The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-07-18
FROM YOUTH TO AGE.
Rev. DR. Tslma g.'s Interesting D scouIse
Through the Press,


mage, who is now nearing the antlpodes
on his round the world journey, has
selected as the subject for his sermon
through the press today 1.-THE Rustic In
The Palace" The text being taken from
Genesis xiv, %, "T will 60 and see him
before l die"
Jacob had lorg since passed the hun
dred year milestone. In those times
peopls were distinguished for longevity.
In the centuries afterWard persons lived
TO great age. Galen, the most celebrated
physician Of his time, took so little OF his
own medicine that he lived to l40 years.
A man of un6oubted yerscity on the
witness stand in England swore that he
remembered an event $50 before. Lord
Bacon speaks OF countess who had cut
three sets of teeth and died at 40 years.
Joseph Crels Of Pennsylvania lived l4O
years. In 1857 book was printed con.
tainlng the names Of 81 persons who
lived 40 years and the names Of II per.
sons who lived $50 years.
Among the grand old people Of whom
we have record was Jacob, the shepherd
Of the text. But be had bad lot Of boys.
They were jealous and ambitious and ey'
cry Eay unprinclpled. Joseph, however,
seemed TO be and exception, but be had
been gone many years and the probabil'
ity was that he was dead. AS some
times now in house ycu will find Kept
at the table vacant chair, a plate, knife,
a fork, for some deceased member Of the
family, so Jacob kept in his heart q
place for his beloved Joseph. There sits
the old man, the flock of 140 years in
their flight having alighted long enough
to leave the marks OF their claw on FORE
head and cheek and temple. His long
beard SHOWS down over his chest. His
eyes are somewhat dim, and he can see
farther when they are closed than when
they are open, for he can see clear back
into the time when beautiful Rachel, his
wife, was living, and his children shook
the oriental abode with their merriment.
The centensrian is sitting dreaming
over the past when he hears wagon
rumbling to the ftout door. He gets up
and goes to the door to see who has ar
rived, and his long absent sons from
Egypt come in and announce to him
that Joseph, instead of being dead, is
living in ap Egyptian palace with all the
inVestiture of prime minister next to the
king in the mightest empire Of all the
world! The news was too sudden and
TOO glad for tie old man, and his cheeks
Whiten, and he has dazed look, and
his staff falls out of his hand, and he
weuld have dropped had not the sons
caught him and led him to lounge and
put cold water on his face and famed
HIM a little.
Ia that halt delirium the old man
mumbles something about his son JOS
eph. He says: "You don't mean JOS
eph, do you-my dear son, who has been
dead 20 long? You don't mean Joseph,
do yon?" But after they had fully re-
sucitated hrm and the news was con-
frmed the tears begin their winding way
down the crossroads of the wrinkles, and
the sunken lips CT the old man culver,
and he brings his bent fingers together
as he says: Joseph is yet alive. l will
GO lSr, LaE C;in -
II did not take the old man a great
while to get ready, 1 warrant you. He
put on the best clothes that the shep-
herds wardrobe could afford. He got
into the wagon, and though the aged are
cautious and like to ride slow the wagon
did not get along fast enough for this old
man, and when the wagon with the old
man met Joseph's chariot coming down
to meet him, and Joseph gor out of the
chariot and got into the wagon and threw
his arms around his fathers neck, it, was
an antithesis Of royalty and rusticity,
of simplicity, aud pomp, flial afection
and paternal love, which leaves us SO
much IN doubt about whether We had
better laugh or Ythat We do both. So
Jacob kept the resolution Of the text, Il
will go and see him before I de-"
WHAT a strong and unfailing thing is
parental attachment! Was it not al
most time for Jacob TO forget Joseph:
The hot suns Of many summers haC
blazed on the heath; the ri~er Nile had
oVerfowed and receded, overfoWed anG
receded again and again; the seed haC
been soWn and harvest reapeG. Stars
rose and set. Years of plenty and years
of famine had passed on, but the love 0.
Jacob for Joseph in my text is over
Whelmingly dramatic. Oh, that is g
cord that is not snapped, though pulled
on by many decades! Though wher
the little child expired the parents may
not have been more than Is years o
age and now they are Is. yet the vision
of the cradle, and the childish face, anc
the first utterances of the infantils lips
are fresh today, in spite Of the passage O.
hal f century. joseph was as fresh II
Jacobs memory as ever, though at i
years of age the boy had disappeared
from the old homestead. I found II
our family record the story OF an infant
that had died 50 years before, and sale
to my parents, "What is this record
and what does it mean?" Their CHIEF
answer was a long, deep sigh. It wa;
yet to them q very tender sorrow
What does that all mean? Why, i
means our children departed are our;
yet, and that cord Of attachment reach
ing across the years will hold US until il
brings Us together IN the palace, as jacob
and Joseph were brought together. That
is one thing that make old people de
happy. They realize it is reunion with
those from whom they have long beer
separated.
I am often asked as pastor, and every
pastor is asked the question, will my
children be children in heaven and for
ever children?" We'll, there was NJ
doubt great change in Joseph from the
time Jacob lost him and the time wher
Jacob found him--betWeen the boy l.
years OF age and the man IN midlite, biz
forehead developed with the great busi-
ness of state, but Jacob was glad to ge
Joseph back anyhow, and it did no
rooko rouch dIfference 10 tba old mar