The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-09-16
FAMINE-sTRUCK,
Either Christ or Famine, Either Feast
or Starvation.
No Such Thing a. Getting Pardon From
Heaven Unless Our Divine Saviour II
With Us in Our Souls-Tal-
IMAGES sermon. sfsa

DR.. Talmage's text last Sunday was
taken from Genesis xiii, 4S: ''Ye shall
not see my face, except your brother
be with YOU" sos,a.s- 4.s.
This summer, having crossed eight
cen of the United States North, South,
East and West ! have to report the
mightiest harvests that this country or
any other country ever reaped If the
grain gamblers do not somehow wreck
these harvests we are about to enter
upon the grandest scene of prosperity
that America has ever witnessed. But
while this is so in our own country, on the
other side of the Atlantic there are ma
lions threatened with famine, and the
most dismal cry that is ever heard will
fear be uttered-the cry for bread. I
pray God that the contrast between our
prosperity and their want may not be as
sharp as in the lands referred to by my
text. There was nothing to eat. Plen-
ty of corn in Egypt, but CHASTITY famine
in Canaan. The cattle moaning in the
stall. Men, women and children aw-
fully white with hunger. Not the fail
ing of one crop for one summer, but the
failing of all the crops for seven years.
A nation dying for lack of that which
Is so common on your table, and so lit
tie appreciated; the product Of harvest
field. and grist mill, and oven; the price
Of sweat, and anxiety, and struggle
Bread! Jacob the father, has the last
report from the four-bin, and he finds
that every thing is out; and he says to
his sons: ''Boys, hook up the wagons
and start for Egypt, and get us some
thing 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 be-
tween 70 and so per cent. of their
products to the government. No Won
der in that time they had large corn
crib, and it was full. To that crib they
came from the regions round about
those who were famished-some paying
for corn in money; when the money
was exhausted, paying for the corn in
sheep and cattle, and horses and cam
els; and when they were exhausted,
then selling their own bodies and their
families into slavery
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 tremble with
emotion from head to foot, and burst
into tears. The fact was, that these
elder sons had once before been in
Egypt 10 get corn, and they had been
treated somewhat roughly, the lord of
the corn.crib 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! Benjamin-that very name was
suggestive Of all tenderness. The
mother had died at the birth of that
soma spirit coming and another spirit
going-and the very thought of parting
with Benjamin must have teen a heart
break
The keeper Of this corn-crib, never
theless, says to these older sons:
'There is no need of your coming here
any more for corn, unless you bring
Benjamin, your fathers darling" Now
Jacob and his family very much needed
bread; but what struggle it would be
TO give up this son. The Orientals are
very demonstrative in their grief, and !
hear the outwailing Of the father as
these older sons keep reiterating in his
ears the announcement of the Egyptian
lord, "Ye shall not see my face unless
your brother be with you" "Why did
you tell them you had brother?' said
the old man. complaining and Gliding
them. ivy, father" they said, "he
asked us about our family, and we had
no idea he would make any such de-
mand upon us as he has made" mo
use Of asking me-" said the father, II
can not l will not, give up Benja-
min." .eN
The fact was that the old man had
lost children; and when there had been
bereavement in q household, and a
child taken. it makes the other chill.
dren in the household more precious.
So the day for departure was adjourn
ed, and adjourned, and adjourned. Still
the horrors of the famine increased,
and louder moaned the cattle, and
wider open cracked the earth, and
more pallid became the cheeks, until
Jacob, in despair, cried out to his sons,
"Take Benjamin and be off," The
older sons tried to cheer up their
father. They said: 1--WE have strong
arms and stout heart, and no harm
will come to Benjamin. Well see that
he gets back again" "Farewellr' said
the young men to the father, in a tone
of assumed good cheer, Pare
w-e-l-l-w said the old man; for that
word has more quavers in it when pro.
bounced by the aged than by the
young.
Well, the bread party-the bread en-
bassy-drives up in front of the corn
crib of Egypt. These corn-cribs are
filled with wheat, and barley, and corr
in the husk, for those who have trav
eled in Canaan and Egypt know thai
there is corn there corresponding with
our Indian maize. Huzza! the journey i:
ended. The lord of the corn-crlb, who
is also the prime minister, comes dowr
to these arrived travellers. and says
"Dine with me to-day. How is you
father? Is this Benjamin, the younger
brother whose presence l demanded?'
The travellers are introduced into the
palace. They are worn and bedusted
of the way, and servants come in with
basin of water in one hand and a tow
cl in the other. and knecl down before