Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-11-08
REV. DR.. TALMAGB.
The Eminent Washington Divines
Sunday Sermon.
subject. Gan Heaven Looking cn.'

great cloud of witnesses"
In tins my opening sermon In the National
Capltal give you heartiest Christian saluta-
tion. bethink myself Of the privilege OF
standing in this historic church. so long pre-
sized over by one Of the most remarkable
men OF the century There are plenty OF
good ministers beside DR.. Sunderland. but
90 not know ofany man except himself with
enough brain to have stood successfully and
triumphantly forty-three years in this con-
spicuous pulpit Long distant be the year
when that gospel cheftain shall put down
the silver trumpet with which he
has marshacd the hosts OF Israel or
sheathe the sword with which he has
struck such mighty blows for God and
righteousness. [ come to YOU with the same
gospel that he has preached and to join YOU
in all kinds OF work for making the world
better. and hope TO SEA You all in your own
homes aud have you AL come and see me,
bur don't all como at once. And without any
preliminary discoursss as to what propose
TO do begin here and now 10 cheer you WITH
the thought that az heaven is sympathetic
cally looking on. "3ee;ng we also are COM
passed about with 50 great n cloud OF Wit
nesses."
Crossing the AlDs by tha Mont Cents pass,
or through the Mont Gems tunnel, you are
in few hours set down ut Verons, Italy,
and in few minutes begin examining one
OF the gran1est ruins in the world-tho
amphiiheater The whole building sweeps
around you in circle. You stand in
the arena where the combat was once
fought or the race run. and on all sides the
seats rise tier above tier until you count forty
elevations or GALLERIES. ] shall sea fit
TO call ihem-in which sat the senators,
the kings and the 25.000 excited specta-
- I. 81 It nd ND o.
the galleries are the cages in which the lions
and tigers are kept without food until,
frenzed with hunger AMI thirst, they are let
out upon some poor victim, who, with his
sword and alone. is condemned to meet
them. think that Paul himself once stood
in such q place. and that it was not only
hguratively. but literally. that he had
"fought with beasts at Ephesus."
The gala day has come. From all the
world the people arc pouring into
Verona. Men, women and children.
orat ors. anil senator's. great mon and
small, thousands upon thousands come,
until the first gallery is full. anil tho
second, the third, the fourth tho fifth
all the way up 70 the twentieth, all tho
way up to the thirtieih, all the way up
to the fortieth. Every place is filled.
immensely OF audience sweeping the
great circle Silencel The time for tho
contest has come. A Roman official leads
forth the victim into the arena. Let him get
his sWorl, with firm grin. into his right
hand. The % 900 sit breathlessly watching.
I hear the door at tho side Of the arena
creak open, Oat plunges tho half starved
lion, his tongue athirst for blool and with
q roar that brings all the galleries to their
feet he rushes against the sword OF the COM
Blatant. Do you know how strong a stroke
n man will strike when his life depends
upon the first thrust of his blade2 The
wild beast, lama and blee ling. sinks back
toward the side of the arena. Then. rally
ing his wasting strength, he comes up with
flercer eve and more terrible roar than ever,
only to be driven back with fatal wound,
while the comba'ant comes in with stroke
after stroke. until the monster is dead Mt his
feet. and the 5000 people clap their hands
and utter shout that makes the city trem-
BILE.
Sometimes the audience came to see q
r. zee, sometimes to see gladiators fight each
other. until the people. compassionate for
the fallen. turned their thumbs uD as an ap-
peal that the vanquishe he SHARED, and
sometimes the combat was with wild beasts
To an amphtheairical audience Paul re-
fers when he says. "We are composed about
with so great 4 cloud Of Witnesses"
The fact is. that every Christian man has
lion to fight. Yours is a bad temper.
The gates Of the arena have been opened,
and this tiger has come oui 10 destroy your
soul. It has acerated you with many q
wound. You have been thrown by it time
and again. but in the strength OF Col you
have arisen to drive IL back 7 verify be-
lieve you will conquer. J think that the
temptation is getting weaker and weaker.
You have given il 20 many wounds that the
prospect is th1t il will die. and you shall be
victor. through Chrisf. Courage, brotherl
Do not let the san s OF the arena drink tho
blood Of your soul!
Your lion is the passion for strong drink.
You may have contendel against it twenty
wears, but it is strong Of body and thirsty OF
tongue. You have tried 10 fight it back
with broken bottle or empty wine flask.
Nav. that is not the weapOnl With one hor-
rible roar he will seize thee by the throat
and rend thee limb from limb. Take this
weapon, share an keen-reach up and get
1t from Gods armory. The sword OF the
Spirit With that thou mayest drive him
back and conquerl
But why specify when every man and wo-
man has a lion to fight? If there be one
here who has no bessttng sin, let him speak
OUT, for him have offended. II you have
not fought the lion, it is because you have
let the lion eat you NJ. This very moment
the contest goes on The Traian celebration,
where 10000 gla1iatOrs fought and 1l,'O)
wild beasts we're slain, was not so terrific
struggle as that which at this moment goes
on in many n soul. That combat was for tho
life Of the body; this is for tbs lie OF the
soul. That was with wild beasts from tho
Jungle: this is with the roaring lion of hell.
Men think. when they contend against
an evil habit. that they have to fight it all
alone. No! They stand in the center of an
immense circle OF sympathy. Paul had hecn
reciting the names Of Abel. RnOch. Noah,
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Joseph, Gideon and
Barak aud then says, "Being compasseI
about with so great Il cloud of witnesses"
Before get through will show you that
yon fight in IN arena around which circle. in
galleries above each other, all the kindling
eyes and all the sympathetic hearts OF the
ages, and at every victory gained there
comes down the laundering applause OF a
great multitude no man eau number. BE
ing compasse5 about with great cloud oil
witnesses"
On the first elevation OF the ancient amphi-
theater, on the DAY OF celebration, sat
Tiberius. or Augustus, or the reigning king
So in the great arena Of spectators that
watch our struggles, an in the first divine
gallery, rs shall call it, sits our King. one
Jesus. On His hea are many crowns! Tine
Roman emperor 20. his place by cold bloodei
conquests, but our Kin, hath come 70 His
place by the broken hearts healed, and the
tears wiped away, and the souls redeemed:
The Roman emperor sat, with folded
arms, Indifferent as 10 whether the swords
man or the lion beat, but our Kings sympa-
thes arc all with us. Nay unheard OF con-
descensions see Him come down from the
gallery into the arena to help us in the iighf,
shouting. until al up aad down His voice is
heard: fear notl 1 will help theel ] will
strengthen thee by the right hand of My
powerl'