The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-09-28
THE RIGHT ROAD.
It Is Described in Graphic Lam
guage by Rev. DR.. Talmage.
It Is Plain, Pleasant and Safe Highway,
and Its Terminus Is ZiOn-God Gives
aBond of Indemnity Against
All Evil to Every One
That Treads 1t.

sermon in Plymouth, England, the text
chosen being Isaiah xxXv., $40:
And highway shall be there, and way,
and it shall be called the way OF holiness: the
unclean shall not pass over 1t, but 1t shall be for
those; the wayfaring men, though fools shall
not err therein No lion shall be there nor any
ravenous beast shall go up thereon, il shall not
be found there; but the redeemed shall walk
there and Inc ransomed Of the Lord shall re-
turn, and come TO Zion with songs and ever
lasting Joy upon their heads they shall obtain
Joy and gladness, and sorrow and signing shall
flee away"
There are thousands of people here
this morning who want to find the
right road. You sometimes see per-
son hating at crossroads, and you can
tell by his looks that he wishes to ask
a question as to what direction he had
better take. And stand in your pres
ence this morning conscious of the fact
that there many of you here who real
ize that there are thousand wrong
roads, but only one right one; and |
take it for granted that you have come
in to ask which one it is. Here is one
road that opens widely, but l have not
much faith in it. There are a great
many expensive tollgates scattered all
along that way. Indeed, every rod you
must pay in tears or pay in fagella-
tons On that road, if you get through
it at all, you have to pay your own way;
and since this differs so much from
what l have heard in regard to the
right way, l believe it is the wrong
way
Here is another road. On the other
side of it are houses of sinful entertain
ment, and invitations to come in, and
dine and rest; but, from the looks of
! the people who stand on the piazza ]
am very certain that it is the wrong
house and the wrong way. Here is an
| other road 1t is very beautiful and
| macadamized. The horse s. hoofs clat-
ter and ring, and they who ride over it
spin along the highway, until sud denly
they find that the road breaks over an
embankment, and they try to halt, and
they saw the bit in the mo nth of the
fiery steed, and cry "Ho! ho!' But it is
too late, and-crash-they go over the
embankment. We shall turn. this morn
ing, and see if we canno find a differ
ent kind of a road.
You have heard of the Appian Way.
1t was three hundred and fifty miles
long. It was twentv-four fest wide,
and on either side the road was path
for foot passengers. 1t was made out OF
rocks cut in hexagonal shape and fitted
together. What road it must have been
Made of smooth, hard rock, three hun.
bred and fifty miles long. No wonder
| that in the construction of it the treas
ures of whole empire were exhausted.
Because of invaders, and the elements
and time--the old conqueror who tears
| upl a road as he. goes over it-there is
nothing left of that structure excepting
a ruin. But have this morning to tel
you of road built before the Appiar
Way, and yet it is as good as when first
constructed Millions of souls have
gone over it. Millions more will come.
The prophets and apostles, too,
Pursue this road while here below;
We therefore will. without dismay,
|
"a highway shall be there, and away
and it shall be called the way of holi
ness; the unclcan shall not pass over
It; but it shall be for those; the way
faring men, though fools, shall not err
therein. No lion shall be there, MOI
any ravenous beast shall 60 up thereon
it shall not be found tn ere; but the re
deemed shall walk tn ere; and the ran
somed of the Lord hall return. ant
come to Zion with song and everlasting
Joy upon their heads: they shall obtain
Joy and gladness, and sorrow and sigh
ing shall flee awayr'
First, this road of the text is tn,
kings highway. In the diligence YOU
dash over the Bernard pass of the Alps
mile after mile, and there is not 81
much as pebble to jar the wheels
You go over bridges which cross chasm
that make you hold your breath, under
projecting rock, along by dangerous
precipices through tn nnels adrip will
the melting of glaciers, and, perhap
for the first time, learn the majesty o
road built and supp orted by govern
ment authority. Well, my Lord tn,
King decided to build highway from
earth to heaven. 1t should span all tn,
chasms of human wretchedness; i
should tunnel all the mountains o
earthly difficulty; it should be wild
enough and strong enough to hold fit,
thousand millions of the human race
if so many of them sh ould ever be born
It should be blasted out of the "Rocl
of Ages" and cemented with the bloc
of the cross, aud be lifted amid tn
shouting of angels and the execratiol
of devils.
The King sent His Son to build tina
road. He put His head and hand an
heart to it, and, after the road was con
pleted, waves His blistered hand owe
the way crying, 1T is finished" NapC
leon paid fifteen million francs for tn
building of the Simplon road, that hi
cannon might go over for the devasta
ton of Italy; but our King, at a create
expense, has built a road for differen
purpose that the banners of heavenl
dominion might come down over it, an
all the redeemed of earth travel up owe
it. -
Being Kings highway, of course i
is well built. Bridges splendidly arche
and buttressed have given way an
crushed the passengers who attempte
to cross them. But Christ. the King
would build no such thing as that Th
work done, He mounts the chariot O
His love, and multitudes mount will
Him, and lie drives on and up the stee
of Heaven amid the plaudits of gain
| sprldsi The work i lopa-uall don