The Globe-republican., 1894-08-31
GOD AND MAN.
DR.. Talmage Discourses on the
Miracle at the City of Main.
Christ - . Man and Christ ~ . G0d-His
Sympathy for Distress in All Its
E0rms-The Master of
the Grave.

A late sermon selected by Rev. T.
Dewitt Talmage for the press was on
the subject of An Only Son." the text
chosen being Luke vii. 1a-15: Now
when He came nigh to the gate of the
city, behold there was dead man car
ried out, the only son of his mother.
and she was a widow; and much of the
people of the city was with her. And
when the Lord saw her He had COM
passion on her and said unto her: Weep
not. And He came and touched the
bier: and they that bare him stood
still. And He said, Young man, say
unto thee. arise. And he that was dead
sat up, and began to speak. And He
delivered him to his mother" Follow
ing is the sermon:
The text calls US to stand at the gate
of the city of Main. The streets are a.
rush with business and gayety, and
the ear is deafened with the hammers
of mechanism and the wheels of traf-
fc. Work, with its thousand arms and
thousand eyes and thousand feet, fills
all the street. when suddenly the crowd
parts, and a funeral passes. Between
the wheels of work and pleasure there
comes long procession of mourning
people. Who is it? A triher says: ''Oh,
it's nothing but funeral It may
have come up from the hospital of
the city, or the almshouse, or some
low place of the town. but not
so says the serious observer. There
are so many evidences of dire bereave-
ment that we know at the first glance
some one has been taken away greatly
beloved: and to our inquiry: ''Who is
this that is carried out with so many
offices of kindness and affection?" the
reply comes: THE only son of his
mother. and she a widow" Stand
back and let the procession pass out!
Hush all the voices of mirth and pleas
nre. Let every head be uncovered!
Weep with thispassing procession; and
let it be told through all the market
places and bazars of Main, that in Gal
lice to-day the sepulcher hath gathered
to itself 1.-The only son of his mother,
and she a widow"
There are two or three things that.
in my mind. give especial pathos to
this scene. The first is, he was young
man that was being carried out. To
the aged. death becomes beautiful. The
old man halts and pants along the road,
where once he bounded like the roe
From the midst of immedicable all
ments and sorrows he cries out: 'How
long. Oh Lord. how long?" Footsore
on the hot journey, he wants to get
home.
But this man that am speaking of
was young man. He was just put
ting on the armor of life. and he was
to think how his sturdy blows |
would ring out above the clangor of |
the battle. l suppose he had a young
mans hopes, young mans ambitions |
and young mans courage. He said: |
IF l live many years. will feed the
lungry and clothe the naked. In this
.ity of Main. where there are so many
Dad young men, l will be sober and
honest. and pure, and magnanimous,
md my mother shall never be ashamed
If me-" But all these prospects are
blasted in one hour. There he passes
ifeless in the procession. Behold all
hat is left on earth of the high-hearted
'oung man of the city of Main.
There is another thing that adds
'ery much to this scene. and that is.
lie was an only son. However large
he family flock may be. we never
could think of sparing one of the
ambs. Though they may all have
heir faults, they all have their excel
ences that commend them to the
'arental heart: and if it were per-
demanded of you to-day that
'ou should yield up one of your chill
lren out of a very large family, you
would be COMPOUNDED. and you could not
make a selection. But this was an
My son, around whom gathered all
he parental expectations.
There was one other thing that
dded to the pathos of this scene. and
hat was. his mother was a widow
he main hope of that home had been !
roken, and now he was come up to be
he staff. The chief light of the house.
old had been extinguished, and this {
Tas the only light left. suppose she &
ften said, looking at him: There are !
My two of u.s." Oh, it is a grand =
hing to see a young man step out in J
fe. and say to his mother: Don't be S
own-hearted. will, as far as pos
ible. take fathers place, and as long i
s l live you shall never want any 9
hing" 1t is not always that way. {
ometimes the young people get tired I
the old people. They say they are
ueer; that they have so many all
tents; and they sometimes wish them {
ut of the way. S
A young man and his wife sat at the
bile. their little son ON the floor play
g beneath the table. The old father i
as very old, and his hand shook so, t
ley said: You shall no more sit with t
5 at the table" And so they gave l.
i'm place in the corner, where day s
= day he ate out of an earthen bowl r
put into that bowl. One e
~ his hand trembled so much he v
ropped it and it broke; and the son. /,
,ated at the elegant table in mid-hoor, t
lid to his wife: Now. well get b
'ther a wooden bowl. and that he b