The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-29

BROOKLYN, Oct 2s.-Rev. DR. Tai
mage who has left India and is now
on his homeward journey, has selected
as the subject of his sermon to-day
through the press. THE Looking
Glass, his text being Exodus, IS viii:
And he made the laver of brass. and
the foot Of it was Of brass. e the
looking glasses Of the women as
sembling''
We often hear about the gospel in
John and the gospel in Luke, and the
gospel IN Matthew; but there IS Just as
surely a gospel Of Moses. and gospel
Of jeremiah, and a gospel Of David In
other words Christ Is as certain to be
found in the Old Testament as in the
New
When the Israelites were marching
through the wilderness, they earned
their church with them. They called
it the tabernacle. It was a pitched
tents very costly. very beautiful The
frame work was made of forty-eight
boards of acacia wood set in sockets of
silver The curtains of the place were
purple, and scarlet, and blue. and fine
linen, and were hung with most artistic
loops. The candlesticlz of the taber-
nacle had shaft. and branch, and bowl
Of solid gold, and the figures Of
eherubim that stood there had wings
ct gold; and there were lamps Of gold,
and suffers Of golds 50 that scepticism
has sometimes asked: Where did all
that precious material come from? It
IS not my place to furnish the precious
stones. it IS only to tell that they were
there
/ wish now more especially to speak
Of the laver that was built in the midst
Of that ancient tabernacle. 1t was a
great basin from which the priests
washed their hands and feet The
water came down from the basin in
spouts and passed away after the
cleansing. This LAYER or basin was
made out of the looking glasses Of the
women who had frequented the taber-
nacle. and who had made these their
contribution to the furniture. These
looking glasses were not made of glass,
but they were brazen. The brass was
Of very superior quality, and polished
until it reflected easily the features Of
those who looked into it. So that this
LAYER of looking glasses spoken Of IN
nv text did double work; it not only
furnished the water IN which the
priests washed themselves, but it also,
on its shining, polished surface, pointed
out the spots Of pollution on the face
which needed ab1utiOn. Now my
that ancient tabernacle was suggestive
Of religious truth. and for the most
part positively symbolica1 IF truth.
shall take that laver Of looking glasses
spoken of in the text as all suggestive
OF the gospel, which first shows us our
sins as in a mirror, and then washes
them away by divine ablution.
oh, happy day. happy day,
When Jesus v ashed my sins away
Ihave to say that this is the only look
ing glass in which a man can see him
self as he is There are some mirrors
that hatter the features. and make you
look better than you are. Then there
are other mirrors that distort your
features. and make you look worse
than You are; but want to tell you
that this looking glass of the gospel
shows a man just as he is When the
priests entered the ancient tabernacle
one glance at the Furnished side Of this
Iaver showed them their need Of
cleansing; SO this gospel shows the
soul its need Of divine washing. ..A11
have sinned, and come short Of the
glory Of God. 2 That is one showing.
All we, like sheep. have gone astray."
That IS another showing Prom
the crown of the head to the
sole Of the foot there is no
health ia US" That Is another
showing The world calls these, de-
fects. imperfections, or eccentricities,
or erratic behavior. or wild oats or
high living" but the gospel calls
them sin. transgression. dlth-the
abominable thing that God hates. It
was just one glance at that mirror
that made Paul cry out, ''Oh, wretched
man that J. am, who shall deliver me
from the body OF this death2n and that