Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-09-01
REV. DIX. TALMAGE.
The Eminent Brooklyn Divlne'S Sun
day Sermon.
Subjects "a Bottle of Tears"


years that has not contained letters saying
that my sermons have comioned the writer's
ofthose letters. / have not this summer nor
for twenty years spoken on the platform OF
any outdoor meeting but coming down l
have been told by hundreds OF people the
same thing. So / think will keep on trying
to be a ''son of consolation.
The prayer OF my text was pressed out OF
Davld's soul by innumerable calGmities, 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 tomfs of those ages have been
brought up lachrymatories, or lachrymals,
which are vials made OF earthenware. 1t
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. 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 tho natives hal 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 10 when David cries, Put thou my
tears into thy bottle"
The text intimates that God has an inti-
mate acquaintance and perpetual remem-
brance OF all our griefs, and vial, or lachry-
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 grief? Alas, the world has its
pangs, and now. while / speak, there are
thick darknesses of soul that need to be
lifted Their are many who are about to
break under the assault OF temptation, and
perchance. il no words appropriate to their
case be uttered, they perish. | come on no
FOOLS crrand. Put upon your wounds no
sllvc compounded by human qulckery but,
pressing straight to the mark 1 hail you as n
vessel midsel cries to a passing craft,
"Ship ahoym aad invite you on board Il
vessel which has faith for rudder, and
prayer for sails, and Christ for captain, and
heaven for an eternal harbOr.
Catherine Rheinfeldt, Il Prussian, keeps
boat with whict she rescuCs the drowning.
When a storm comes on the coast, and other
people go to their beds 10 rest. she puts out
IN her boat for the relief OF the distressed,
and hundreds OF the drowning has she
brought safely to the beach. In this lifeboat
Of the Gospel l put out to-day. hoping, by
Gods help, to bring ashore at least one soul
that may now be sinking in the pillows Of
temptation and trouble. The tears that were
once caught in the lachrymatories brought
up from Herculaneum and Pompeii are all
gone and the bottle is as dry as thescoria 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 man has
awakened in the morning 50 wretchsi from
nights debauch that he has sobbed and
wept. Pains in the head, aching in the eyes,
SICK at heIrt and unfit to step into the light.
He grieVCs. not about his m!s9Oinc, but only
about its consequences. Col makes no rec
ord of such weeping. OLalthe million tears
that have Gushed as the result OF such mis-
demeanor. not one ever got into Gods bot
tie. They dried on the fevered check or
were dashed down by the boatel hand or
fell into the red wine cup rs it came again 10
the lips, ioaming with still wors9 intoSica~
ton.
But when man is sorry fo1 his past and
tries TO do better-when he mOurns his wasted
advantages and bemoans his rejection OF
Gods mercy, and cries amid the decorations
VI Gu AICuStU fOuStltutt lDI utlU Jul VI las
terrible predicament. then Goi listens then
heaven bows down then scepiers OF pardon
are extended IRON the throne ;then his cry
ing rends the heart Of heavenly compassion
then his tears are caught in Gods bottle.
Oh. when | see the heavenly Shepherd
ringin; z lamb from the wilderness when
i hear the quick tread OF the prodigal has
tening home to find father when ! see "A
sailor boy coming on the wharfand hurrying
away 10 beg his mothers pardon for long
neglect and un,1indness; when | sec the
houselcss coming to God for shelter, and the
wretchci. and the vile. and the sin burned,
and the passion blasted appealing Tor mercy
to n compassionate God. / exclaim in ecstasy
and triumph: More tears for Gods bottle ~
Again. Col keeps tender remembrance OF
all your sicknesses. How many OF you arc
thoroughly sound in bOdyf Not one ont oil
ten do not exagcerate. The vast majority
OF the race are constant subjects OF ailments
There IS some one form Oh disease that you
are particularly subject to. You have weak
side or back or are subject to headaches or
faintnesses or lungs easily distressed. 1t
would not take n very strong blow to SILVER
the golden bowl OF ! fe or break the pitcher
Mt the fountain. Many Of you have kept on
in life through sheer force OF will. You
think no one can understand your distrcsses.
Perhaps you look strong, and It is supposed
that You are n hypochondriac. They say
YOU are nervous as il that were nothing
God have mercy upon any man or woman
that is nervous
At times YOU sit a,one in your room.
Friends do not come. You feel an indie
scribable lonliness in your sufferings, but
God knows; God feels God compassion
ates. He counts the slecpless nights. He
regards tho acuteness OF the pain. He
estimates The hardness Of the breathing
While von pour out che medicine from the
bottle and count out the drops, Goi counts
all your falling tears. As you look at the
walls filed with nauseOus drafts and at the
ottles OF distaste;ul tonic that stand on tho
shelf. remember that there is n larger bottle
than these. which is filed with no mixture by
earthly apoihecaries, but it is Gods bottle, in
which he hath gathered all our tears.
AgAin. God remembers all tho sOrrOw5 oil
poverty. THERE'S much want that never comes
10 inspection. The deacOns Of the church
never see it, Tho comptrOllers OF the aims
houses never report it. 1t comes not to
church. for il has no appropriate apparel.
If makes no appeal for help, but chooses
rather to suffer than expose lis bitterness
Fathers who fail to gain liyelihOo !, so that
they AMI their children submit to constant
privat.on sewing women. who cannot ply
tho needle quick enough to earn them shell
ter and bread.
But whether reported or accomplishing,
whether in seemingly comfortable parlor, or
in damp cellar. or in hot garnet, Godsangels
Of mercy are on the watch. This moment
those griefs are being collected. Down on
the back streets, in all the alleys, amid shan
ties and loy cabins. the work goes on. Tears
of manufacturing in summers heat or ireez-
ing in winters cOld--they fall not UNDECIDED.
They are jewels for heavens casket. They
are pledges OF divine sympathy. They aro
tears for Gods bottle.
Again. tho Lori preserves tho remem-
brance Of all paternal anxieties. You see
man from the most infamous surroundings
step out into the kingdom OF God. He has
heard no sermon. He has received 10
startling providential warning. What
brought him 10 this new mind? This is the
secret-God looked over the bottle in which
He gathers the tears Of His people, and HIS
saw parental tear in that bottle which has
been for 40 years unanswered. He said. go
too, now, and let Me answer that tear T" and
forthwith the wanderer IS brought homo 10
God.
On. this work OF training children for God
II IS tremendous work. Some people think
II easy. They have never tried IT, A child
is placed I'm the arms OF the young parent. II
Is beautiful plaything. You look into the
Dyes. You examine the dimples In
the feet. You wonder at its exquisite organ
ism. Beautiful playihing But on some
nightfall rs you ST rocking that little ono n
voice seems 10 fall straight from the throne
OF God saying THAT child Is immortal