Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-09-07
HEAVENLY HELPERS,
DR.. TALMAeE breaches TO AN
IMMENSE LONDON AUDIENCE.

Hphesus Was but Type of the Struy.
gle Every Soul Must Have with Evil.
sympathizing Witnesses In Heaven.
LONDON. Sept. 4-The great outpourines
70 near Dr. Talmage preach continue.
froDaoly the greatest demonstration dur
ing The past month was that at the town
hall' Birmingham, when be delivered three
addresses the same evening to audiences
aggregating $4,000 persons. At Sheffield
Derby, Leicester, Exeter and Bristol also
phenomenal audiences assembled the
most cordial welcome being everywhere
accorded him. The sermon selected for
publication this week is entitled Celestial
sympathizers," the text being taken from
| Cor. Ky, 30, Il have fought with beasts
at Ephesus," and Hebrews xii, /, Seeing
we also are compassed about with so great
cloud Of witnesses
Crossing the Alps by the Mont Gents
pass or through the Mont Gents tunnel
you are in a few hours set down at Verona.
Italy, and in few minutes begin examin.
ing one of the grandest ruins of the world
the amphitheater. The whole building
sweeps around yen IN a circle. You stand
IN the arena where the combat was once
fought or the race run, and on all sides the
seats rise. tier above tier, until you count
forty elevations, or galleries, as shall see
"a % call them, in which sat the senators,
the kings and the twenty-five thousand ex-
cited spectators.
At the sides Of the arena and under the
Galleries are the cages in which the lions
and tigers are kept without food, until
frcn2iea with hunger and thirst they are
let out upon some poor victim, who with
bis sword and alone is condemned to meet
them. think that Paul himself once
stood In such a place, and that it was not
only figuratively bnt literally that he had
fought with beasts at Ephesus."
GATHERING TO THE SHOW.
The gala day has come. From all the
world the people are pouring into Verona
Men, women and children, orators and
senator's, great men and small, thousands
upon thousands come, until the first gal
lery is full, and the second, the third. the
fourth. the ffth-all the way up TO the
twentieth, all the way up to the thirtieth,
all the way up to the fortieth. Every place
is filed immensely of audience sweeping
the great circle. Silencel The time for
the contest has come. A Roman official
leads forth the victim into the arena. Let
him get his sword with firm grip into his
right hand The twenty-five thousand sit
breathlessly watching. hear the door at
the side of the arena creak open. Out
plunges the half starved lion, his tongue
athirst for blood, and with roar that
brings all the galleries to their feet he
rushes against the sword of the combatant.
Do you know how strong a stroke a man
will strike when his life depends upon the
first thrust of his blade? The wild beast,
lame and bleeding, sinks back toward
the side Of the arena; then, rallying his
wasting strength, he comes up with fiercer
eve and more terrible roar than ever, only
TO be driven back with a fatal wound,
while the combatant comes in with stroke
after stroke. until the monster is dead ut
his feet, and the twenty-five thousand peo-
ole clap their hands and utter shout that
makes the city tremble.
Sometimes the audience came TO see a
race: sometimes TO see gladiators fight
each other, until the people compassionate
for the fallen, turned their thumbs down
as an appeal that the vanquished be
shared; and sometimes the combat was
with wild beasts
To one Of the Roman amphitheatrical
audiences Of one hundred thousand people
Paul refers when he says. "We are COM
passed about with so great crowd Of
witnesses" The direct reference in the
last massage Is made to race; but else
where. having discussed that, take now
Paul's favorite idea of the Christian life as
a combat
BATTLE BEFORE YOU.
The fact is that every Christian man
has n lion to fight. Yours is bad temper.
The gates Of the arena have been opened,
and this tiger has come out to destroy
your soul. 1t has lacerated you with
many n wound. You have been thrown
Nv II time and again, but in the strength
~ God Won have arisen to drive it back. |
verilv believe you will conquer. think
that the temptation is getting weaker ana
weaker You have given it SO many
wounds that the prospect is that 1t Will
die and YOU shall be victor through Christ.
Courage brother Do not let the sands OF
the arena drink the blood of your SOUL
Your lion is the passion for strong drink.
Won may have contended against 1t twenty
wears. but it is strong Of body and thirsty
~ tnnoue. You have tried to fight It back
with broken bottle or empty wine mask.
Navi that is not the weapon. With one
borrible roar he wall seize thee by the
throat and rend thee limb from limb. Take
Ills weapon. sharp and keen-reach up ana
oct IL from God 5 armory-the sword OF the
Shirt With that thou mayest drive nm
back and conquer .nd
But why specify when every man anu
woman has lion to fightS II there De one .
bare who has no besetting sin, let nm
snesz out. for him have ! offended. II you
have not fought the hon, it IS because yo..
havs let the lion eat you up. his very
, ,,',s The contest goes on. The Trojan
aale hration. where ten thousand giadlaoors
songhf and eleven thousand wild beasts
, - lain was not so terrific a struggle
~ tbat which at this moment goes on y
!, soul The combat was for the ne
If l' tbe body; this is for the life Of the soul
Tbat was WITH wild beasts from 1ne ~.
ale. this is with the roaring hon OF heli.
Men think when they contend ~, "S !, ~
a. avil habit rlaat they have 70 ISM J. " y
alone Nol rhey stand in the center n1.1I,. y
an immense circle Of sympathy, Fa 1.t ',.I,'
he been reciting the names Of Abel liis,,h'
% Nj Abraham, Sarah, Isaac Joseph i,,,,
D y