Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-01-05
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "The Morning Star"

TESs: II an, he bright and GIe morning
star. '-Revelation xii, 16.
THIS is Christmas Eve. Our attention and
the attention of the world is drawn to the
star that pointed down to the cara1ansary
Where Christ was born. But do not let us
forget that Christ himself was star. To
that luminous fact my text calls US.
1t seems if tho natural world were
anxious to make up for the damage it did our
race III furnishing the forbidden fruit. If
that fruit wrought death among the Nations
now all the natural pro 1uGt shall become a
symbol II blessing. The shOwering down OF
the wealth of the orchard will make US think
OF nm whom Solomon describes IA the apple
tree among the trees Of the wood. and the
howers of tangled glen and cultured parterre
shall be the dew glinted garland for the brow
OF the Lord Jesus Yea, even the night shall
betaxed, and its brightest star shall be set
Rs gem in the corOnet of our holy religion
Have you ever seen the morning star ad-
vantageOusly2 If it was on your way home
from nights carOusal, you saw none Of its
beauty. If you merely turned over on your
pillow in the darkness. CHANGING out Of tho
window, You know nothing about tho
cheerful influence ofthat star But there arc
many in this house tonight who in great
passes OF their life, some of them far out at
sea, have gazed At that star and been thrilled
through with indescrbable gladness That
atar comes trembling as though with the
the anticipatious of the day It seems emo
uOnal with all tenderness its eyes fill with
the tears Of many sOrrOWs. 1t is the gem on
the hands Of the morning thrust up to signal
Its coming. Others stats are dim, like holy
candles in a cathedral or silver beads count
ed in superstitious litany, but this is n living
stars, speaking star, historic star, an
evangelistic star-bright and brilliant and
triumphant symbol of the great Redecmer,
photographic operator puts his finger on the
lxvagFl fRf he.
udings fly across the continent. And so it
seems to me that the finger of inspiration is
placed upon this silver point in the heavens
and It's thrill through all the earth. "Ba-
mold bring yOu GO1i tidngs of great Joy
to all people. Behold, | am tho bright and
morning star. The meaning Of my text is
This IA the morning stat precedes and
promises the coming of the dav, so Christ
neraids the natural and spiritual lawn.
In the first place. Christ heralded the COM
ing Of the creation. There was time when
here was no order. no sound or beauty. No
wing stirred. No wori was uttered No
light sped. As far as Col could look up as
lar out, there was nothing. Immeasu reable
solitude. Height and depth and length and
breadth OF nOthingness. Did Christ then
exist? Oh, yes. "By him Were all things
made that arc made things in heaven AMI
things in earth and things under the earth
Yes, he antedated the creation. He led forth
Arcturus and his sons. He shOnG before the
nrst morning. His voice was heard i'll the
concert when the morning stars serenaded
the advent Of our infant earth, when, wrapped
IN swaddling clothes of light. it Law in the
arms of the great Jehovah. He saw the first
fountain laid He saw he first light kindled
That hand which was afterward crushed
upon the cross was thrust into chaos and it
brought out one world and swung it in that
orbit. and brought out another world and
swung it in another orbit, and brought out
all the worlds and swung them i'll their
particular ORBITS. They came like sheep
at the call OF II shepherd. They knew
his voice AMI he called them all by
their names. Oh, it is an interesting
thought TO me to know that Christ had some
thing to DO with the creation. | see now
why il was so easy for Him to change water
into wine. He first created the water. I
see now why it was easy for Him to cure
the maniac. He first created the intellect /
see now why it SO easy for Him to hush
the tempest. He sank Gennesaret. [ SEQ
now why it was SO easy for Him to swing fish
into Simons net He made the fish. / see
now why it was so easy for Him to give sight
to the blind man. He created the optic nerve.
see now why it was SO easy for Him to raise
Lazarus from the dead. He created the
cody of Lazarus and the rock that shut him
In. Some suppose that Christ came a stranger
to Bethlehem. Oh. no. He created tho
shepherds. and the focks they watched. and
the hills which they Dastured, and tho
heavens that oVerarched their heads and tho
angels that chanted the chorus Oh that Christ
mas night. That hand which was afterward
nailed to the cross was al OmnipOtent and
creative hand and the whole universe was
poised on the tip Of one Of His fingers. Be-
fore the world was Christ was. All tho
world came trOOping up OIt OF the darkness,
and He greeted lhem, as n father greets his
children, with good morning" or a good
night Hail. Lord Jesus. morning ctar o.
the first creation
Again. Christ nerads the dawn o, comsort
in Christian soul. Sometimes we come to
passes in life where all kinds OF trihulation5
meet US. You arc building up some great
enterprise. You have built the foundation
the wall-you arc just about to put OH the
capStOne, when everything is demolished.
You have a harp all strung for sweetest ac-
cord, and some great agony brushes It
There is a little voice huShed in the house
hold. Blue eve closed. Color dashed Out of
the cheek. The foot still Instead OF the
quick feet in the hall, the heavy tread of
those who march to tho grave. Oh. what
are people to do amid all these SORROWS?
Some sit down and mourn. Some bite their
lip until the blood comes. Some wiring their
pale hands. Some fall on their faces. Some
lie on their backs helpless ana look up into
what seems to them an Implying heaven.
Some pull their hair down over their eyes
and look through with fiend's glare. Some,
with both hands, press their hot brain and
want to die and cry, so God. O God ~
Long night bitter night, stupendous night
of the worlds suffering! Some know not
which way to turn. But not SO the Christian
man. He looks up toward the heavens. He
sees bright appearance in the heavens.
Can it be only flashing meteor? Can il bo
only falling star? Can it be only a delu-
sion? Nay. nay. The longer he looks the
more distinct it becomes. until after
awhile he cries out. "a ,star-a morn
ing star, a star of comfort. star
Of grace, star OF peace. the star of
the Redeemer!' Peace for all trouble.
Balm for all wounds. Life for all dead.
Now Jesus, the great heart healer. comes
into our home. Peace! Peace that passeth
all understanding. We look up through our
tears. We are comfOrted. 1t is the morn
ing star of the Redeemer. "Who broke off
that fiower2" said one servant in the garden
to another. "Who broke off that fower?"
Andthe other servant said. 1.-The MASTER
Nothing more was said for if the master had
not right to break off flower to wear over
his heart or TO set in the vase of his mansion,
who has a right to touch the flower? And
when Christ comes down into our garden to
gather lilies. shall we fight Him back? Shall |
we talk as though He had no right to come? |
Ii any one in all the universe has a right to |
that which is beautiful in our homes then |
our Master has, and He will take it and He |
will wear it over His heart. or He will set it |
in the vase of the palace eternal ''The |
Lord gave. and the Lord hath taken away |
blessed be the name of the Lord" Peace, |
troubled soul! I put the balm on your |