Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1891-09-18
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE'S SUM-
DAY SERMON
AT ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

| cannot hnd more appropriate text than
the one read. II is a scenein Mesopotamia,
beautifully pastoral. A well Of water OF
great value in that region. The fields around
L white with three flocks OF sheep lying
down waiting for the watering. | hear there
bleating coming on the bright air, and the
laughter of young men and maidens indulg-
ing in rustic Tepartce. l lCoB of aud see
other focks of sheep coming. Meanwhile.
Jacob. q stranger, on the interesting errand
oflooking for wife, comes to the well.
beautiful shepherdess comes to the same
well: | see her approaching followed by
her fathers flock OF sheep. II was men,
orabe meeting. Jacob married that shep-
herdess. The bible account OF II Is, Jacob
kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and
wept."
Ii has always been a mystery to me what
be found to cry about! But before that
scene occurred Jacob accosts the shepherds
and asks them why they postpone the slak-
ing of the thirst OF these sheep, and why
they did not Immediately proceed TO water
them. The shepherds reply 10 the effect:
I'VE are all good neighhOrs, and as matter
OF courtesy we wait until all the sheep OF the
nelghborhood come up. Besides that, this
stone on the wells mouth Is somewhat
heavy, and several OF us take hold Of il and
push II aside. and then the buckets and the
troughs are filled aud the sheep are satisfied
We cannot. until all the hocks are gathered
together, and till they roll the stone from
the wells mouth; then we water the
sheep"
on, this is thirsty world! Hot for the
head, and bllstering for the feet, and parch-
ing for the tongue. The worlds great want
is cool, refreshing, satisfying drah. We
wander around and find the cistcrn empty.
Long and tedious drought has dried up the
worlds fountains, but nearly niHeteen cen
turics ago Shepherd, with a crook in the
shape Of a cross, and feet cut TO the bleed
ing, explored the desert passages OF this
world, and one day came across well 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 q voice strong and musical
that rang through the ages "Ho, every Que
that thrsteth, come ye to the waters"
Now, great flock of sheep today gather
around this Gospel well. There are a.great
many thirsty souls. l wonder why the
Cocks Of all nations do not gathcr-why so
many stay thirsty; and while | am wonder
Ing about it, my text breaks forth in the
explanation, saving: 1--WE cannot, until all
/ these focks be gathered together, and Ill
| they roll the stone from the wells mouth )
then we water the sheep ,
| II a herd of swine come TO well they
angriy jostlc each other for the precedence;
/ II the drove Of cattle come to well, they
hook each other back from the water, but
when the flock OF sheep come, though a
hundred Of them shall be disappointed,
they only express II by sad bleaung-they
come together peacefully. We want a
great multitude TO come around the Gospel
well. know there are those who do not
Ike crowd-they think the crowd is vulgar.
II they are oppressed for room in church II
makes them positively impatient and bel
ligerent. Not so did these oriental shep'
herds. They waited until all the tOcks
were gathered, and the more locks that
came the better they liked il.
And so we ought to be anxious that ali the
people should come. Go out into the high
yavs and the hedges and compel them tc
come in. Go to the rich and tell them they
arr indigent without the Gospel OF Jesus
Go to the poor and tell them the afhuenct
there is in Christ. Go to the blind and tell
them of the touch that gives eterna
Illumination. Go to the lame and tel
them of the Joy that will make the lame
man leap Ike hart. Gather all thu
sheep off of all the mountains. None sc
torn OF the dogs, none so sick, none Sc
worried. none 50 dying as to be omitted
When the fall elections come the whole lant
Is secured for voters, and il man Is toe
weak or sick to walk to the polls carriag
Is sent for him; but when the question
whether Christ or the devil shall rule thh
world, how few there are to come out ant
seek the sick, and the lost, and the suffering
and the bereft, and the lame and induc
their suffrages for the Lord Jesus. Why no
gather a great 1ocky All Amctica in flock
all the world in flock.
This well of the Gospel is deep enough L
, put out the burning thirst Of the fourteen
hundred millions OF the race. Do not lie
the church by q spirit Of exclusivenes
keep the world out. Let down all the bart
swing open all the gates, scatter oil the in
yitatlons, ''Whosoever will, let him come.
Come. white and black. Come, red men o
the forest Come, Laplandor, out OF tn
, snow. Come, Patagonian, out OF the heat
Come in furs. Come, painting under pair
leaves. Come one. Come all. Come now
AS at this we'll of Mesopotamia Jacob any
Rachel were betrothed, so now. at this we
of salvation Christ our Shepherd Will NEE
you coming up with your long hocks
cares and apxieties, and he will stretch ou
his hand in pledge Of his affection, while a
heaven Will cry out, Behold the bridegroom
crmeth; go ye out to meet him"
You notice that this well Of Mcsopotam'
had a stone on 1t, which must be remove
|. before the sheep could be watered; and
find on the well of salvation today imped
J ments and obstacles, which must be remove
1 In order that you may obtain the refresl
!, ment and life of this Gospel. In your ca'
the impedment Is pride OF heart. You cal
4 not bear to come to so democratic fountain
| you do not want to come with so mar
/ others. It Is TO you like when you are DIR
coming to a town pump, as compared to 81
ting In parlor slipping out of a chased cha
r ice which has just been lifted from a silv
i salvcr. Not so many publicans and sinner
You want to get TO heaven, but It must be
0 q special car, with your feet on Turkish G
( toman and n band of music on board Il
A train.
= You do not want to be In company wi
V rustic Jacob and Rachel, and to be drinkil
i out OF the fountain where ten thousal
O sheep have been drinking before you. "
will have to remove the obstacle OF pride,
never find your way to the well. You W
have to come as we came, willing to take {
10 water of eternal life in any way and at al
!, hand, and In any kind of pitcher, crying oil
u 40 Lord Jesus, am dying Of thirst. Gl
Of me the water of eternal life. whether
. care not In what it comes to me.r Aw
u with all your hindrances Of pride from {
z; wells mouth.
q Here Is another man who is kept ba
from the water OF life by the stone of
obdurate heart, which lies over the mouth
n the we'll. You have no more feeling up
!. this subject than II God had yet to do y
n the first kindness, or you had TO do God
- first wrong. Seated on his lap, all tn,
u years, his everlasting arms sheltering "
l. where is your gratitudc2 Where is "
n morning and evening prayer Where
|. your consecrated lyesr / say to you,
!, Daniel said TO Belshazzar, The God
y whose hand thy breath is, and all thy W
d thou hast not glorilied."
,. If you treated anybody as badly as y
Ia have treated God, you would have mi
~ five hundred apologies-yca, your whole
eS would have been an apology. Three tir
Iy a day you have been seated at Gods tai
n. Spring, summer, autumn and winter be
appropriately appareed you, Your hea
from him, your companion from him, y
children from him, your home from b
I've All the bright surroundings Of your
~ from him. Oh, man, what q
thou with that hard he'