Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-06-30
REV. DR.. TRlMAGE,
THE BROOkLYN DININE'S Sun
DAY SERMON.
SUBJECT: "GRArrs FROM CANAAN


Wilderness was almost ended. They had
come to the borders OF the promised land.
OF the GOO 900 adults who started from Egypt
for Canaan, how many do you suppose got
there? Five hundred thousand2 Oh, no.
Not 200, 600. not 100 600 nor 80. nor 20, nor
10, but only 2 men. Oh, 1t was ruinous
march that Gods people made, but their
children were living, and they were on tho
march, and now that they had come up TO
the borders OF the promised land they werd
very curious to know what kind Of place ID
was and whether II would be safe to go over.
30 scouting party Is sent out to recon-
noiter, and they examine the land, and they
come back bringing specimens OF its growth.
just as you came back from California,
bringing to your family basket OF pears oil
plums or apples TO show what monstrous
fruit they have there, SO this scouting party
cut OFT the biggest bunch of grapes they could
find. IL was 80 large that one man could noe
carry 1t, and they thrust pole through the
cluster, and there was one man Mt either end
OF the pole, and so the bunch OF grapes was
transported.
was some time ago In luxuriant vine
yard. The vine dresser had done his work.
The vine had clambered up and spread its
wealth all over the arbor. The sun and
shower had mixed a cup which the vine
drank until with flushed check IL lay slum-
bering in the light, cluster against the cheek
OF cluster. The rinds OF the grapes seemed
almost bursting with the Juice In the warm
lips OF the autumnal day, and 1t seemed as II
all you had TO do was to lift a ch8lice toward
the cluster and Its lifeblood would begin to
drip away But my friends. in these hgor-
Gus climes we know nothing about large
grapes.
! Starbo states that In Bible times and In
Bible lands there were grapevines 30 largo
that It took two men with outstretohed arms
to reach round them, and he says there were
clusters two cubits in length, or twice the
length from the elbow to the tip OF the long
/ finger. Achaicus, dwelling in those lands,
tells US that during the time he was smitten
with fever one grape would slnke his thirst
for the whole day, No wonder. then, in
those Bible times two men thought IT worth
their while to put their strength together to
carry down one cluster OF grapes from the
promised land.
But this morning bring you larger clus-
ter from the heavenly Eschol-a cluster OF
hopes, cluster OF prospects, a cluster OF
Christian consultations and I am expecting
that one taste Of 1t will rouse up your appe-
tite for the heavenly Canaan, During the
past winter some OF this congregation have
gone away never to return. The aged have
put down their staff and taken up the scepter.
Men In midlife came home from office or
shop and did not 60 back again and
never will go back again. And the dear
children. some Of them have been gathered
In Christs arms. He found this world too
rough place for them, and SO He has gath
cred them in. And oh, how many wounded
souls there are-wounds for which this world
offers no medicament-and unless from the
gospel OF our Lord Jesus Christ there shall
come a consolation there will be no consola-
tion at all. Oh, that the God OF all comfort
would help me while preach and that the
God OF all comfort would help you while you
hear
First, console you with the divinely sane
toned idea that your departed friends are as
much yours now as they ever were. | know
you sometimes get the idea in your mind
when you have this kind OF trouble that your
friends are cut of from you and they are nc
longer yours but the desire to have oil oul
loved ones in the same lot in the cemetery Is
a natural desire, a universal desire and there
fore a God implanted desire and is mighty
suggestive OF the fact that death has nc
power TO break up the family relations.
II our loved ones 20 away from our posses
sion, why put fence around our lot in the
cemetery? Why the gathering OF four or five
names ON one family monument? Why th'
planting OF one cypress vine so that It cover'
all the cluster OF graves2 Why put the hus-
band beside the wife and the children at theil
feet? Why the bolt on the gate OF our lot
and the charge to the keepers OF the ground
| to see that the grass is cut and the vine at
tended to and the flowers plantedP Why mo-
put our departed friends in ono common
feld and grave2 Oh, 1t Is because they ar,
ours.
That child, o stricken mother is as much
. yours this morning rs In the solemn hou
when God put It against your heart and SAT-
! as OF old, "Take this child and nurse 1t 70
Me. and l will give thee thy wages 1t
no mere whim. 1t is divinely plante'
t principle In the soul and God certainl
would not plant lie, and He would no
culture lie! Abraham would not ALLOW
{ Sarah to be buried in a strangers grounds
although some very beautiful ground wa
offered him free gift, but he pays 40
: shekes for Machpelah, the cave, and tn
trees ovcrshadowtng it. The grave has bee
well kept and to-day the Christian trayele
, stands In thoughtful and admiring moo
gazing upon Machpelah, where A6rahaL
&: and Sarah are taking their long sleep
! 1000 years
4 Your father may be slumbering under tn
=. tinkling OF the bell OF the Scotch kirk. You
. brother may have gone down in the ship thu
I foundered of Cape Hatteras. Your littl
child may be sleeping on the verge OF tn
towering western prairie. Yet GOD WI
v gather them all up, however widely the dui
NAV be scattered. Nevertheless II is pleassr
sSpNsfNN
o when my father died and we took him ou
and put him down in the graveyard at Some
willie. II did not seem 30 sad to leave hi
a there. because right beside him was my dea
good. old. beautiful Christian mother, and
q seemed as II she said ~ was tired, and
a came to bed a little early. am glad yo
have come 1t seems as OF old"
9 oh. It is consolation to feel that whe
u men come and with solemn tread carry yo
~ nlnna tbny will II
r gate through which some OF your frien'
- have already gone and through which mar
y of your friends will follow. Sleeping und
:. the same roof at last sleeping under Il
:, same sod. The autumnal leaves that dri
X across YOUR grave will drift across theirs, Il
" bird songs that drop on their mound w
drop on yours, and then In starless wint
g nights, when the wind comes howhI
through the gorge, you will be company 4
V each other The child close up to the boso
Is nj It's mother. The husband and wife rema
g ried on their lips the sacrament OF the dur
- BROTHERS and sisters who used In sport
l. aine themselves on the grass, now again I
, clInIng side by side IN the grave, In hecks
. sunlight sitting through the long, 1.-THE W
il lows Then at the trumpet Of the archang
10 rise side by side, shaking themselves fro
& the dust OF ages. The faces that were gnas'
-. and fixed when you saw them last all all IL
with the light OF interruption. The fath
n looking around on his children and sayin
:. "Come, come my darlings this Is the MOI
l ing of the resurrection Mrs. Sigourn
1t wrote beautifully with the tears and blood
=, her own broken heart.
There was a shaded chamber,
silent watching band
On n low couch a suffering chlld
Grasping her mothers hand
Ie But mid the gasp and struggle
with shuddering lips ahe cried:
% "Mother oh, dearest mother,
bury me by your side.
IL Only one wish she uttered
N Az life was ebbing fast;