Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-06-22
AT THE TABERNACLE.
DR.. TALMAGE SPEAKS OF THE CON-
sOLATlONs OF CHRISTIANITY.

pei of Christ.
BRooKLYN, June 1s-Rev. DR.. Talmage
In selecting theme for today's sermon in
the Brooklyn Tabernacle chose one pecul-
fairly suitable to the season of fruits, the title
being Grapes From Canaan" and the text
Numbers xiii, %, And they came unto the
brook Of Eschol and cut down from thence
branch with one cluster of grapes, and
they bare it between two upon a staff"
The long trudge oil the Israeltes across
the wilderness was almost ended. They had
come to the borders Of the promised land.
OF the 100000 adults who started from
Egypt for Canaan, how many do you sup
pose got there? Five hundred thousand?
Oh, no. Not 100000, not 100000, nor so, nor
90, nor 10, but only Q men. Oh, it was a ru-
nous march that Gods people made, but
their children were living, and they were
on the march, and now that they had come
mp to the borders of the promised land they
were very curious to know what kind of a
place it was and whether it would be safe
TO go over. SO scouting party is sent out
to reconnoiter, 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 n basket of pears
or plums or apples to show what mon
strOus fruit they have there, so this scout
ing party cut off the biggest bunch of
grapes they could find 1t was so large
that one man could not carry it, and they
thrust pole through the cluster, and there
was one man Mt either end of the pole, and
30 the bunch of grapes was transported.
was some time ago in a luxurant 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 cheek it lay slum-
boring 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 it
seemed as if all you had to do was to lift q
chalice toward the cluster and its lifeblood
would begin to drip away. But my friends,
in these rigorous climes we know nothing
about large grapes.
Strabo states that in Bible times and in
Bible lands there were Erapevnes so large
that it took two llen with outstretched
arms to reach round them, and he says
tbere were clusters 2 cubits in length or
twice the length from the elbow to the tip
Of the long finger. And Achaicus, dwelling
in those lands, tells us that during the time
he was smitteu with fever one grape would
'-DnNS HlN NiI''E' l'i VIC W ilOlcOd nv w oll-
DER, then, in these 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
y CLUSTER OF HOPES AND CONSULTATIONS.
But this morning / bring you a larger
cluster from the heavenly Eschol-a cluster
OF hopes, cluster of prospects, a cluster of
Christian consultations, and am expecting
that one taste of it 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 thelr star ana taken up the scep-
Ter. Men IN mlullle came nome from Office
or shop ana ana not go back again and
never VIII 20 back again. And the
Gear chlInlei, some OF thein' nave been
gathered IN Christs arms lie found this
world 700 rough place Tor them, and so
he mas gathered them III. And, Oh, how
many WOUNDED souls there are-wounds
for which TINS world oilers no medicament
ANA unless from the gospel OF our Lord
Jesus Chrlst there snail come consolation
.Lefe VIII ue no c'usola'l'h at an On,
'n"I lhe Gou Oh an comfort would help me
WA!Ie preach ana lnat lut Uou OF all com
icTt would helP you While You hear!
fIrS'' CoIN'!e you "llh the dlVlnely
sanctioned ldea that your departed friends
are rs lhucu yours now hs they ever We're.
khu" you sometimes Set the ldea IN your
mind WAch you nave TINS KIND OF trouble,
lLdJ your l!lehus are cut OH from you and
they are no longer yours but the desire 10
have al our loved ones III the same lot i'll
tAc cemetery Is natural desire, universal
desire and therefore God implanted de
sire and Is nightly ,GgGestlvc Of the fact
that death has no power to break up the
IdlnlIY relations.