The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-18
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUM-
DAY SERMON.
Subject; ssThe Royal Garden"

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The world has had great many beautiful
gardens. Chaarlemagne added to the glory
of his reign by decreeing that they be estab.
lished all through the realm-decreeing
even the names Of the flowers to be planted
there. Henry w., at Montpelier, estab-
lished gardens of bewitching beauty and lux
uriance, gathering into them Alpine, Pyren-
can 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 ard rustic temple and
reservoir and urn and fountain here had
their crowning. Oak and yew and hazel put
forth their richest 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 adornment of
that one treasured spot. He gave $500 for
1t. He sold 1t for 900.
And yet am to tell you ola richer garden
than any have mentioned. It is the gar
den spoken OF in nay text, the garden OF this
church, which belongs to Christ. for nv text
says so. He bought 1t, He planted 1t, He
owns it, and He shall have 1t. Walter Scott,
In his outlay at Abbotsford, ruined his for
tune, and now. in the crimson flowers OF
those gardens, you can almost think OF i'm
agine that you see the blood Of that old
mans broken heart. The payment of the
last 100000 sacrificed him. But have to
tell you that Christ's life and Christs
death were the outlay of this beau
tiful garden OF the church OF which
my text speaks. Oh, how many sighs and
tears and pangs and asonies Tell me, ye
women who saw Him hang! Tell me, va ex
ecutioners who lifted Him and let Him down
Tell me, thou sun that didst hide, 70 rocks
that fell "Christ loved the church and
gave Himself for it." r. then. the garlen OF
the church belongs to Christ, certainly He
has a right to walk in it. Come, then, oh
blessed Jesus, this morning. walk up and
down these aisles and pluck what Thou wilt
OF fsweetness for Thyself.
The church in my text is appropriately
compared to "A garden. because it Is place
of choice flowers, OF select fruits and OF
thorough irrigation.
That would be strange garden in which
there were no flowers. II nowhere else,
they will be along the borders or at the gate
way. The homeliest taste will dictate
something, If 1t be the old fashioned holly
hook. or dahlia o: daffsdi! or coreopsis, but
If there be larger means then you will find
the Mexican cactus and dark veined arou-
tolion and blazing azalea and clustering
His garden, and He plants there some OF
the brightest spirits that ever Powered
upon the world. Some Of them are vlolets,
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 bright
ening face OF the invalid, and the sprig OF
geranium on the stand, and the window cur
tatns keeping out the glare OF the sunlight.
They are perhaps more like the ranunculus,
creeping sweetly along amid the thorns and
breIs Of life, giving kiss for sting, and many
a D,.n who has had in his. way some great
black rock OF trouble has found that they
have covered it all over with Towering
jasmine running in and out amid the crev.
Ices. These Christians In Chrsts gardens
are not like the sunfower, gaudy in the
light, but whenever darkness hoyers over
soul that needs to be conforted there they
stand, night blooming cereuses. 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 a.
most everyone that touches them. They are
hard to handle. Men pronounce them moth
ing but thorns. but Christ loves them not
withstanding all their slarpnesses. Many
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.
In this gar,len Of the church. which Christ
has planted, also find the snowdrop. beau
tIful, but cold looking, seemingly another
phase ofthe winter. L mean those Christians
who ara precise in their tastes, unmpas-
stoned, pure as snowdrops and rs cold. Tney
never shed any tears ;rhey never get excited,
they never say anything iashly; they never
do anything precipitately. Their pulses
never flutter; their nerves never twltch;
their indignation never boils over. They
live longer than most psople, but their life
Is in a minor key. They never run up to Z
above the staff. In tho music OF their llfe
they have no staccato passages. Christ
planted them in the church, and they must
bs Of some service or they would not be there.
Snowdrops, always snowdrops.
But have not told you Of toe most beau
tiful flower in all this garden spoken OF in
the text. II you see century plant yout
emotions are started. You say, "Why, this
flower has been a hundred years gathering
up for one bloom. and it will be O hundred
years more before othe- petals como out"
But have to tell you Of plant that was
gathering up from all eternity, and that 1909
years ago put forth Its bloom never to wither.
It the passion flower Of the cross! Proph.
cts foretold it. Bethlehem shepherds
looked upon it in the bud, the rocks shook
at its bursting, and the dead got up in their
winding sheets to see its full bloom. It Is
crimson flower-bIood at the roots, blood on
the branches, bloo1 on all the leaves. It's
perfume Is to fill all the nations. It's touch
is life. Its breath Is heaven. Come, 0
winds, from the north, and winds from the
south, and winds from the east. and winds
from the west, and bear to all the earth the
sweet smelling SAVIOR of Christ, my Lord.
His worth, IL all the nations knew,
Sure the whole earth would love- Him too.
Again, the church may be appropriately
compared to a garden, because 1t is place
Of select fruits. That would be a strange
garden which had in 1t no berries, no plums,
no peaches or apricots. The coarser fruits
are planted in the orchard, or they are set
out on the sunny hillside, but the choicest
fruits are kept in the garlen. So In the
worll outside the church Christ has planted
n great MANY beautiful things-patiencs,
charity, generosity, integrity-5ut He intends
the choicest fruits to be in the garden, and
If they ara not there then shame on the
church. Religion Is not mere fower-
ing. sentimentaltty. 1t IS practical lie
giving, healthful frut-not posies, but
apples. con" says somebody, 81 don't
see what your garden OF the church has
Yielded" Where did your asylums
come from, and your hospitals, and your
institutions Of mercy? Christ planted every
one OF them !; He planted them in His gar
den. When Christ gave sight to Bartimeus,
He laid the cornerstone Of every bllnd
asylum that has over been built. When
Christ soothed the demoniac OF Galilee, He
laid ths-eocasrstons OF every .luuatic asylum
that has. ever been established. Whsn
Christ; said to tho sick man, TLks up thy.
bod AMI wak!' He laid the cornerstone OF
every hospital the world has ever seen.
When Christ said, "I was in prison, and "
visitel Me-" He laid the cornerstone OF
every prison raform association that has
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