The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-07
THE EDR0VES ATTHE WELL
DIR. TALMAGE BREACHES TO AN
AUDIENCE OF FARMERS.

Watering the Sheep-Great Multi.
rudes Wanted to Gather Around the
Gospel Well-Drive Your Flocks Up
to the Sparkling Supply
EIMIRA, N. Y, Sept. 6.-Dr. Talmage
preached here tonight to an immense multi
tude, who have come to attend the New
York and Pennsylvania exposition, which
is held here Sept. to Sept. o. II is a COM
bined exposition of cattle. sheep, horses and
valuable stock OF all kinds from the two
states. The sermon was preached on the
fair grounds to great audience Of farm
ers, horsemen, drovers and stOck-raisers,
from near and far. as well as citizens from
adjacent cities. Secretary Stanley of the
Young Mems Christian Association Of
Elmira presided DIR. Ialmages text was
Genesis XXX, s. "And they said we cannot.
until all the locks be gathered together,
and till they roll the stone from the wells
mouth; then we water the sheep.n
There are some reasons why it is appro-
pirate that should accept the invtation-to
preach at this great interstate fair, and to
these throngs OF countrymen and citizens.
horsemen just come from their fine chargers.
the king OF the beasts, for l take the crown
from the lion, and put it on tho brow Of the
horse, which Is in every way nobler. and
speak to these shepherds just come from
their hocks, the Lord himself in one place
called Shepherd, and In another place called
Lamb, and all the good are sheep, and
preach to you cattlemen come up from the
herds, your occupation honored by the fact
that God himself thinks it worthy Of i'm
mortal record that he owns "the cattle on a
thousand hills IL is appropriate
thnt har Il a.. -.
boy, and l never saw q city until
! was nearly grown. and having been born
IN the country l never got over it, and
would not dwell in cities day if my work
was not appointed there. My love TO you
now, and swhen l get through l viii
give you my hand, for though | have this
summer shaken hands with perhaps 10000
people in twenty-one states of the Union,
all the way through to Colorado and north
and south, | will not conclude NV summer
vacation till | have shaken hands with you.
You old farmer out therel How you make
me think Of my father! You elderly
woman out there with cap and spectaclest
How you make me think of my mothert
And now while the air of these fair grounds
is filed with the bleating OF sheep, and
the neighing Of horses, and the lowing of
cattle, cannot find a more appropriate
text than the one / read. IL Is a scene in
Mesopotemia, beautifully pastoral. A well
Of water Of great value in that region. The
fields around about it white, with three
hocas OF sheep lying down awaiting for the
water. hear their bleating coming on the
bright air, and the laughter of young men
and matdens tndulGing IN rustic repertee
! look off, and see other fiocks of sheep
coming. Meanwhile, Jacob, a stranger, on
the interesting GRAND OF looking for wife,
comes to the we'll A beautiful sheperdess
comes to the same we'll see her approach-
sr.. faIl - -.
lt was memorable meeting. Jacob
married that shepherdess. The Bible
account OF it is: Jacob kissed
Rachel, and lifted up his voice and
wept." 1t has always been a mystery to me
what he found to cry about! But before
that scene occurred, Jacob accosts the she.
herds and asks them why they postpone the
shaking Of the thirst of these sheep ard why
they did not Immediately proceed to water
them. The shepherds reply to the effect:
I'VE are all good neghbors, and as q matter
OF courtesy we wait until all the sheep OF
the neighborhood come up. Besides that,
this stone on the wells mouth is somewhat
heavy, and several Of us take hold of il and
push 1t aside, and then the buckets and the
troughs are filled, and the sheep are satis-
fed. We cannot, until all the fiocks be
gathered together. and till they roll the
stone from the wells mouth; then we water
the sheep.
o, this 10 thirsty world Hot for the
head, and blistering for tho feet, aud parch-
ing for the tongue. The worlds great want
is cool, refreshing, satisfying draught-
We wander around and find the cistern
empty. Long and tedious drought has dried
up the worlds fountains. but nearly nine-
teen centuries ago Shepherd, witb crook
in the shape of cross, and feet cut to the
bleeding explored the desert passages OF
this world, aud one day came across a we'll
a thousand feet deep, bubbling and bright
and opalescent, and looked to the north and
the south, and the east and the west, and
cried out with voice strong and musical
that rang through the ages: "Ho, every
one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters!v
Now, great flock OF sheep to-day gather
around this gospel well. There are great
many thirsty souls. l wonder why the
hocks Of all nations do not gather; why SO
many stay thirsty; and, while l am won
dering about 1t, my text breaks forth in the
explanation, saying: 1--WE cannot, until all
the hocks be gathered together, and until
they roll the stone from the wells mouth,
then we water Che sheep"
IL herd Of swine come TO well they
angrily jostle each other for the precedence;
if q drove of cattle come to well they
hook each other back from the water:
but, when tie flock of sheep come,
though q hundred of them shall be dis
appointed, they only express it by sad
bleahng; they come together peaceabiy.
We want u great multitude to come around
the gospel well. know there are those
who do not like a orowd-they think @
crowd is vulgar. If they are oppressed for
room in church it makes them positively
impatient and belligerent. Not so did these
oriental shepherds. They waited until all
the focks were gathered, and the more
hocks that came. the better they liked it,
And 80 we ought to be anxious that all the
people should come. Go cut into the high
ways and the hedges and compel them to
come in. Go to the rich and tell them they
are INDECENT without the gospel of Jesus.
Go to the poor and tell them them the affiu-
ence there is in Christ. Go to the blind and
tell them of the touch that gives eternal illu-
mination. Go to the lame and tell them of
the Joy that will make the lame man leaphke
a hart Gather all the sheep off Of all the
mountains. None 50 torn of the dogs.
none SO sick, none so worried, none SO
dying, as to be omitted. When the fall
elections come the whole land is to be
secured for voters, and if a man is too
weak or sick to walk 20 the polls. car
rfage is sent for him; but when the ques-
ton is whether Christ or the devil shall
rule this world how few there are to
come out and seek the sick, and the lest and
the suffering, and the bereft aud tho lame.
and induce their suffrages for the Lord
Jesus. Why not gather great flockl All
America in a flock all the world in flock.
This well Of the gospel is deep enough to
put out the burning thirst OF the fourteen
hundred million Of the race. Do
not let the church by a spirit of exclu-