Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1892-11-19
REV. DR.. TALMAGE
lHE BRDOKLYN DIVlNE'S SUN
DAY SERMON

mr. HpDotafpd tunes, and the turtle. and
me crane, and the rohor obserre the time
~ their coming; but my peopte kno,o not the
~JndJment oJ the Lord."-Jeremiah viii. Z
When God would set fast a beautiful
thought He plants it in a tree. When He
would put it ahoat He fashions it into q
fish. When He would have it glide the air
he molds it into a bird. My text speaks
Of four birds Of beautiful instinct-the
htork, Of such strong affection that it Zig
allowed faufillarly to come. in Holland an
Germany. and build its nest over the door,
way, the sweet dispositioned turtledove>
mlngllng in color white and black and
brown AMI ashen and chestnut; the crane
WIZ soscc 1ee tho claug of q tru mpet; the
swallow, swift as a dart, shot out Of the bow
Of heaven, falling. mounting. skimming.
~saiiing-four birds started by the prophet
twenty-five centuries ago, yet flying on
through the ages, with rousing truth under
glossy wing and IN the clutch of stout claw.
| suppose it may have been this very season
or The year-autumn-and the prophet out
Of doors, thinking Of the impenitence OF the
head.
Now you know it is no easy thing for one
with ordinary delicacy of eyesight TO look
INTO the deep blue Of the noondav heaven.
Tut the prophet looks up, aud there are
Hccks OF storks AMI turtle1Oves and cranes
AMI swallows drawn out in long lines for
night southwark. AS is their habit, the
cranes had arranged themselves into two
the air with Wild velocity-the old
crane. with commanding call, bidding
them onward, while the towns, and the
cities, and the continents slid under then.
Inc Prophet, almost blinded from looking
INTO the dazzling heavens, stoops down and
tegins 20 taink how much superior the biris
are III sagaclty about their safety than men
about theirs, and he puts his hand upoA the
pen and begins to write, The stork in the
heavens knoweth her appointel times, and
tie turtle, and the crane, and the swallow
observe the time cs their coming; but my
people know not the judgment OF the
Lord
: Il you were in the field to-day, in the
clunp OF trees at the corner Of the field you
would see a convention Of birds, noisy as the
American congress the last night before ad.
Jorrnment, or as the English parliament
when some unfortunate member proposes
more economy IN queens households con-
vention of birds all talking at once, moving
ANA Iasslng resolutions on the subject. OF
migration, some proposing to 20 to-mor-
row, some moving that they go to-day.
SOME moving that they go to Brazil, some
to Florida. some to the tablelands OF Mexico
but all unanimous in the fact that they must
60 soon, for they nave marching orders
from the Lord, written on the first white
So - w rs dlIi W tAS pNEupt II VI ut
yhangingteaves.
There Is not a belteo kingfisher, OF a
chatiinch, or a fire crested wren, or q
piover, or u red legged partridge but ex-
pect. 10 spend tue winter at the south, for
the apartments have already been ordersl
tor them in South America or in Africa,
and after thousands Of miles Of flight they
Will stop In the very tree where they spent
last January. Farewell, bright plumage!
nth spring weather. away! Fly on, great
baud OF heavenly musicians' Strew the
continent with music, and whether from
northern fields. or Carolinian swamps, or
Brazilian groves men see your wings or
hear your voice, may they bethink them
selves OF the'solemn words of the text, The
stalk in the heaven knowth her appointed
times, and the turtle and the crane and the
swallow observe the time of their coming .
tut my people know not the judgment OF
the Lord!'
! propose, so far as God may help me, this
morning, carry out the idea Of the text, to
show that the birds of the air have more sa-
gacty than men. And l begin by particu.
lar zing and saying that they mingle music
with their works. The most serious under
ticking OF a birds life is this annual trave!
from the Hudson to the Amazon, from tho
thames TO tho Nile Naturalisrs tell us that
they arrive there thin and weary and plu-
mage ruttied, and yet they go singing all tho
way; the ground, the lower line of the
music; the Sky, the upper line OF the music;
themselves, the notes scattered up and down
between.
It is a good sign when you hear q work
man whistle. 1t is q better sign when you
hear him hum a rouudelay. 1t is a still
better sign when you hear him sing the
words of Isaac Watts or Charles Wesley
A violin cnoruei ana strung, if something
accidentally strike 1t, makes music, and
suppose there Is such Il thing as having oul
hearts SO attunei by divine grace tina
even tue rough collisions OF life will make
heavenly vibration. | do not believe thai
the power OF Christian song has yet beer
fully tried, | believe that II you could rol
the Old Huudrei' doxology through Wal
street 1t would put IA, en1 10 any tinancia
disturbance! / believe that the iiscoris
:,nA tie SORROWS, ant the sins of the worl
are 10 be swept out by heaven born halle
lulals.
Some one asked Haydn, the celebrate
mn>ttan, why he Always composed sue
cnter,u inlslt. WHY, he said, Il can
uo utnerwls-. When / tnink or God I'D
spul i, 50 lutt or ~ that The notes les
Ala dance from ms Den / wish VIZ mi.l
81 rNu mcIoIIOusIv DeTOre the IxOr
With God for our Father and Christ (
our Saviour, and heaven for our home, an
angels for future companions, and eterni'
for n lifetime, we should strike all the not
ot 10Y. tom. through the wilderness
this world let us remember that we are {
the way TO the nme cline OF heave
ani from the migratory populations fyir
throu- II this autunnal air learn ALWAYS
Keep singing.
EAlidrCa or the Heavenly King.
Asye loI-ney sweetlv sing.
S!n- Your Savionr's worthy praise.
'for DIS II lis works ana ways.
le arc travelling home TO Cod
lnthe WY your fathers trod;
they are happy now. and We
Soon their happiness shall see.
The church OF COL never will be q {,
utnrAant church until it becomes a sinyir
cLurc,.
/ 20 further AM remark that the birds
thealr are wjSAr than we in the fact tn,
II their migration they fly very high. d.
{ lnG the summer. when thew are in q
iieI!s. they often come within reach Of I
gun. but when they start for the anuu
hight southwark they take their plac
mldheavea and go straight as an arrow
me mark. The longest rife that was ev
brought 10 shoulder cannot reach ther
ould u God that I'VE were as wise as I
stork ami crane in our flight heavenwar
We hv, 80 low that we are within easv ran
81 the world, the flesh and the devil. "
arr brought down by temptations tn
ought not ~ come within a mile Of reachi,