Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-09-12
REV. DR.. 7ALMAGE.
The Eminent Brooklyn DiVine's Sun
day Sermon.
Subject: "The Drovers at the WELL
Delivered at Eimira, n. W

TEXT: And they said. We cannot, until
oil the focks be gathered together, and till
they roll the stone from the aoelps mouth,
then zee teater the sheep. Genesis XXX, s.
There are some reasons why it is appro-
pirate that should accept the invitation to
preach at this great interstate fair, and to
these throngs Of countrymen and citizans-
horsemen just come from their fine charg-
ers, the king OF beasts flor take the crown
from the lion and put it on the brow of the
horse, which is in every way nobler); and
speak to these shepherds Just come from
their focks (the Lord Himself in one place
called Shepherd and in another placs
called Lamb, and all the good are Sheep
and preach to you cattle-men come up from
the herds, your occupation honored by the
fact that God Himself thinks it worthy Of
immortal record that He owns ''the cattle on
a thousand hills" 1t is appropriate
that l come because l was a far
mer's boy, and never saw a city until
l was nearly grown, and having been
born in the country | never got over it.
and would not dwell in cities day if my
work was not appointed there. Ny love
TO you now. and when | get through
will give you my hand, for though | have
this summer shaken hands with perhaps
forty thousand people in twenty one
States of the Union all the way through
to Colorado AMI North and South l will not
conclude my summer vacation till | hays
shaken hands with you. You old farmer
out there How you make me think OF nv
father You elderly woman out there
with cap and speetac!esi How YOU make
me think of my motheri And now
while the air OF these Fairgrounds
is filled with the beating of sheep, and the
neighing of horses and the lowing of cattle,
l cannot find a more appropriate text
than ha +
in Mesopotamia, beautifully pastoral. A
well of water of great value in that
region. The fields around about it white
with three fioc1s of sheep lying down
waiting for the watering. | hear their
beating coming on the bright air, and
the laughter OF young men and maidens
INDUCING in rustic repartee. | LOOK off,
Meanwhile. Jacob, a stranger, on the in
teresting errand of looking for a wife,
comes to the well A beautiful shepherd
eSs comes to the same well. | see her ap-
preaching, followed by her fathers flock of
sheep. 1t 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 he what he found to cry
about But before that scene occur
red, Jacob accosts the shepherds and
asks them why they postpone the shaking
OF the thirst of these Sheep ann why they
did not Immediately proceed to water
them. The shepherds reply to the effect:
we are all good neighbors, and as a mat
ter of courtesy we wait until all thu sheep
of the neighborhoo1 come UP. Besides
that, this stone on the wells mouth is
somewhat heavy, aud several OF us take hold
OF 1t and push 1t aside, aud then the buckets
and the troughs are filled, and the sleep are
satisfied. We cannot until all the flOckS be
gathered together, and till they roll the stone
from the wells mouth; then we water ths
Sheep
On, this is thirsty world Hot for the
head, and blistsring for the feet. and
parching for the tongue. The worlds
great want is a cool, refreshing, satisfying
craught. We wander al ound and find
the cistern empty. Long and tedious
drought has dried up the worlds fount-
aims, but nearly nineteen centuries ago
Shepherd, with crook in the shape
of cross and feet cut to the bleeIing, ex-
piored the desert passages of this world, and
one day came across well a thousand feet
deep, bub5ling AMI bright and opalescent,
and looked 70 the north, and the south, and
the east and the west, aud cried out with a
voice strong and musical that rang through
the ages: 'Ho. every one that thirstetn,
come We to the watersw
Nov great flock of sheep to-day gathered
AROUND JHls UOSpet wei. uSFe are RCeaJ
many thirsty souls | wonier why the
fiocks of all nations do not gather why SO
many stay thirsty and while | am wonder
ing about it, my t6xt breaks forth in the ex-
PLANTATION, saying: 1--WE cannot, until all tns
fiocks be gathered together, and till they
roll the stone from the wells mouth; then
we water the Sheep
If a herd of swine come to 4 well they
angrily iostle each other for the precedence;
Ir-x- ~ Daff Ia aa,Aa 70
each other back from the water; but when
the flock Of sheep come, though hundred
of them shall be disappointed, they only
express it by sad bleating, they come to-
gether peacefully. We want a great null
titude tocome around the Gospel well. |
know there are those who do not ike crowd
they think crowd is vulgar. Ii they are
oppresse Tor room in church it makes them
positively impatient and belligerent Not so
did these Oriental shepherds They waited
until all the fiocss were together, AMI the
more f1ocks that came, the better they lika1
it. And so we ougGt to be anxious
that all the people should come.
Go out into the highways and the
hedges and compel them 10 come
in. Go to the rich and tell them they ere
INDECENT without the Gospel of Jesus. Gc
to the poor and tell them the atiiuencs thera
is in Christ Go to the blind AMI tell them
of the touch that gives eternal iilu n.naoion.
Go to the lame and tell them OF the joy thei
will make the lame man leap like q
hart. Gather all the sheep OF of all the
mountains. None so torn OF the dogs, none
so sick, noue so worried, none 50 dying, as &c
be omitted. When the fail elections come
the whole land is secured for voters, and if q
man is loo weak or sic,l to walk to the
I polls, a carriage is sent for MIA; bu
{ when the question is whether Christ OF
the devil shall rule this worll how few
there are to come out AMI seek the sicS, aad
the lost, and the suffering, anl the berefr,
and the lame, ami induce their suffrages foi
the I4crl Jesus. Why not gather great
/ flock? All America IN Hoc.; all tins
world in a hocS. This well of tbs
/ Gospel is deep enough to put ou5 tde burn
ing tbir OF the fourteen huadre1 million
I of the race. Do not let tn churcl by g
spirit OF exciusiveness keep the world out,
/ Let down all the bars, swing open all the
gates, scatter all the invitations: ~ no5o
1 ever will, let him come" Come, white anF
black Come red men OF the forest, Come
Laplan6er, out of the snow. Come, Pata
gonau, out of the neat Come in furs
! Come painting under palm leaves. Com
I one, Come all. Come now. As at thu
well of Mesopotamia, Jacob and Ra
chei were betrothed, 50 now, at this well o
salvation Christ our Shepherd viii meet Yo'
| coming up with your long fiocks of cares an
anxieties AMI He will stretch out His han
/ in pledge of His affection, while all heavel
/ viii cry OUT Behold the bridegroom
cometh, go ye out to meet Him"
You notice that this well of Mesopotami
! mad stone on it, which must be removed
! before the sheep could be watered; and
! find on the well of salvation to-day impedi.
Inents and obstacles which must be re
! moved in order that you may obtain the re
! freshment and life of this Gospel. In vour
a9c ba inv -, IL e "
| cannot besr come to so democratic a foun-
| tair YOU do not want TO come vita Sc
/ many other. 1t is to YOU like when vog
/ are dry, coming to a town pump, as com
/ pared to sitting in parlor spping out OF a
/ chased chalice which has just been litted
I from silver satver. Not 50 many publ.
cans and sinners You want to get tc
heaven, but it must be in special car, witt
/ your feet on a Turkish ottoman aud a band
OF music on board the train. You do not
want to be in company with rustic Jacot
and Rachel. AMI to be drinking out OF the
fountain where ten THOUSAND sheep have
teen drinking before you. You will have
to remove the obstacle 0 pride, or never
find your way to the well. You will hav5
to come as we came, willing to take tbs
water of eternal life in any way, and at any
hand, and in any kind of pitcher. crying out
20 Lord Jesus, | am dying of thirst. Civ,
me the water of eternal life, whether il
trough or goblet; give me the water of life
/ care not in what it comes to me-" AWAY
with all your hindrances of pride from tn
wells mouth.
Come. all We thirsty! Yoa have an un
defined longing in your soll. You tried
Incorporating; that did not satisfy you
You tried Office under government; that
did not satisfy you. You tried picture:
and sculpture, but works of art did no
satisfy, you. You are as much discontentsd