Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1893-03-23
CROSSING THE JORDAN.
DR.. Talmage Draws a Lesson From
the Jordanic Passage.
Nearly All the Obstacles In Life Need Only
be Approached Ia Order to be Con-
que ed-Christians Need Have
No Fear Crossing the Jor-
dan OF Death.

Rev. Or Talmage preached in tn,
Fort Street Presbyterian church at De
troit. Mich, recently OF the crossing o
the Jordan By the children of Israel
the text being from Joshua iii, II
"And the priests that bare the ark o
the covenant of the Lord stood firm OF
dry ground in the midst of the Jordan
and all the Israelites passed over on dry
ground, until all the people were passed
clean over Jordan" Following is the
sermon:
Washington crossed the Delaware
when crossing was pronounced impossi
BILE, but he did it by boat. Aerxes
crossed the Hellespont with two mil.
lions of men, but he did it by bridge
The lsraelites crossed the Red Sea; bu,
the same orchestra that celebrated the
deliverance Of the n army sounded
the strangulation of the other. This
Jordanic passage differs from ALL
There was no sacrifice of human life
not so much as the loss of a linchpin.
The vanguard of the host, made up of
priests, advanced until they put their
foot at the brim of the river, when inn
mediately the streets of Jerusalem were
no more dry than the bed Of that river.
drawn of, and then the dampness had
been soaked up with a sponge, and then
by a towel the road had been wiped
dry. Yonder goes a great army Of
lsraelites, the hosts in uniform; follow
ing them the wives, the children. the
iocks, the herds The people look up
at the crystalline wall of the Jordan as
they pass, and think what an awful
disaster would come to them If, before
they got to the opposite bank of that
Ajalon wall, that wall should fall on
them: and the thought makes the
mothers hug their children close TO
their hearts as they swiften their pace.
Quick, now; get them all upon the
banks, the armed warriors, the wives
and children, iocks and herds, and let
this wonderful Jordanic passage be com
pleted forever.
Sitting on the shelved limestone, !
look off upon that Jordan where Joshua
crossed under the triumphal arch of the
rainbow woven out Of the spray; the
which afterward became the
baptistry where Christ was s~prinkled
or plunged; the river where the ak
the borrowed ax-miraculously swan
at the prophets order; the river illus
trious in the history of the world for
heroic faith and omnipotent deliver
ance, and typical Of scenes yet TO tran
spire in your life and mine-scenes
t o make us, from the sole of
the foot TO the crown Of the head. tin
gle with infinite gladness
Standing on the scene of that alright
ID, fugitive river Jordan, | learn for
myself and for you, first. that obstacles,
when they are touched, vanish. The
ext says that when these priests came
and touched the water-the edge
# the water with their feet-the water
They did not wade in chin
leep. or waist deep, or knee deep, or
deep, but as soon as their feet
ouched the water il vanished. And it
makes me think hat almost all the OBJ
life need only be approached in
to be conquered. Difficulties but
ouched vanish. IL is the trouble,
he difficulty, the obstacle far in the
.Iistance that seems so huge and ire
nendous.
The Apostles Paul and John seemed
o dislike cross dogs. for the Apostle
'aul tells us in PHILIPPIANS: Beware of
ogs," and John seems to shut the gate
f.uao-ax, .wa;ne+ +, n aa.ns ~-..sn
1hen he says: without are dogs"
Tut / have been told that when those
nimals are furious if they com at you,
you will keep your eye on them, and
upon them, they will retreat.
Whether that be so or not. l cannot tell.
ut i do know that the vast majority
I the misfortunes and trials and dis
of your life that hound your
cps, II you can only get your eye on
and advance upon them. and cry
BECOME they will stink and cover. +,
There is a beautiful tradition among :
lie American Indians that Manitou was /,
aveling in an invisible world. and :
he day he came to barrier of brambles :
Id sharp thorns, and there was a wild I
-dSl bAdIiHB al hlln AFOIi the inlcket. n
1t. as he determined to go on his way, 4
did not pursue it, and those brambles 4
found to be only phantoms, and 1
e beast was found TO be only a pow K
less ghost, and the impossible river .
at forbade him rushing to embrace Il
e Naratiida proved to be only a phan- Y
10 river. Well, my friends, the fact I
there are a great many things that a
ok terrible across our pathway, which, :
hen we advance upon them. are only =
e phantoms, only the apparitions, a
lv the delusions Of life. Difficulties 4
nehed are conquered. Put your feet 4
to the brim of the water and Jordan a
You sometimes see a great :,
ty to perform 1t is a very Disagree Il
lie duty: You say, II can't go through d
/ haven't the courage, ! haven't the h
diligence, to go through it" Ad- o
upon it: Jordan will vanish. :,
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