Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-09-30
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKL1N DIVINE'S SUM-
DAY SERMON
Subject: Natures Wonders and
Heavens Glories."-(F Farewell
Sermon in LondOn)

hands and is in Kings paIaces"-Prov-
cribs Xxx, %.
Permitted az I was a few DAYS ago 20 at.
tend the meeting Of the British Scientific
Association at Edin burgh, I found that NO
paper read had excited more interest than
that by Rev. DR.. McCook, of American on
the subject of spiders. 1t seems that my
talented countryman, banished from his
pulpit for a short time by i'll health. had in
the fields and forest given himself to the
study of insects And surely if it is not be-
meath the dignity of God to make spiders it
is not beneath the dignity Of man to study
them.
We are all watching for phenomena. A
sky full of stars shining from January to
January calls out not many renaks as the
blazing of meteor. A whole flock of
robins take not so much of our attention
one laundering bat darling into the window
on a summer eve. Things of ordinary sound
and sight and occurrence fail to reach US.
and yet no grasshOpper ever springs, upon
our path, no moth ever dashes into the
evening candle no mote ever floats in the
sunbeam that pours through the crack of the
window shutter, no barnacle on ships hull,
no burr a chestnut, no limpet clinging to
arock no rind of an artichoke but would
teach us a lesson il we were not stupid.
God in His Bible sets forth for our consider
alton the lily, and the snowflake, and the
locust, and the stork's nest and 1.-The hind's
foot, and the aurora borealis, and the ant
hills.
gate of palace, and we are indicted amid
the pomD of the throne and the courtier,
and willie we are looking around upon the
magnificence inspiration points US TO a
spider plying its shuttle and weaving its net
on the wall. 1t does not call US to regard
the grand surroundings of the palace, but to
a solemn and earnest consideration of the
fact that The spider taketh hold with her
hands and is in kings palaces"
It is not very certain Whab was the par
ticular species Of insect spoken Of in the text,
but shall proceed to learn from it the ex-
ouisiteness of the divine mechanism. The
kings chamberlain comes into the palace
and looks around and sees the spider on the
wall and SAYS AWAY with that intruder"
and the servant Of SoIomon's palace comes
with his broom and dashes down the insect
saving ''What Ioathsome thing it is"
But under the microscopic inspection l fn1
it more wondrous of construction than the
embroideres on the palace wall and the up
holstery about the windows.
All the machinery Of the earth could not
make anything so delicate and beautiful as
the prehensile with which that spider
clutches its prey or as any Of its eight eyes.
We do not have TO go so Tar up TO see the
power of God in the tapestry hanging
around the windows of heaven. or IN the
horses or chartots Of fra with which the
diving day departs or to look at the noun
tain swinging out its sword arm from under
the mantle of darkness until it can strike
with it's scimeter of the lightning.
love better to study God In the shape or
a fiy's wing. in the formation Of a fish's
scale in the snowy whiteness OF a pond lily.
love to track His footsteps IN the mount
ain moss. and to hear His voice in the hum
of the rye fields, and discover the rustic OF
His robe of light in the south wind. Oh,
this wonder of divine power that can build a
habitation for God in an apple blossom. ana
tune a bess voice until 1t is fit for the eter-
nal orchestra, and can say 10 a FREELY, Let
there be light" and from holding ocean
in the hollow of His hand, goes forth
to find heights and depths and length ana
breadth of omnipotency in a dewdrop, and
dismounts from the chariot Of midnight
hurricane to cross over on the suspension
bridge of spiders web
You may take your telescope and sweep II
across the heavens in order to behold the
glory of God, but [ shall take the lear hold.
Inc the spider and the spiders web. and
shall bring the microscope to my eye, ano
while gaze and look and study ana an
COMPOUNDED will kneel down IN the gras;
and cry 'Great and marvellous are 1hy
works, Lord God Almighty"
Again. my text teaches me that insignlh
canoe is no excuse for inaction. This spider
that Solomon saw on the wall might have
said: ~ can't weave web worthy or thu
great palace; what can do amid all this
gold embroidery? I am not able to make
anything fit for so grand a place. and SO
will not work my spinning jenny" Not s.
said the spider. ''The spider taketh hole
with her hands" Oh, what q lesson that i
for you and mel You say if you had som
great sermon to preach, If you only nad
great audience to talk to- If you had grea
army to marshal, if you only had con
stitution to write, il there was som
tremendous thing il the world for you to q
then you would show US. Yes, you Woul
show US!
What if the Levite in the ancient tempt
had refused to snuff the candle because h
could not be a high priest? WAT IL Tn
humming bird should refuse to sing Its song
into the ear of the honeySuckle because
cannot, like the eagle, dash its wing into IN
sum- What is the raindrOp should refuse {
descend because it is not Niagara? w hs
If the spider OF the text should refuse I
move its shuttle because it cannot weave
Solomon's robe? Away with such folly;
you are lazy with the one talent you woul
be lazy with the ten talents. If Milo cal
not lift the calf he never will have strengt
to lift the OK. In the Lords army there
order for promotion, but you cannot be
general until you have been a captain,
lieutenant and colonel. 1t is step by ste
it is inch by inch, it is stroke by stroke thu
our Christian character is builded. Their
fore be content to do what God comman'
you to do.
God is not ashamed to do small things. E
is not ashamed to be found chiseling graz
of sand, or helping honeybee to constr
its cell with mathematical accuracy,
tingeiug she'll In the surf or shaping Il
bill of a chaffinch. What God does, Hedo
we'll. What you do, do well, be it & gre
work or a small work. IF ten talents, emplc
all the ten. If five talents, employ all Il
five. If one talent employ the one. If on
the thousandtb part of talent, emplc
that. BE thou faithful unto death, and
will give thee the crown of life" tell you
~ q