Connecticut western news., 1894-07-05
IN CHRIST'S GARDEN.
REV. OR. TAlmAGE SENDS A SERMON
 ACROSS THE SEA.

The Great Preacher Now Nearing Austra-
 lia-Description of a Beautiful Garden.
 It's Flowers. Fruits and Thorns-An In-
 vitation to Enter.
 BROOKLYN, July l.-Rev. Dr. Tal- mage, who is now nearing Australia on his round tho world journey, has select, cd as the subject for his sermon through the press today "The Royal Garden, v the text being taken from Solc1nou's Songv, |, ''I am come into my sarde Il. "
 The world has had great many beautiful gardens. Charlemagne added to the glory of his reign by decreeing that they be established all through tine realm-decreeing even the names of the flowers to be planted there. Henry ". at Montpelier, established gardens of bewitching beauty and luxuriance, gath ering into them Alpine, Pyrenean and French plants. One of the sweetest spots on earth was the garden of Shen- stone, the poet. His writings have made but little impression on the world. but his garden, 'The Leasowes, will be immortal. To the natural advantage of that place was brought the perfection of art. Arbor and terrace and slope and rustic temple and reservoir and urn and fountain here had their crowning. Oak and yew and hazel put forth their rich est foliage. There was no life more diligent, no soul more ingenious than that of Shenstone. and all that diligence and genius were brought to the adorn- ment of that one treasured spot He gave e300 for it He sold it for e17,- GOO.
 And yet I am to tell you of richer garden than any l have mentioned. It is the garden spoken of iii my text, the garden of the church, which belongs<to Christ, for my text says so. He bought it, he planted it, he owns it, and he shall have it. Walter Scott, in his out lay at Abbotsford, ruined his fortune, and now, in the crimson flowers of those gardens, youtcan almost think or imagine that you see the blood of that old mans broken heart. The payment of the last e100, 900 sacrificed him. But I have to tell you that Christ's life and Christ's death were the outlay of this beautiful garden of the church of which my text speaks. Oh, how many sighs and tears and bangs and agonies! Tell me, ye women who saw him hang! Tell me, ye executioners who lifted him and let him down! Tell me, thou sun that didst hide, ye rocks that fell ''Christ loved the church and gave himself for it." If, then, the garden of the church belongs to Christ, certainly he has a right to walk in it. Come, then, O 1l I,., IT, and down these aisles and pluck what thou wilt of sweetness for myself.
 In christs Garden.
 The church in my text is appropriate ly compared to 8 garden, because 1t is place of choice flowers, of select fruits and of thorough irrigation.
 That would be strange garden i'll which there were no flowers If no where else, they will be along the bor ders or at the gateway. The homeliest taste will dictate something, if it be the old fashioned hollyhock or dahlia or daffodil or coreopsis, but if there be larger means then you will find the Mexican cactus and dark veined arbu- telion and blazing azalea and clustering oleander. We'll, now, Christ comes to his garden, and he plants there some of the brightest spirits that ever lowered upon the world. Some of them are vio- lets, unconspicuous, but sweet in heaven. You have to search for such spirits to find them. You do not see them very often perhaps, but you find where they have been by the frightening face of the invalid, and the sprig of geranium on the stand, and the window curtains keeping out the glare of the sunlight. They are perhaps more like the ranun- culus, creeping sweetly along amid the therns and briers of life, giving kiss for sting, and many man who has had in his way some great black rock of trouble has found that they have cover ed it all over with towering jasmine running in and out amid the crevices These Christians in Christ's gardens are not like the sunfower, gaudy ill the light, but whenever darkness hovers over soul that needs to be comforted there they stand, night blooming cere- uses. But in Christ's garden there are plants that may be better compared to the Mexican cactus-thorns without, loveliness within-men with sharp points of character. They wound al- most every one that touches them. They are hard to handle. Men pronounce them nothing but thorns, but Christ sharpnesses Many a man has had very hard ground to culture, and it has only been through severe toll he has raised even the smallest crop of grace.
 Thorns and Roses.
 A very harsh minister was talking with very placid elder, and the placid elder said to the harsh minister, Doc tor, do wish you would control your temper "Ah," said the minister to the elder, II control more temper in five minutes than you do ill five years. It is harder for some men to do right than for others to do right. The grace that would elevate you to the seventh heaven might not keep your brother from knocking a man down. I had a friend who came to me and said, "I dare not jsin the church ; I said, Why" "Oh, " he said, 1T have such violent temper. Yesterday morning l was crossing very early at the Jersey City ferry, and I saw milkman pour large amount of water into the milk can, and I said to him, 1T think that will do, !" and he insulted me, and knocked him down. Do you think ought to join the churchT' Nevertheless that very same man, who was SO harsh in his behavior, loved Christ and could not speak of sacred things without tears of emotion and affection. Thorns without, but sweetness within-the best specimen of Mexican cactus ever sew.
 There are others planted i'll Christ s garden who are always ardent, always radiant, always impressive-more like the roses of deep hue that WIG occasional ly find called ''giants of battle''-the Martin Luthers, St. Pauls, Chrysos- toms, Wyklifs, Latimers and Samuel Rutherfords What in other men is a spark i'll them is confagration. When they sweat, they sweat great drops of blood. When they pray, their prayer