Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-05-15
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINES SUN.
DAY SERMON
Subject: "The New Tabernacle. :"

TEXT: What mean We by these stonesT
Joshua w., 6.
The Jordan, like the Mississippi. has bluffs
on the one side and fats on the other. Here
and there sycamore shadows it. Here and
there willow dips into it. 1t was only q
little over waist deep in December as waded
through it, but in the months Of April and
May the SHOWS on Mount Lebanon tnaw and
flow down into the valley, and then the Jor'
dan overhows its banks. Then it Is WIDE
deep, raging and impetuous. At this season
of the year hear the tramp Of forty thou
sand armed men coming down to cross the
river. You say, why do they not go up
nearer the rise of the river at the o Id camel
ford? All! my friends, it is because 1t IS not
safe to 90 around when the Lord tells US to
go ahead. The Israelites had been going
around forty years. and they had enough of
it. do not know how it is with you, my
brethren, but have always got into trouble
when went around, but always got into
safety when | went ahead.
There spreads out the Jordan, raging
torrent, much of it snow water just come
down from the mountain top; and see some
of the Israclites shivering at the idea OF
plunging in, and one soldier says to his COM
Tade, Joseph, can you swimp And another
says: eff we get across the stream we will
get there with wet clothes and with damaged
ArmOr, and the Canaanites will slash US to
pieces with their swords before we get up the
great host marches on.
The priests carrying the ark go ahead, the
people follow. l hear the tramp of the great
multitude. The priests have now come with
in stones throw Of the water. Yet still
there is no abatement of the food. Now they
have come within four or five feet Of the
stream; but there is no abatement of the
food Bad prospect 1t seems as if these
Israelites that crossed the desert are now go
ing to be drowned in sight of Canaan. But
ord &c 6IrirN
all along the line of the host. "Forwardw
Now the priests have come within one step
of the river. This time they lift their feet
from the solid ground and put them down
into the raging stream. No sooner are their
feet there than Jordan flies.
On the right hand God piles up great
mountain of floods; on the left the water
flows off toward the sea. The great river for
hours halts and -ears. The back waters,
not being able to flow over the passing Is
rael1tes, pile wave on wave until perhaps
sea bird would find some difficulty in scaling
the water cliff. Now the priests and all the
people have gone over on dry land. The
water on the left hand side by this time has
reached the sea; and now that the miracu.
lous passage has been made, stand back and
see this stupendous pile of waters leap. God
takes His hand from that walls of foods and
like hundred cataracts they plunge and
roar in thunderous triumph to the sea.
How are they to celebrate this passagei
pets and cymbals were all worn out before
this. Shall it be with banners waving? Oh,
no, they are all faded and torn. Joshua
cries out, II will tell you how. to celebrate
this-build monument here to commence
rate the event." and every priest puts
heavy stone on his shoulder and marches out
and drops that stone in the divinely APP
pointed place. l see the pile growing in
height, in breadth, in significance; and, in
after years, men went by that spot and saw
mo- oF16P ia60 ont ono ~ mr. hnT
In fulhllment OF the prophecy of the text,
'What meant ye by these stones?
Blessed be God He did not leave our church
in the wilderness! We have been wandering
about for year and half worshiping in
the Academy of Music, Brooklyn, ana the
Academy of Music, New York. And some
thought we would never reach the promised
land. Some said we had better take this
route and others that. Some said we had
better go back, and some said there were
sons Of Arak in the way that would eat us
up, and before the smoke had cleared away
from the sky after our tabernacle had been
consumed, people stood on the very site OF
the place and said: This church will never
again be built" We came down to the bank
of Jordan; we looked off upon the waters.
Some of the sympathy that was expressed
turned out to be snow water melted from the
top of Lebanon. Some said: You had bet
ternOt go in; you will get your feet wet"
But we waded in, pastor and people, farther
and farther, and in some way, the Lord only
knows how, we got through; and tonight I
go all around about this great house, erected
by your prayers and sympathieS and Sacrl-
fees, and cry out in the words of my text:
what mean ye by these stones"
1t is an outrage to build house like this,
so vast and SO magnificent, unless there be
some tremendous reasons for doing it; and
SO, my friends, pursue you tonight with
the question Of my text, and demand of
these trustees and of these elders and of all
who have contributed in the building of this
structure, what mean ye by these stonesY'
But before get your answer to my question
you interrupt me and point to the memorial
wall at the side Of this pulpit, and say, ''Ex-
plain that unusual group of memorials,
What mean you by those stonesr" By per-
mission of the people of my beloved charge
recently visited the Holy Lands, and having
in mind by day and night during my alb
sence this rising house of prayer, Ibethought
myself, ''What can do to make that place
significant and glorious?
On the morning of December tina Sd we
were ct the foot of the most sacred mount
ain of all the earth, Mount Calvary. There
Is no more doubt of the locality than of
Mount Washington or Mount Blanc. On the
blutf of this mountain, which is the shape of
the human skull and so called in the Bible,
The place of the skull" there Is room for
three crosses: There I saw a stone so sug.
gestlVe L rolled it down the hill and trans
ported 1t. 1t is at the top of this wall,
white stone, with crimson veins running
through 1.-THE white typical of purity the
crimson suggestive of the blood that paid
the price of our redemption. We place it at
the top of the memorial wall for above all
In this church for all time, in sermon and
song and prayer, shall be the sacrafice of
Mount Cavalry. Look at it. That stone was
one of the rocks rent at the crucifxion. That
heard the sit is finiShad Woc auor