Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-07
AMONG THE ANIMALS.
DR.. Talmage Finds Food for Thought
for His Sunday Sermon.
MEETING AT THE ANCIENT WELL.
The FlOcks of Heaven to Gather at the
Waters of Eternal Life.
AN ADDRESS TO FARMERS AT A FAIR
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.

L1shAISAs N. L. C6pl O.-OIs
preached here to-day to the immense multi
tude who had come to attend the New
York and Pennsylvania Exposition, whicl
is being held here September to Septem
Der Q. 1t is combined exposition of cat
tie, sheep, horses and valuable stock of al
kinds from the two States. The sermon
was preached on the fair grounds to grea
audience of farmers, horsem IN, drovers ant
stockraisers from near and far, as we'll a.
citizens from the adjacent cities. Secretary
Stanley. of the Young Mems Christian As
sociation of Elmira, presided, DR.. Tai
IMAGES text was Genesis xxx, s: "And they
said, we cannot, until all the focks be gath
cred together and till they roll the stone
from the wells mouth; then we water the
sheep"
There are some reasons why it is appropri-
Rtc tn3t L should accept the invitation TO
preach ut this great Interstate Fair, and to
these thron2s of countrymen and citizens,
NOrsemen Just come from their fine chaIg-
CrS, the king of beasts, for L take tile crown
from the hon and put it on the brow OF the
horse which is in every way noDler, and
SPEAK to these shepherds just come from
thciS fiocks-the Lord Himself in one place is
called a Shepherd and in another place
called "A Lamb, and all the good are sheep
and preach to you cattle-men come up from:
the herds, yonr occupation honored
by the fact that God Himself thinks it
worthy of immortal record that he owns
"the cattle on thousand hills" 1t is
appropriate that L come because l was
farmers boy. and never saw8 city until
was nearly grown, and having been born in
the country l never got over it. and would
not dwell in cities q day if my work was not
appointed there. Ny love to you now and
when | get through | Will give you my hand,
for though l have this summer shaken
hands with perhaps 40 900 people in q States
of the Union. all the WAY through to Col
OradO and North and South will not con-
clude my summer vacation till l have
shaken hands with you. Iou old farmer out
there, How you make me think of INV
father, You elderly woman out there with
cap and -spectacles! How YOU make me
think of my mother!
THE SCENE a BEAUTIFUL PASTORAL.
And now, while the air of these fair grounds
IS filed with the hleating of sheep and the
neighing OF horses and the lowing of cattle,
/ cannot find a more appropriate text than
the one l read. Itis a scene in Mesopotamia,
beautifully pastoral. A well of water of
great value in that region. The fields round
about 1t white with three flocks of sheep
lying down waiting for the watering. hear
iHClr blcatlag coming on the bright air and
the laughter oi young men and maidens in
dulging in rustic repartee. | look off and
see other 1lOcks of sheep coming. Mean
while, Jacob n stranger ON the interesting
erTand of looking .or Il wife, comes to the
we'll 4 beautiful shepherdess comes to the
same well see her approaching, followed
by her fathers lock of sheep. 1t was
memorable meeting. Jacob married that
shephcrdcss
The Bible account of it is: Jacob kissed
Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept."
1t has always been a mystery to me what he
found to cry about But before that scene
occurred Jacob accosts the shepherds and
asks them why they postpone the shaking of
the thlrSt OF these sneep, and why thew did
N ~rhFfiT fe1Nr
The shepherds reply to the effect: "We are
All good neighbOrs, and as a matter of cour-
tesy we wait until all the sheep OF the neigh.
hornOod come up. Besides that, this stone
on the wells mouth is somewhat heavy and
several of us take hold of it and push it
aside, and then the buckets and troughs are
IIled and the sheep are satisfied We can
not, until all the iocks be gathered together
and till they roll the stone from the wells
mouth; then we water the sheep
Now a great mock of sheep to-day gather
around the gospel well There are a great !
many thirsty souls. wonder why the fiocks |
ol all nations do not gather-why so many
stay thirsty; and while 1 am wondering
bout it my text breaks forth in the expla-
nation, saying: I'VE cannot until all the
focks be gathered together and till they
roll the stone from the wells mouth; then
we water the sheep"
THE SHEEP ALWAYS PEACEFUL.
Ifa herd of swine come to a well they an
grily jostle each other for the precedence. if
81 drove of cattle come to a 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 eH
press il by sad bleating they come together
peacefully. e want q great multitude TO
come around the Gospel well. | know there
are those who do not like a crowd-theJ
think Il crowd is vulgar. If they are on
pressed for room in church it makes them
positively impatient and belligere at Not
so did these Oriental shepherds. They |
TH-sHfH a 41,,
and the more 1locks that came, the better |
they l5ed it.
And so We ought to be anxious that all the |
people should come. Go ous into the high
ways and the hedges and compel them to |
come IN, 60 to the rich and tell them they |
are Indlgent without the Gospel of Jesus /
60 to the poor and tell them the affiuence
there Is in Christ. Go to the blind and fell
them the touch that gives eternal illumina-
tion. GO to the lame aud tell them of the
Joy that will make the lame man lean like n
hart. Gather ali the sheep on of all the
mountains. None so torn of the dogs, none
So SICK, none so worried none so diving, as
10 be omitted. When tine fall elections come |
tile whole land is secured for voters, and if a
man is too weak or sick to walk TO the polls
D carriage is sent for him; but when the
question is whether Christ or the devil shall
rule this world, how few there are to come
out to seek the sick and the lost and the |
and the bereft, and the lame, and
induce their sutfrages for the Lord Jesus
Let down all the bars. swing open all the |
l0sO-
ever VIII let him come" Come, white and
black. Come, red men of the forest Come |
Laplander, ont of the snow. Come Pata-
Eonian, out of the heat Come in iurs
-ome painting under palm leaves. Come one |
.ome al. Come now. As at this we'll of
Ncsopotamia, Jacob and Rachel were be-
rothed, so now. at this well of salvation |
christ our shepherd will meet Won COMING
up with your long flocks of cares and
lnXletles, and he will stretch out his hand
n pledge of his affection, while all heaven
4 Ill cry out: Behold, the bridegroom com
sth: go yc out to meet him."
THE STONE BEFORE THE WE'LL.
You notice that this well of Mesopotamia
lad = stone on 1t, which must be removed
before the sheep could be watered: and
ind on the well OF salvation to day impedi-
nents and obstacles, which must be re-
moved in order that you may obtain the
and life of this aosneI Tn
our case the impediment is pride of heart
'OU cannot bear to come to so democrat1c a |
you do not want to come with SO |
many others. 1t is TO you like when you are
Try coming to town pump, as comDared /
o sitting in a paTlor slipping out of a chased |
halice which has just been lifted from n !
liver salver. Not so many publicans and
mners. You want to get to heaven, but il |
must be in a special car, with your feet on a |
'urkish ottoman and a band of music on |
Oard the train. You do not want to De in |
Ompany with rustic Jacob and Rachel and |
O be drinking out of the fountain where |
1900 sheep have been drinking before You,
on will have to come as we came, willing
@ take the water of eternal life in any way, |
nd at any hand, and in any kind of pitcher, |
rying out: 20 Lord Jesus, l am dying of |
hirst. Give me the water of eternal life |
'nethcr in trough or goblet: give me the |
.atcr of liTe: l care not in what it comes
% me-"
Here is another man who is kept back
rom this water of life by the stone of an OBJ
uIatc heart, which lies over the mouth of
he well. You have no more feeling upon
s.a.nA Il |