Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-08-31
fHETABERNACLEPULPIT
Or. TALMAcE DRAWS A LESSON FROM
THE FAMINE IN EGYPT.

The Remarkable Conjunction OF Big Crops
in America and = Scarcity In Enrops
Calls 20 Mind the Similar Case In 10
seph's TIme-Ths Religions Lesson.
BROOKLYN. Aug 30. The cabled re.
ports Of meager harvests in Europe and
the memory Of the vast crops Of ripen
ing grain which DIR. Talmage saw during
his recent tour in the west, have com
bined to turn his thoughts back to that
patriarchal time when all the world
sent to Egypt TO buy corn, and to sug
gest a Gospel lesson His text is Gen
xiii. 3. ''Ye shall not see my face ex
cept your brother be with you.
This summer, having crossed eighteen
Of the United States. north. south, east
and west. have to report the might
est harvests that this country or any
other country ever reaped. II the grain
gamblers do not somehow wreck these
barvests we are about TO enter upon
the grandest scene Of prosperity that
America has ever witnessed. But while
this is 80 In our own country. on the
other side Of the Atlantic there are ma
tions threatened with famine. and the
most dismal cry that is ever heard will
fear be uttered. the cry for bread.
pray God that the contrast between
our prosperity and their want may not
be as sharp as IN the lands referred t.
by my text There was nothing to eat
Plenty OF corn in Egypt, but ghastly
famine In Canaan. The cattle moan
ing in the stall Men, women and
children awfully 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 foI
lack OF that which is so common on
your table, and so little appreciated i.
the product Of harvest field and grist
mill and oven; the price of sweat aud
anxiety and straightforward Jacob
the father has the last report from the
-four bin. and he finds that everything
IL out, and he says to his sons, Boys,
hook up the wagons and start for Egypt
and get something 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 40 and
80 per cent of their products to the
government. No wonder in that time
they had large corncrib and 1t was
full. To that crib they came from the
regions round those who were
amished-some paying for corn in
money; when the money was exhaust
ed. paying for the corn In sheep and
cattle, and horses and camels; and
when they were exhausted, then sell
ing their own bodies and their fam
ilies into slavery.
THR JOURNEY TO EGYPT.
The morning for starting out on the
crusade for bread has arrived. Jacob
gets his family up very early. But be
fore the elder sons start they say some
thing that makes him treInble 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, and they had been
treated somewhat roughly. the lord OF
the corncrib supplying them with corn.
but saying at the close Of the inter
view. Now. you need not come back
here for any more corn unless you
bring something better than money
even your younger brother Benjamin.
All BenJainin- that very name was
suggestive OF all tenderness. The
mother had died at the birth Of that
son a spirit coming and another spirit
going -and the very thought OF part
ing with Benjamin must have been a
heart break The keeper OF this corn
crib. nevertheless, says 10 these older
sons. There is no need Of your com
ing here nny more for corn unless you
bring benjamin. your fathers darling"
Now Jacob and his family very much
needed bread but what struggle II
would be TO give up this son.
The orientals are very deInonstrative
In their grief. and hear the outwailing
Of the father as these older sons keep |
relterating IN his ears the announce
ment Of the Egyptian lord. "Ye shall
not nee NY face unless your brother be
with you why did you tell them
you bad brotlerf' said the old man.
complaining aud chiding them. why,
father" they said. "he asked us all |
about our family, and we had no idea
he would make any such demand upon
us as he has made" mo use OF ask
ing me, said the father II cannot.
will not give up Benjamin.
The fact was that the old man had
lost children, and when there has been
bereavement In household. and a
child taken. II makes the other children
In the household more precious So
the day for departure was adjourned
and adjourned and adjourned. Stlll
the horrors Of the famine Increased. and
louder rloaned the cattle, and wider
open cracked the earth, and more pal
lid became the cheeks, until Jacob In
despair. cried out 10 his sons, Take
Benjamin and be OF. The older sons
tried TO cheer up their father. They
said; 1--WE have strong arms and a
stout heart, and no harm viii come 20
Benjamin. Wen see that he gets back
again. "Farewellf' said the young
men 10 the father In a tone OF assumed
good cheer. "Fare.w'e-lil" !" said the
old man; for that word has more quay-
ers Ia Il when pronounced by the aged
than by the young
TiIn DKMAND FoR BENJAMIN.
Well. the bread party the bread EN-
L-l...-.. - -. IL A. -.