The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-18
FROM YOUTH TO AGE.
REV. DR. TALMAGE'S INTERESTING
DISCOURSE THROUGH THE PRESS.

| Be Chooses "che Rustic In the Palace" n
dis subjest-.joscph and His Poor Reis-
tions-A Good Word For CeIibacy-A
Glimpse of Heaven.
BRooKIYN, July s.--Rev DR.. Talmagc.
who is now nearing the antipodes on his
round the world journey, has selected as
the subject for his sermon through thc
press today The Rustic In the Palace, &"
the text being taken from Genesis xiv, IS
II will go and see him before die
Jacob had long since passed the hun
drcd year milestone. In those times pee,
pie were distinguished for longevity. hi
the centuries aftcrward persons lived h.
great age. Galen, the most celebrated
physician Of his time, took SO little Of hi
own medicine that he lived to 40 years
\ man Of undoubtcd veracity ON the wit
ness stand in England swure that he re-
mcmbcrcd AN event 100 before Lord Ba
con speaks of countess who had cut thrci
sets of teeth and died at l40 years. 10
scph Crolo of Pennsylvania lived / 40 years
In 1897 book was printed containing the
names of 81 persons who lived lI0 years
and the names of II persons who lived $50
years.
Some Grand Old People.
Among the grand old people of whom
we have record was Jacob, the shepherd
of the text But he had bad lot of boys.
They were jealous and ambitious and q;
cry way unprinciplcd Joseph, however,
seemed to bo an exception, but he haL
been gone many years, and the probability
was that he was dead. As sometimes now
in house you will find kept ut the tahl,
vacant chair, plate, knife, fork, for
some deceased member of the family, Sc
jacob kept in his heart place for his he
loved 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 forehead 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 beau.
tiful Rachel, his wife, was living, and Liz
children shook the oriental abode with
their merrimcnt.
The centenaIan is sitting dreaming
over the past when he hears wagon rum.
bling to the front door. He gets up and
goes to the door to see who has arrived
and his long absent sons from Egypt come
in and announce to him that Joseph i'm
stead of being dead, is living in an Egyp
tian palace, withal the cinvcstiturcof prime
minister next to the king in the mightcs,
empire of all the world The news was
too sudden and too glad for the old man.
and his checks whitcn, and he has dazc6
look, and his staff falls out of his hand
and he would have dropped had not the
sons caught him and led him to a lounge
and put cold water ON his face and famed
him little.
In that half dclrum the old man
mumbles something about his son Joseph
He says: You don't mean Joseph, do YOU
my dear son, who has been dead so long
You don't mean Joseph, do your" But
after they had fully resuscitatcd him an6
the news was confirmed the tears begin
their winding way down the crossroads of
the wrinkles, and the sunken lips Of the
old man quvcr, and he brings his bent
fingers together as he says: Joseph is yet
alive. will go and sec him before / die. !"
Parental Attachment.
1t did not take the old man great
while to get ready, warrant you He put
ON the best clothes that the shepherds
wardrobe could afford. He got into the
wagon, and though tho 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 Joscph's chariot coming down to
meet him, and Joseph got out of the char
lot and got into the wagon and threw his
arms around his fathers neck, 1t was al
antithesis of royalty and rusticity, of sim
plicity and pomp, of filial affection and
paternal love, which leaves us so much In
doubt about whether we had better laugh
or cry that we do both So Jacob kept
the resolution Of the text, Il will go and
see him before | die. -
What strong and unfailing thing is
parental attachment Was it not almost
time for Jacob to forget Joseph; The hot
suns of many summers had blazed on the
heath; the river Nile had overilowed and
receded, ovcrflowed and receded again and
again; the seed had been sown and the
harvest reaped. Stars rose and set Years
of plenty and years of famine had passed
on, but the love of Jacob for Joseph in my
text Is overwhelmingly dramatic. Oh,
that is n cord that is not snapped, though
pulled on by many decades! Though when
the little child expired tho parents may
not have been more than 20 years Of age,
and now they are 20, yet the vision Of the
cradle and the childish face, and tho first
uttcrances Of the infantilc lips are fresh
today, In spite of the passage of half cen
tury. Joseph was as fresh in Jacobs
memory as ever, though at II years of age
the boy had disappeared from the old
homestead, found in our family record
the story of an infant that had died 90
years before, and ! said to my parents,
What is this record, and what does IL
mcanr' Their chief answer was a long,
deep sigh. Ii was yet to them a very ten
der sorrow. What does that all meant
Why, 1t means our children departed are
ours yet, and that cord Of attachment
reaching across tho years will hold us un-
til 1t brings us together in the palace, ns
Jacob and Joseph were brought together
That Is ono thing that makes old people
die happy. They realize it is reunion with
those from whom they have long been
separated.
Thrilling Visit.
am often asked MS pastor, and every
pastor is asked the question, "Will my
children be children in heaven and forever
childrenf" Well there was no doubt
great change in Joseph from the time Jn
cob lost him and the time when Jacob
found him-between the boy II years OF
age and the man In midlife his forehead
developed with the great business of state
but Jacob was glad to get back Joseph
anyhow, and 1t did not make much differ
ence to tho old man whether the boy
looked older or looked younger And it
will be enough joy for that parent II he
can get back that son, that daughter at
the gate of heaven, whether the departed
loved one shall come cherub or in full
grown angelhood. There must be u change
wrought by that celestial climate and by
those supernal years, but 1t Will only be
from loyellness to more lovelincss and
from health 90 more radiant health.