The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-09-13
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: GA Bottle of Tears"

TEXT: :"PM thou my tears into ing 0ot-
h."-Psalms lvi., 8.
Hardly mail has come to me for twenty
years that has not contained letters saying
that my sermons have comforted the writer's
ofthose letters. have not this summer nor
for twenty years spoken on the platform OF
any outdoor meeting but coming down I
have been told by hundreds OF people the
same thing. SO think will keep on trying
to be ''son of consolation"
The prayer Of my text was pressed out OF
David's soul by innumerable calamities; but
it is just as appropriate for the distressed OF
all ages. Within the past century travellers
and antiquarians have explored the ruins Of
many of the ancient cities. and from the very
heart of those buried splendors OF other days
have been brought up evidences Of customs
that long ago vanished from the world.
From among tombs Of those ages have been
brought up lsehrymatories, or lachrymals,
which are walls made Of earthenware. It
was the custom for the ancients to catch the
tears that they wept over their dead In bot
tie, and to place that bottle In the graves OF
the departed, and we have many specimens
Of the ancient lachrymatories, or tear bottles,
In our musuems.
When on the way from the Holy Land our
ship touched at Cyprus, we went back into
the hills Of that island and bought tear bot
ties which the natives had dug out Of the
ruins OF the old city. There is nothing more
suggestive to me than the tear bottles which
brought home and put among my curiosi-
ties. That was the kind Of bottle that mytext
alludes to when David cries, ''Put thou my
tears into thy bottle"
The text intimates that God has an inti-
mate acquaintance and perpetual Temem-
brance OF all our griefs, and vial, or lschry-
matory, or bottle. in which He catches and
saves our tears, and bring to you the con-
dolence of this Christian sentiment. Why
talk about griefp Alas, the world has its
pangs, and now, while I speak, there are
thick darknesses of soul that need to be
lifted. There ore many who are about to
break under the assault Of temptation, and
perchance. II no words appropriate to their
case be uttered, they perish. come on no
FOOLS errand Put upon your wounds no
salve compounded by human quaokery but,
vessel midsea cries to passing craft,
"Ship ahoy!" and invite you on board q
vessel which has faith for a rudder, and
prayer for sails and Christ for captain, and
heaven for an eternal harbor.
Catherine Rheinfeldt, Prussian. keeps a
boat with which she rescues the drowning.
When storm comes on the coast, and other
people 20 to their beds to rest, she puts out
In her boat for the relief Of the distressed,
brought safely to the beach. In this hfeboat
OF the Gospel I put out to-day, hoping, by
Gods help, to bring ashore at least one soul
that may now be sinking In the billows OF
temptation and trouble. The tears that were
once caught in the lachrymatories brought
up from Heroulaneum and Pompen are all
gone, and the bottle Is as dry as thescorla OF
the volcano that submerged them. but not so
with the bottle in which God gathers all our
tears.
First, remark that God keeps perpetually
the tears OF repentance. Many q man has
awakened In the morning so wretched from
q nights debauch that he has sobbed and
wept Pains In the head aching In the eyes,
sick at heart and unfit to step into the light
He grieyes, not about his misdoing, but only
about its consequences. God makes no rec
ord Of such weeping. OF allthe million tears
that have gushed as the result OF such mis-
demeanor, not one ever got into Gods bot
tie. They dried on the feyered cheek or
were dashed down by the bloated hand or
fell into the red wine cup as 1t came again to
the lips, foaming with still worse intoxica-
ton.
But when man is sorry for his past and
tries to do better-when he mourns his wasted
advantages and bemosns his rejection OF
Gods mercy, and cries amid the decorations
OF an aroused conscience for help out of his
terrible predicsment, then God listens then
heaven bows down then scepters OF pardon
are extended from the throne then his cry
ing rends the heart Of heavenly compassion;
then bis tears are caught In Gods bottle.
Oh, when I see the heavenly Shepherd
bringing lamb from the wilderness; when
hear the quick tread OF the prodigal has
tening home to find his father when see
sailor boy coming on the arfand hurrying
away to peg his mothers pardon for long
neglect and unkindness; when I see the
houselcss coming to God for shelter, and the
wretched. and the vile. and the sin burned,
and the passion blasted appealing Tor mercy
to compassionate God, e1claim IN ecstasy
and triumph "More tears for Gods bottle -
Again, God keeps tender remembrance OF
all your sicknesses. How many Of you are
thoroughly sound in body2 Not one out OF
ten do not exaggerate. The vast majority
Of the race are constant subjects OF ailments.
There is some one form Of disease that you
are particularly subject to. Youhave weak
side or back or are subject to headaches or
faintnesses or lungs easily distressed. It
would not take very strong blow to shiver
the golden bowl OF life or break the pitcher
at the fountain. Many Of you have kept on
in life through sheer force OF will. You
think no one can understand your distresses.
Perhaps you look strong, and It is supposed
that YOU are q hypochondriac. They say
YOU are nervous-as II that were nothing!
God have mercy upon any man or woman
that is nervous
At times you sit alone in your room.
Friends do not come. You feel On lnde-
scribable lonliness in your sufferings, but
God knows; God feels; God compassion
ates. He counts the sleepless nights. He
regards the acutenesS OF tho pain. He
estimates the hardness OF the breathing.
hn
bottle aud count out tho drops, God counts
all your falling tears. AS you look at the
yiais filled with nauseous drafts and at the
bottles OF distasteful tonic that stand on the
shelf, remember that there Is larger bottle
than these, which is filled with no mixture BY
earthly apothecaries, but it Is Gods bottle, IN
which he hath gathered all our tears.
Again. God remembers all the sorrows OF
poverty. THERE'S much want that never comes
to inspection. The deacons OF the church
never see 1t. The comptrollers OF the aims
houses never report 1t. It comes not to
church, for it has no appropriate apparel
1t makes no appeal for help, but chooses
rather to suffer than eXposs its bitterness.
Fathers who fail to gain livelihood, so that
they and their children submit to constant
privation; sewing women. who cannot ply
the needle quick enough to earn them shell
ter and bread.
But whether reported or uncomplaining,
whether in seemingly comfortable psrlor, or
in damp cellar, or II hot garret, Gods angels
of mercy are on the watch. This moment
those grlefs are being collected. Down on
the back streets, In all the alleys. amid shan
ties and log cabins, the work goes on. Tears
IT wantAseething in summers heat or freez-
ing in winters cold-they fall not unheeded.
They are jewels for heavens casket. They
are pledges OF divine sympathy. They ore
tears for Gods bottle. -. -
Again. the Lord preserves the remem-
brance Of all paterna1 anxieties. You see a