The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-30

BROOKLYN. July 2a-Rev DR. Tai
mage has selected as the subject for
his sermon for today, through the
press: Marrow Escapes" the text
being taken from Job 10: Xxx II
am escaped with the skin Of my
teeth
Job had it hard. What with boils,
and bereavements, and bankruptcy,
and q fool of q wife, he wished he was
dead; and do not blame him His
flesh was gone, and his bones were
dry. His teeth wasted away until
nothing but the enamel seemed left
He cries out. Il am escaped with the
skin of my teeth
There has been some difference Of
opinion about this passage St
Jerome and Schu1tens and Drs- Good
and Poole. and Barnes have all tried
their forceps on Jobs teeth You
deny my Interpretation. and say,
What did Job know about the enamel
of the teeth?' He knew every thing
about it Dental surgery is almost as
old as the earth. The mummies Of
Egypt, thousands of years old. are
found to-day with gold filing in their
teeth. Ovid. and Horace. and Solo
mon. and Moses wrote about these
important factors of the body. To
other provoking complaints. Job.
think, has added an exasperating
toothache, and, putting his hand
against the infiamed face. he says. Il
am escaped with the skin Of my
teeth"
A very narrow escape, you say, for
Jobs BODY and soul; but there are
thousands of men who make just as
narrow escape for their soul There
was a time when the partition be-
tween them and ruin was no thicker
than a tooth's enamel; but as Job
finally escaped. SO have they. Thank
God! Thank God!
Paul expresses the same idea by
different figure when he says that
some people are saved as by FIRE. "
A vessel at sea is in flames. You 60 to
the stern of the vessel The boats
have showed off The flames advance;
you can endure the heat no longer on
your face You slide down on the side
Of the vessel, and hold on with your
fingers, until the forked tongue of the
FIRE begins to lick the back OF your
hand. and you feel that you must fall.
when one of the life-bOats comes back,
and the passengers say they think
they have room for one more. The
boat swings under you-you drop into
it-you are saved So some men are
pursued by temptation until they are
partially consumed. but after all get
as by fire" But I like
the figure of Job little better than
that Of Paul, because the pulpit has
not worn it out; and I want to show
you, if God will help, that some men
make narrow escape for their souls,
and are saved as with the skin of
their teeth "
It is as easy for some people to look
to the Cross as for you to look to this
pulpit. Mild, gentle. tractable, low
ing, yon expect them to become Chris
tians You GO over to the store and
saw. 'sGrandon Joined the church yes
terday." Your business comrades say.
THAT ia just what might have been
he always was of that turn
of mind" In youth, this person whom
| describe was always good He never
when it was improper to
laugh At he could sit an hour in
church, perfectly quiet looking
neither to the right hand For to the
left, but straight into the eyes of the
minister as though he understood the
whole discussion about the eternal de-
crees He never upset things. nor lost
them He fioated into the kingdom
Of God so gradually that it is uncer-
tain just when the matter was de-
cided-
Here is another one. who started in
life with an uncontroll a bic spirit. He
kept the nursery in an uproar- His
mother found him walking on the
edge of the house roof to see If he
could balance himself There was no
horse he dare not ride-no tree he
could not climb. His boyhood was a
long series of predicaments; his man
hood was re clxless; his midlife very
But now be is converted,
and you go over to the store and say,
cartwright joined the church yester-
aay." Your friends say. 1T is not
possiblei You must be j~kingl" You
say, mo; l tell you the truth lie
Joined the church Then they reply.
There is hope for any Of us II old
Arlkwright has become christian!"
in other words. we all admit that it
IS more difficult for some men to ac-
sept the Gospel than for others
may be addressing some who have
eut loose from churches. and Bibles
md Sundays. and who have at present
40 intention of becoming Christians
themselves. but just to see what is GO
ng on; and yet you may ind yourself
escaping before you hear the end, as
with the skin Of your teeth" I do
nol expect to waste this hour. I have
seen boats go off from Cape May or
Long Branch. and drop their nets, and
after . while come ashore, pulling in
he nets without having caught q
single fish It was not q good day, or
hey had not the right kind Of net
But we expect no such excursion to-
IT. 49, = fail ~ Rah. 471a