Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-03-11
REV. DR.. 7ALMAGE.
The Eminent Brooklyn DivineS Sun
day Sermon.
subject: eRoligIon,s Refuge, :.

hiti Afil., a.
The cedar Of Lebanon is royal tree It
stands six thou sand feet above the level of
the see. missionary counted the concen-
tric circles and found one tree thirty-five
hundred years old long rooted, broad
branches all the year in luxuriaut foliage.
The same branches that bent in the hurrl-
cane that David saw sweeping over Leb-
anon. rocs to-day over the head of the
American traveller This monarch OF the
forest, with its lesfy fingers piucSs the hon
Ors OF thousand years and sDriukles them
upon its own upiltel brow, as though some
great hallelujah OF heaven had been planted
upon Lebanon and 1t We're rising up with all
It's long armed strength 10 take hold of tine
hills whence it came.
On what fine p ace for birds to nest in
Ia hot days they come Tn ther-the eagle,
the dove, the swallow, the sparrow and the
raven. There is to many Of US a complete
fascination in tae structure and habits of
birds. They seem not more OF earth than
heaven-ever v2cillating between the two.
No wonder that Audubon with his gun,
tramped through all OF the American for
ests in seal Gu of new specimens. Biologists
have spent years in finding tie track o.
BIRDS claw in the new red sandstone. There
is enough OF Gods architecture in a snipe's
bill or grcuSs's foot TO confOund ali the
universities. Musicians have, with c,ets and
bars tried to eaten the sound of the nightin-
gale and robin. Among the first things that
a child notices is a swallow at the caves, and
grandfather goss out with handful of
crumbs to feed the snow birds
The Bible is full OF pathological aiu-
sons. The birds Of the Bible are not dead
and stuffed. like those o. the museum, but
living birds with futtsring wings AMI plu-
mage. "Bshold the fowls Of the air" says
nc n
eagle, and though thou set thy nest among
the stars, thence will l bring thee down."
exclaims Obadiah. "Gavest TnoI the goo1ly
wings unto the peacockF says job. David
describes bis desolstion by saving, Il am
like a pelican of the wilderness; l am like
an owl Of the desert; l watch and am as
sparrow alone upon the housstop." 'Nea,
the stork III the heaven knOweth her APP
pointed time; ana The turtle, and the crane,
and the swallow observe the time Of their
coming; but my people know not the Judg-
nent OF the Lord SO says jeremiah.
Ezekiel in my text intimates that Christ
is tine cedar, and the people from all quar-
tiers are the birds that lodge among the
branches. 1t shall be gOJIiy cedar. ami
under it shall dwell all fOw OF every wing
As in Ezekie's time 50 nOw-Christ is
cooiiy cedar, AMI TO Him are living all kinds
Of psop,e-voung and old, RIGA AMI poor,
men high soaring as the eagle. those fierce
rs tn raven, ana those gentle as the dove.
"Ail fowl OF every wing
FIRST. the Young may come. OF the eigh-
teen hundred and ninety-two years that
have passed since Christ came. about six
teen hundred have been wasted by the good
in misdirec,el efforts Until Robert Raikes
came there vas no organized effort for saw
ing the young. We spend all our strength
STRIVING to bend old trees, when a little pres
wos would nave been sufficient for the sap
g. We let men 90 down ID the very bot
iron, Of sn before we try 10 lift them u. lt
Ne great deal easier 70 keep train on
tract. than to get it on Wien 1t Is OF.
ers shexp srienced reinsman ca 'cG5 the fiery
fat 10. at the first jump, Tor when he gets in
:, wing. the swift hoCts ciicsiug fire from
they svement and the bit between his teeth,
ing soUmsnlun is irresistible.
bard IS sad that the young must be allowed
ow Their wild oats have noticed
SHEEP those who SOW theic wild oats seldom
w 20 raise any other kind of crOo. There
" two opposite dCstinieS. Il you are going
elecheayen, you hal better take the straight
ON sad, and not try to 60 to Boston by way o.
!, lew Orleans. -Nhat S TO be the history OF
this multitude Of young people AROUND me
to-day! / viii tale you BY the haad ami
show you a glorious sunrise. l will not
whine about this thing, nor groan about IL,
but come, young men aul maldenS Jesus
wants YOU. His hand is low, His voice Is
music His smile is heaven. Religion will put
no handouts on your wrist, no hOppies on
yOdrfeet TO brand on your forehead.
Invent through the heaviest snOwstOrm l
have ever known to see dying girl. der
cheek on the pillow was white as the snow
on the easement. Her large, round eye mai
not lest any of its luster. Loved ones stood
all around the bed trying to hold her bacS.
Her mother could not give her up. and one
nearer to her than either father or mother
was frantic with grief. [ said: Fanny,
how do Won feel?" Or she said, "hlppy,
haDpyl Mr.. Talmage, tell all the young
folks that religion will make taen HAPPY.
AsI came out Of the room, louder than all
the sobs and waiings Of grief 1 heard me
clear. sweet, glad voice OF tue dying girl,
GOOD ni2ht: we shall mees again on Uhe
other side Of the river" TIE next Saobath
we buried her We brouZhJ white flowers
and laid them on the coi1a. Inere was IN
all that crowded church bat one really happy
and delighted face, AMI that was the race OF
Fanny. On. l wish that nov my Lord Jesus
1yould 90 through tnis audience AMI take a /
these flowers Of youth and garland thsm on
His brow. The cedar isa fitrefuge TOR BIRDS
of brightest pilmage alI swlttes1 wing.
See they hv! they f.. AL fowl OF every
wing.
Again, renarl; that the old may come.
y on say. suppose a man has u 90 on
crutches: suppose he IS bind: suppose he Is
deaf; suppose that nine-tenths Of his life has
been wasted Then answer: Come with
crutches. Come. Old men, blind and deaf,
come to Jesus. II you would sweep your
hand around before yoIr blind eyes the first
thing you would touch would be the cross.
1t is hard for an aged man or woman to have
grown old without religion. There taste IS
gone. The peach and the grape have lost
their flavor. They say that somehow fruit
does not taste as it used TO- Their hearing
gets defective, and they mss a great deal
that is saia n - - ,....'esence
Their friends have all gone AMI everybody
Seems 50 strange. Tne world seems 70 90
away from them and they are left all alone.
They BEGIN to feel in the way wnea YOU
come into the room where they are, and they
move their chair Dervousiy and say, II hope
| am not in the way Alas that father aul
mother should ever b. in the way. When
YOU were sick and they sat up all night rock
Ing you, singing T. YOU. administering 80
you, did they tnInk th8l you were in tle
ways Are you tired OF the Old peopiey DO
you snap them 40 QUICK an sharp You
will be cursed to the bone for your ingrat-
tUde and uasildnessl
pu, 10 sleep How swestly Hs has close
their eyesl How gently folded their arms
How He has put His hand Oh their silent
hearts and said: REST now, tire pilgrim.
IL is all over. The tears will never stare
again. Hush hushw So tie gives His De.
loved sleep. I think the most beautiful o.
5ect on earth is an old Christian-the hair
white, not with the frosts Of winter, but the
blossoms OF the tree Of life. 1 never feel
sorry for a ChristiaL Old man. Whv feel
sorry for those ugOn whom tle glories of
the eternal world are about to bursts They
are going to the gooily cedar Though
their wines are heavy with age. God shall
renew their strength Ike the eagle. and they
snail make their nest ia the cedar. "Al
foxl o. every wing"
Asain the very bad, tae outrageously
silfu, may come. Men talk of the grace Of
& ID IS though it were 50 many yards lons
AMI 50 many yards deep. Peop.e point to
tue dying thief rs an encourA cement b tie
sinner. How much better it would BE- .
point to our own case aud say. elf Gol save
Us He csn save anybody There may be
those here who never had one earnest worl
said to them about their souls. Consider
me as putting my hand OF your shout Ter
ana looking in your eye God has been good
to you. You ask, "How 90 you know
that? He has been very hard On me-"
Where did you come frOmy' "HOne"