Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-13
CROSSING THB JORDAN
REV DR.. TALMAGE'S SERMON IN DETROIT
YESTERDAY.
ne Great Miracle Tie Subject o. an Eloquent and
Interesting Bible Lssson-Is Application
10 Human Life


S8Seial Tt'scrdm 20 tbs Register
DETROIT, March 1e.-Rev. Or. Tai
mage. who is now visiting this city,
preached to-day 10 the Fort Street Pres
bvterian Church, Of which Rev. ID. Rad
clife is pastor, 70 large and intensely
interested audience on the Crossing Of
the Jordan by the Children OF Israel,
the text being from Joshua 3:lsi And
the priests that bare the ark OF the
Covenant OF the Lord stood irm on dry
ground in the midst OF the Jordan, aud
an the Israelites passed over on dry
ground, until an the people were passed
clean over Jordan
Washington crossed the Delaware
when crossing was pronounced impos-
sible, but he did It oy boat. AerXes
crossed the Helespout with two mill
lions Of men, but he did it by bridge.
The Israelites crossed the Red Sea;
but the same orchestra that celebrated
the deliverance Of the one army, sound
ed the strangulatiOn Of the other. This
Jordanic passage diderstrOm all. There
was no sacrifice OF human life-not so
much as the loss of a linchDin. The
vanguard OF the host, made up OF
priests, advanced until they put their
foot at the brim OF the river, when I'M
mediately the streets OF Jerusalem were
no more dry than the bed OF that river.
il was as IL al, the water had been
drawn OF, aud then the dampness had
been soaked up with a sponge, and
then by q towel the road had been wlp-
ed dry. Y0nder goes 8 great army or
Israelites, the hosts in uniform, follow
ing them the wives, the children. the
hocks, the herds. The people look mp
at the crystalline wall OF the Jordan as
they pass, and think what an awful dis
aster would come 90 them II before they
cot 70 the opposite bank of that Ajalon
wall. that wall should fall on them, and
the thought makes the mothers hug
their children close % their hearts as
they Swiften their pace Quick, now,
get them an up on the banks, the arm
ed warriors, the wives and children,
focks and herds. and Jet this wonderful
JOrdanic passage be- completed forever.
SITTING on THE sHELvED LIMESTONE
] look off upon that Jordan where Josh
ia crossed under the triumphal arch Of
\the rainbow woven out Of the spray;
the river which afterward became the
babtislry where Christ was sprinkled or
plunged; the river where the axe-the
borrowed aXe-miraculOuSly swan at
the prophets order; the river illustrious
in the history OF the world for heroic
faith and omnipOtent deliverance, and
typical Of scenes yet % transpire In your
life and mine-scenes enough 10 make
us, from the sole Of the foot 70 the
crown Of the head, tingle with Infinite
gladness.
Standing on the scene Of that alright
ed, fugitive river Jordan, learn for
myself and for you, first, that obstacles,
when they are touched, vanish.
always sigh before l begin to preach,
at the greatness Of the undertaking,
but as soon as ] start il becomes 70 me
an1en.hilaEation. Hind any duty under
Ia a confident spirit becomes a
pl d the JdGs6.A 'hes 7dityJ be
~ eTIhe pleasure. Difficulties touched
ne conquered. There are great many
people who are afraid Of death in the
4 future. Good John Livingston once, on
a siOOp coming from EliZabethpOrt 70
New York, was dreadfully frightened,
because he thought he was going to be
drowned as q sudden gust came up.
People were surprised at him. II any
man in the world was ready TO die, II
was good John Livingston. So there are
now great many good people who
shudder Ia passing q graveyard, and
they hardly dare think Of Canaan be-
cause Of the Jordan that intervenes;
but once they are down on a Sick-bed,
then all their fears are gone; the wa
ters Of death dashing on the beach are
like the mellow voice Of ocean shells
they smell OF the blossoms of the tree
Of life; the music OF the heavenly chOirs
comes stealing over the waters, and 20
cross now Is only a pleasant sail. How
long the boat is coming. Come, Lord
Jesus, come quickly. Christ the Priest
advances ahead, and the dying Chris
tian goes over dry-shOd on coral beds,
and flowers of heaven, and
PATHS OF PEARL.
Oh. could We make our doubts remove
Those gloc my doubts that rise,
And view tLo Canaan that we love
With ugbeclou0ed eyesi
Gould we but climb where Noses stood,
AND view she landscape Ger
Not Jordan's stream, nor deaths cold Hood
Could fright Us from the shore.
Again, this Jordanio passage teaches
no the completeness of everything that
= God does. When God put an invisible
dam across Jordan, and it was halted, 1t
would have been natural, you would
have supposed, for the water 20 have
overlooked the region all around about,
and that great devastation would have
taken place. But when God put the dam
in front Of the river, he put a dam on
the other side OF the river, so that, &C
cording 10 the text, the water halted
and reared aud stood there, and not
overlooking the surrounding country.
Oh, the completeness Of everything that
God does!
III God makes a Bible, 10 is complete
Bible. Standing amid the dreadful and
delightful truths, you seem 70 be In the
midst OF an orchestra where the wall
ings over sins. and the rej0iciEgs over
pardon, and the martial strains OF vic
tory make the chorus like an anthem Of
eternity. This Book seems 20 you the
ocean of truth. on every wave Of which
Christ wa.ks-SOmetimeS In the dark
ness OF prophecy, again IN the splendors
with which be walks on Galilee. In
this Book, apostle answers 90 phrOphet,
Paul 20 Isaiah. Revelation 90 Genesis
glorious light. turning midnight sorrow
into the midn00n JOY, dispensing every
fog, hushing every tempese. Take this
Book: 10 Is the kiss OF God on the soul
OF lost man. Perfect Bible, complete
Biblel No man has ever proposed any
Improvement.
GOD PROVIDED A SAVIOR;