The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-12-23
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINES sun
DAY SERMON.
Subject: Royal Blood"

Zebah and Zulmunna had been OF to
battle, and when they came back they were
asked what kind OF people they had seen.
They answered that the people had a royal
appearance; leach one resembled the child.
rem of a king" I stand to-day before many
who have this appearance. Indeed, they
are the sons and daughters OF the Lord Al.
mighty. Though now in exile, they shall
vet come to their thrones. There are family
names that stand for wealth or patriotism
or intelligence. The name Of Washington
means patriotism, although some OF the blood
of that race has become very thin In the last
generation. The family Of Medici stood as
the representative Of letters.
The family of the Rothschilds is signlh.
can't of wealth. the loss of forty millions OF
dollars in 1S4S putting them to no 1ncon-
venience: and within a few years they have
loaned Russia twelve millions OF dollars,
Naples twenty-five millions, Austria forty
millions aud England two hundred millions;
and the stroke Of their pen on the counting
room desk shakes everything from the Irish
Sea to the Danube. They open their hand,
and there is war; they shut it, end there IS
peace. The house of Hapsburg in Austria,
the house of Stuart in England, the house OF
Bourbon in France were families OF Imperial
authority.
ButI come to preach of a family more
potential, more rich and more extensive
the royal house of Jesus, Of whom the whole
family in heaven and on earth is named. We
are blood relations by the relationship OF the
Gross: all of US are the children of the King.
First, Ispeak of our family name. When
we see a descendant OF some one greatly eel
ebrated in the last century we look at him
with profound interest. To have had con-
.querors, kings or princes in the ancestral
line give luster to the family name: In our
line was a king and a conqusror. The Star
in the East with baton OF light woke up the
eternal orchestra that made music at His
birth. From thence He started forth to con-
.quer all nations, not by tramping. them
down, but by lifting them up. st. John saw
Him on a white horse. When He returns
He will not bring the nations chained to His
wheel or in iron cages; but I hear the stroke
of the hoofs of the snow white cavalcade
that bring them to the gates in triumph.
Our family name takes luster from the
star that heralded Him, and the spear that
pierced Him, and the crown that was given
. Him. 1t gathers fragrance from the frank
incense brought to His cradle, and the lilies
that flung their sweetness into His sermons,
and the box of alabaster that broke at His
feet. The comforter at Bethany, The res
director at Main. The supernatural ocul1st
at Bethsaida. The Saviour Of one world,
and the chief JOY of another. The storm His
frown. The sunlight His smile. The spring
morning His breath. The earthquake the
stanp Of His foot. The thunder the whisper
of His voice. The ocean a drop on the tip
Of His finger. Heaven q sparkle on the
bosom Of His love. Eternity the twinking
of His eye. The universe the flying dust or
His chariot wheels. Able to heal a heart
break, or hush a tempest, or drown a world,
or food immensely with His glory. What
otherfamily name could ever boast OF such
an illustrious parsonage?
Henceforth, swing out the coat OF arms!
Great families wear their coatof arms on the
dress, or on the door Of the coach, or on the
helmet when they 60 out to battle, or on flags
and ensigns. The heraldic sign is sometimes
a hon, or a dragon, or an eagle. Our coat
of arms, worn right over the heart, hereaf-
ter shall be q cross, a lamb standing under
il and a dove fying over it. Grandest of all
escutcheonsl Most significant Of all family
.'coats of arms. In every battle I must
have it blazing on my aag-the dove the
cross the lamb, and when I fall wrap me In
that coed old Christian flag. 30 that the fam
Sily coat Of arm shall be right over my breast.
that all the world may see that looked TO
the dove Of the spirit, and chung to the cross,
and depended upon the Lamb OF God, which
taketh awey the sin Of the world.
Ashamed OF Jesus-that dear friend, .
On whom my hopes OF life depend;
No! when ! blush be this my shame
That I no more revere His name.
Next l speak Of the family sorrows. If
trouble come to one member Of the family,
all feel it. 1t is the custom, after the body
is lowered into the grave, for all the rela-
.tives to come to the verge Of the grave and
look down into it. First those nearest the
departed come, then those next OF kin, until
they nave all looked into the grave. So
when trouble and grief go down through the
. h.s-%.1 1.a r,aoohar ~ tho foni1v fhpU on
down through them all The sadness OF one
is the sadness of ali.
A company Of persons Join hands around
an electric battery; the two persons at the
ends of the line touch the battery, and all
the circle feels the shock. Thus, by reason
Of the flial, maternal and paternal relations
of life, we stand so close together that when
trouble sets its battery all feel the thrill OF
distress. In the great Christian family. the
sorrow of one ought to be the sorrow Of all.
Is one prosecuted! ALI are prosecuted. Does
enc suffer loss? We all suffer loss. Is one
ibereaved? We are all bereaved.
Their streaming eyes together dow
For human guilt and mortal woe.
II you rejoice at another's misfortune
YOU are not one Of the sheep, but one OF the
goats, and the vulture Of sin hath alighted
ON your SOU, and not the dove OF the
spirit.
Next I notice the family property. After
q man of large estate dies the relatives as
semble to hear the will read. So much Of
the property is willed to his sons, and so
much to his daughters, and so much to be-
.nevolent societies. Our Lord Jesus hath
died, and We are assembled to-day to hear
the will read. He says. 'My peace I give
All are yours." What! Everything!
Yes, everythingl This world and the next.
In distinguishing families there are old pic
lures banging on the wall. They are called
the ''heirlooms" Of the estate. They are
very old, and have come down from genera
ton to generation.
So 1 look upon all the beauties of the nat
ural world as the heirlooms Of our royal
family. The morning breaks from the east.
The mists travel up hill above hill, mountain
above mountain, until sky lost. The forests
are full OF chirp and buzz and song. TreeS's
leaf and birds wing lutter with gladness.
Honey makers in the log, and beak against
the bark, and squirrels chattering on tue
rail, and the call Of the hawk out Of a clear
sky make you feel glad. The sun, which
kindlss CONGREGATIONS among the castles OF
clouds and sets minaret and dome ahame,
stoops to paint the lily white, and the butter
cup yellow, and the forget-me-not blue.
What can resist the sun? Light for the
7oyager over the deep! Light for the shep-
herd guarding the focks afield! Light for
the poor who ave no lamps to burn! Light
for the downcast and the lowly! Light for
aching eyes and burning brain, and wasted
captive! Light for the smooth brow OF
childhood, and for the dim vision of the
octogenarian! Light for queeu's c~oronet,
and for sewing girls needle! Let there's be
light! Whose morning is this? My morn
ing. Your morning. Our Father gave us
the picture, and hung it on the sky in loops
of fire. 1t is the heirloom Of our family.
And so the night. IL is the full moon.