idea that with my weak hand and foot l
could strike my way clear over to Liverpool.
I suppose YOU understand your family
Eenealogy. You know something about your
pareats, your grandparents, your great
grandparents. Perhaps you know where
they where born, or where they died. Have
Hou ever studied the parentage OF the show
hr, "Hath not the rain father" This ques-
hon is not asked by poetaster or sclen-
hist but by the head of the universe. To hum
bile and to save Job God asks him fourteen
questions: About the worlds architecture,
About the -esraction OF the suns rays, about
khe tides, about the SHOW crySta!, about the
lghtnings, and then He arraignS him with
the interrogation of the text, Hath therain
b fatLer?'
!, With the scientific wonders Of the rain
have nothing TO do. A minister gets through
with that kind of sermons within the first
three years, and if he has piety enough he
Gets through with it in the first three
months A sermon has come to me to mean
.pne word of four letters "helpw You all
know that the rain is not an orphan. You
know it is not cast out Of the gates of heaven
n founding. You would answer the ques-
Gon Of my text in the affirmative.
Safely housed during the storm, you hear
the rain beating against the window pane,
Ind you find it searching all the creviceS of
the window sill. 1t first comes down in soli-
barry crops, pattering the dust, and then it
-heluges the fields and angers the mountain
torrents, and makes the traveller implore
sshelter. You know that the rain is not an
Incident of the worlds economy. You know
It was born OF the cloud. You know it was
rocked in the cradle of the wind. You know
It was sung to sleep By the storm. You know
that it is a flying evangel from heaven to
earth. You know it is the gospel of the
Weather. You know that God is its father.
! IT this be true, then how wicked is our
murmuring about climatic changes. The
FIRST eleven Sabbaths after I entered the
ministry it stormed. Through the week it
was clear weather, but on the Sabbaths the
- old country meeting house looked like Noah's
= ark before it landed. A few drenched pso-
pie sat before drenched pastor; but most of
the farmers stayed at home and thanked
Goi that what was bad for the church was
good for the crops. committed good deal
Of sin in those days in denoGncing tha
weather Ministers Of the Gospel sometimes
bret about stormy Sabbaths or hot Sabbaths,
=, or inclenent SabbathS. They forget tho
fact that the same God who ordained the
Sabbath and sent forth his ministers to an
d.; houpce salvation also ordained tas weather.
s.Hath the rain father"
Merchants, also, with their stores fil.ei
with new goods, and their clerks hanging
. Idly around the counters, commit the same
&. hangress!on. Therehave been seasons when
I The whole spring and fall trade has been
: ruined by protracted wet weather. The
merchants then examined the weather
probabilities" with mora interest than they
sread their Bibles. They watched for q
patch Of blue sky. They went complaining
TO the store and came complaining home
again. In all that season OF wet feet and
Dripping garments and impossible streets
they never once asked the question, Hath
the rain father"
So agriculturists commit this sin. There
: Is nothing more annoying than to have
planted corn rot in the ground because OF
too much moisture, or nay all ready for the
mow dashed OF a shower, or wheat almost
ready for the sickle spoiled with the rust
How hard it is to bear the agricultural dis
appointments. God has infinite resources,
but do not think He has capacity to make
weather to please all the farmers. Some
times it is too hot, or it is too cold; it IS too
wet, or it is too dry; it is too early. or IL Is
too late. They forget that the God who
promised seed time and harvest, summer and
winter, cold and heat, also ordained all eli.
matic changes. There is one question that
Ought to be written on every barn, on every
kence, on every haystack. on every farm
house, Hath the rain father"
/ If you only knew what vast enterprise
bit is to provide appropriate weather for this
world we would not be so critical Of the Lord
Isaac Watts at ten years OF age complained
that he did not like the hymns that were
sung in the English chapel. swell, said his
jsfather. "Isaac, instead of your complaining
about the hymns, 90 and make hymns that
are better" And be did 60 and make hymns
that were better. Now, I say to you il you
do not like the weather get up weather
nd hoy a a,,I
tary, and treasurer, and board Of direc.
tors and ten million dollars Of stock, and
then provide weather that will suit us all.
There is a man who has weak head, and bs
cannot stand the glare Of the sun. You must
have cloud always lowering over him.
I like the sunshine; cannot live without
plenty of sunlight, 80 you must alwayshave
enough light for me. Two ships meet in
mid-Atlantic. The one is going to South.
York. Provide weather that, while it is
,abafJ for one ship, it is not head wind for
the other There is farm that is dried up
for the lack of rain, and there is q pleasure
party going out for a field excursion. Pro-
vide weather that will suit the dry farm and
the pleasure excursion. No. sirs, will not
take one dollar of stock in your weather
company. There is only one Being in the
universe who knows enough to provide the
the rain father?'
My text also suggests COTS minute super
visal. You see the divine Sonship in every
drop Of rain. The jewels of the shower are
not flung away by spendthritt who knows
not how many he throws or where they fall.
They are all shining princes of heaven,
They all have eternal lineage. They
are all the children Of king. Hath the
rain father?' Well, then. I say if Go
takes notice Of every minute raindrop He
will take notice Of ths most Insignificant
affair of my life. 1t is the astronomical