Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-10-30
REV. DIR. TALMAGB.
The Eminent Brooklyn Divines Sun
day Sermon
Subject: "Sailing Up the Nile"

yellow or silver cord on which are hung
more jewels of thrilling interest than on any
river that was ever twisted in the sunshine
IL ripples through the book of Ezekiel, and
flashes in the books Of Deuteronomy and
Isaiah and Zecharia AMI Nahu n. and on its
banks stood the mightieS OF many ages IL
was the crystal cradle OF Moses. and on its
banks, Mary, the re,u zee, carried the infant
Jesus To find the birthplace OF this river
was the fascination AMI defeat Of expedi-
tions without number
Not many years ago Bayard Taylor, our
gIeat American traveller wrote, 'Since Co
lumbus first looked upon San Salvador, the
earth has but one emotion OF triumph left
for her bestowal. and that she reserves for
him who shall first drink from the fountains
OF the White Nile under the snow fields Of
Kilima- Njaro" But the discovery of the
sources of the Nile by most people was con-
sidered an impossibility. The malarias, the
wild beasts, the savages, the unclimable
sleeps, the vast distances, stopped all the ex-
petitions for ages.
An intelligent native said 10 Sir Samuel
W. Baker and wife as they were on their
way to accomplish that in which others had
failed: Give up the mad scheme of the Nile
source. How would it be possible for lady
young and delicate to endure what would
kill the strongest maug Give it up But
the work went on until Speke and Grant and
Baker found the two lakes which are the
source OF what was called the White Nile.
and baptized these two lakes with the names
of Victoria and Albert These two lakes
filled by great rainfalls and by accumulated
SHOWS from the mountains pour their
waters, lacen with agricultural wealth such
as blesses no other river on down over the
cataracts, on between frOwning mountains.
on between cities living and cities dead on
for four thousand miles and through a con-
tinent
But the White Nile would do little for
Egypt If this were all II would keep its
banks and Egypt would remain desert.
But from Abyssinia there comes what is
called the Blue Nile which though dry or
nearly dry half the year. under tremendous
rains about the middle of June rises to great
momentum and this Blue Nile dashes with
sudden influx into the White Nile. which in
consequence rises thirty feet and their COM
bined waters inundate Egypt with a rich soil
which drops on all the fields and gardens as
it is conducted by bitches and sluices and
canals every whittier
The greatest damage that ever came to
Egypt came by the drying up Of the River
Nile. and the greatest blessing by its health
full and abundant flow The famine in Jo-
seph's time came from the lack of sufficient
inundation from the Nile Not enough Nile
Is drought. too much Nile is freshet and
plague The rivers of the earth are the
mothers of its prosperity. II by some con-
vulsion of nature the Mississippi should he
taken from North America, or the Amazon
from South America, or the Danube from
Europe. or the Yensei from Asa-what
hemisphere calamity Still, there are other
rivers that could iertilize and save these
countries.
As we start where the Nile emptles into
the Mediterranean Sea. we behold a won
derful fulfillment of prophecy The Nile in
very ancient times used to have seven
mouths As the great river approached the
sea at seven different places. Isaiah prophe-
sled, THE Lord shall utterly destroy the
tongue of the Egyptian sea and shall smite
il in the seven streams. The fact is they are
all destroyed but two, and Herodotus said
these two remaining are artificial Up the
Nile we shall go; part of the way by
Egyptian rail train and then by boat and
we shall understand why the Bible gives such
prominence to thisriver, which is the largest
river of all the earth with one exception.
But before we board the train we must
take a look at Alexandria. II was founded
by Alexander the Great, and was once the
New York the Paris, the London Of the
world Temples, palaces, fountains, gar
dens. pillared and efflorescent with all archi-
tectural and Edenic grandeur and sweetness.
Apollos, the eloquent, whom in the New
Testament times some people tried 20 make
a rival TO St Paul lived here. Here Mark.
the author of the second book of the New
Testament, expired under Nero's anathema.
From here the ship sailed that left Paul and
the crew struggling in the breakers Of
Melita Pompey's pillar is here, about one
hundred feet high. its base surrounded by so
much filth and squalor / was gla to escape
into an air that was breathabe.
But Alexandria, fascinating for this or
that thing. according to the taste Of the Wis
itor. was TO me most entertaining because it
had been the site Of the greatest library
that the world ever saw considering the
fact that the art of printing had not been
invented. Seven hundred thousand volumes
and all the work of a slow pen. But down
1t all went under the torch Of beseigers.
Built again and destroyed again. Built
again, but the Arabs came along for its
final demolition and the four thousand baths
of the city were heated with those volumes,
the fuel lasting six months, and were ever
fires kindled at such fearful cost! What
holocausts of the worlds literature What
martyrdom Of books How many OF them
have gone down under the rage Of nations.
Only one book has been able to Withstand
the bombardment, and that has gone through
or spear or musket for it, defense. An un-
armed New Testament. An uuarmed Old
Testament. Yet invulnerable and tri-
nmphant. There must be something supe' -
natural about it. Conqueror Of books.
Monarch Of books All the books Of all tn,
ages in all the libraries outshone by this one
book which you aud carry to church in a
pocket So methought anil the ashes o.
Aexandrian libraries.
But all aboard the Egyptian rail train
going up the banks of the Nile, Look out
Of the window and see those camels KIN seling
for the imposition Of their load. AMI |
think we might take from them lesson,
and. instead Of trying to stand upright In
our own strength. become conscious o. Our
weakness and need OF divine help before W.
take upon US the heavy duties OF the year or
the week or the day, aud so knee for the
burden. We meet process 'ons OF men AMI
beasts on the way from their days wor@,
but alas, for the homes 70 which the poor
inhabitants are going for the most part
novels of mud. But there is something IN
the scene that thoroughly enlists Us. It Is
the novelty of wretchedness aud a scene Of .
picturesque rags. For thousands OF years
this land has been under a very damnation .
to taxes. Nothing but Christian civilization B.
will roll back the influences whic1 are .
>'spoiling the Egyptians There are gar
dens ana palaces but they belong to the
rulers
This ride along the Nile is one Of the most .
solemn and impressive rides Of all my life
time, and our emotions deepened as the cur
tains of the night fall upon all surround
ings. But we shall not be satisfied until we
can take ship and pass right out upon
these wondrous waters aud between the
banks crowned with the story OF empires.
According to the lead pencil mark in my
Bible it was Thanksgiving day morning,
November %, 1889, that with my family
and friends We stepped aboard the steamer
on the Nile The Mohammedan call to
prayers had been sounded by the priests OF
that religion the Muezzins, from the four
hundred mosques of Cairo as the cry went
out: God Is great. ! bear witness that
there is no God but God | bear witness
that Mohammed is the apostle OF God. Come
TO prayers. Come to salvation. God IS great
There is no other but God. Prayers are bet
ter than sleep"
The sky and city and palm groves aud river
shipping were bathed in the light. lt was
not much of a craft that we boarded: 1t
would not be hailed on any OF our rivers
with any rapture Of admiration. IL fortu-
nately had but little speed for twics we ran
ogrotind and the sailors iunped into the