Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-01-13
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVTNES SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: 'The Time of Departure. :"


h1nd."-Il Timothy w., 5.
departure! That is word used ONLY
twice In all the Bible. But it Is a word otter
nsed In the courtroom and means tn.
oesertlon OF one coucse OF pleading Tor an
other. 1t IS used in navigation to describe
the distance between two meridians passing
through the extremities of a course 1t is q
word 1 have recently heard applied to my
departure from America to Europe for q
preaching tour TO last until September In
smaller and less significant sense than that
implied in the text | can saw "The time of
my departure is as hand "
through the printing press | address this
sermon to my readers all the world over and
when they read it l will be in midocean' and
unless something new happens in my ma
rlne experiences will be in no condition to
preach. But how unlmpOrtant the word de-
partura when applied to exchange of conti-
nents as when applied to exchange of worlds
as when Paul wrote, The time of my de-
parture is at hand"
Now departure implies a starting place
and place of destination. When Paul left
this world, what was the starting point? 1t
was scene OF great physical distress 1t
was the Iulllanum, the lower dungeon of
the Mamertine prison, Rome Italy. The top
dungeon was bad enough, it having no
means of ingress or egress but through an
opening in the top. Through that the prIs-
oner was lowered, and through that came
all the food and air and light received It
was terrible place, that upper dungeon,
but the Iulllanum was the lower dungeon
and that was still more wretched the only
hight and the only air coming through the
roof, and that roof the floor of the upper
dungeon. That was Paui's last earthly res
ldence.
was in that lower dungeon in November
1889 1t is made of volcanic stone. Imeas-
ured 1t, and from wall to wall it was fifteen
feet. The highest of the roof wcs seven feet
from the floor and the lowest of .oae roof five
feet seven inches. The opening in the roof
through which Paul was let down was three
feet wide. The dungeon has a seat of rock
Two and half feet high and shelf of rock
four feet high. 1t was there that Paul spent
his last days on earth, and it is there that I
see him now, IN the fearful dungeon SILVER
ing, blue with the cold, waiting for that old
overcoat which he had sent up or to Troas
and which they had not yet sent down, not
outstanding that he had written for it.
If some skiIlful surgeon should go into that
dungeon where Paul is incarcerated we
might find out what are the prospects of
Pauls living through the rough imprison-
ment. In the first place he is an old man,
only two years short of seventy At that
very time when he most needs the warmth,
and the sunlight, and the fresh air he is shut
out from the sun. What are those scars on
his ankles? Why, those were got when he
was fast, his feet in the stocks Every time
he turned the flesh on his ankles started
~
know he was whipped five times. each time
getting thirty nine strokes-one hundred and
nlnety-fve bruises on the back count themD
made with rods Of elmwoOd. each one of the
one hundred and ninety-fve strokes bringing
the blood.
Look at Paul;s face and look at his arms.
Where did he get those bruises? [ think it
was when he was struggling ashore amid
the shivered timbers of the shipwreck. |
see cash in Paups side Where did he get
| I1Iy hnC Of hat +l,.>
highwaymen. for he had been in peril of
robbers and he had money of his own He
was mechanic as we'll an apostle and [
think the tents he made were as good as his
sermon.
Hank what is that shuffling Of feet in the
upper dungeon? Why, Paul has an invita-
ton to banquet, ana he Is going to dine
to-day with the King. Those shuff1ing feet
are the feet of the executioners. They come,
and they cry down through the hole of the
now; get yourself ready" Why, Paul was
ready. lie had nothing to pack up. He had
no baggage to take. He had been ready
good while. see him rising up, and straight
enlng out his limbs, and pushing back his
white hair from his creviced forehead, and
see him looking up through the hole in the
root OF the dungeon into the face Of his ex-
ecutloners ana hear hun say. 81 am now
ready to be offered. and the time of my de-
parture is at hand"
1ueu Cuey IlIb MIN OUT OF Cn0 dungeon, ana
they start with him to the pace of execution.
They say: Hurry along. old man, or you
will feel the weight of our spear. Hurry
along" show lar is it," says Paul I'VE
have to travel? Three miles" Three
miles is a good way for an ole man to travel
after ne has been whipped and crippled with
maltreatment. But they soon get to the
place Of execution-Acque Salvla-and he
Is fastened to the pillar OF martyrdom. It
does not take any strength to tie him fast.
He makes no resistance.
Q Paul! why not now strike for your
life: You have great many friends here.
W 18th that wlthered hand just launch the
thunderOOlt OF the people upon those in
famous soldiers. No! Paul was not going
to interfere with MS own coronation. He
too glad TO go. see him LOOKING up
in the face OF his executioner, and, the
grim official draws the sword, Paul calmly
says, - am now ready to be offered, and
the time of my departure Is at hand" But
put my hand over my eyes. 1Want not 70
see that last struggle. One sharp, keen
stroke, and Paul does go to the banquet,
and Paul does dine with the King.
What a transition it wasI From the ms
laria of Rome to the finest climate in all the
universe-the zone of eternal beauty and
health. His ashes were put in the catacombs
of Rome, but in one moment the air of
heaven bathed from his soul the last ache.
From Shipwreck. from dungeon, from the
biting pain OF the elmwood rods, from the
sharp sword Of the headsman. he goes into
the most brilliant assemblage of heaven, a
king among kings, multitu1 les of the saint
hood rushing out and stretching forth hands
of welcome for | do really think that as on
the right hand of God is Christ, so on the
right hand OF Christ is Paul, the second
great in heaven.
He changed kings likewise. Before the
hour OF death ami 40 to the last moment he
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