Connecticut western news., 1895-10-17
AN ANGELIC RESCUE.
\ GRACIOUS FATHER AND AN OBE
 DENT AND RELIGIOUS SON.


 DENT AND RELIGIOUS SON.
 Abraham's Supreme Trial of Faith and the Saving of Isaac From Being offered . Sermon.
 NEW YORK, Oct. 1S.-In his sermon for today Rev. Dr. Talmage chose for Lis subject Abraham's supreme trial of iaith and the angelic rescue of Isaac . from being offered by his father as Saesi6ce. The text was Genesis xii, :, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb?"
 Here are Abraham and Isaac, the one . kind, old, gracious, affectionate father, ? the other 8 brave, obedient, religious son. From his bronzed appearance you can tell that this son has been much in the fields, and from his shaggy dress you know that he has been watching the herds. The mountain air has painted his cheek rubicund. He is 20 or 25 or, as some, suppose, 33 years of age, never theless boy, considering the length of life to which people lived in those times and the fact that son never is any thing but boy to a father. I remember that my father used to come into the house when the children were home on some festa1 occasion and say, Where are the boysi'' although '''the boys'' were 20 and so and 55 years of age. So this Isaac is only boy to A Abraham, and k{c faf 1c .ess s,, srT Tcoo here and Isaac there. If there is any festivity around the fathers tent, Isaac must enjoy it. It is Isaac's walk, and Isaac's apparel, and Isaac's manners, and Isaac's prospects, and Isaac's pros perity. The father heartstrings are all wrapped around that boy and wrapped again, until nine-tenths of the old man s life is in Isaac 1 can just imagine how lovingly and proudly he looked at his only son.
 The Sacrifice.
 We'll, the dear old man had borne a great deal of trouble, and it had left its mark upon him.. In hieroglyphics of wrinkle the story was written from forehead to chin. But now his trouble seems all gone, and we are glad that he is very soon to rest forever. If the old man shall get decrepit, Isaac is strong enough to wait on him. If the father get dim of eyesight, Isaac will lead him by the hand. If the father become des- titute, Isaac will earn him bread. How glad we are that the ship that has been in such a stormy sea is coming at last into the harbor. Are you not rejoiced that glorious old Abraham is through with his troubles? No. mol A thunder bolt From that clear eastern sky there drops into that fathers tent voice with an announcement enough to turn 1. blAck hair white and to stun the patri- { arch into instant annihilation. God said, Abraham The old man an- swered, Here amt" God said to him, "Take thy son, thy only son Isaac, whom thou lowest, and get thee into the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering" In other words, slay him; ctt his body into fragments; put the fragments on the wood; set fire to the wood and let Isaac's body be con- stunned to ashes.
 '.Cannibalism Murderl'' says some one "Not so, |" said Abraham. hear him soliloquize: Here is the boy on whom I have dependedi Oh, how loved himl He was given in answer to < prayer, and now must surrender him ? O Isaac, my son! Isaac, how shall I part with you? But then it is always safer to do as God asks mo to. I have been in dark places before. and God got me out. Twill implicitly do as God has told me, although it is very dark. I can't see my way, but know God makes no mistakes, and to him com init myself and my darling son.
 Early in the morning there is stir around Abraham tent. A beast of bur- den is fed and saddled. Abraham makes the break of day he says: "Come, come, Isaac, get up! We are going off on two or three days journey" hear the a1 hewing and splitting amid the wood until the sticks are made the right length and the right thickness, and theI they are fastened on the beast of burden They pass on. There are four of them Abraham, the father; Isaac, the son. and two servants. Going along the roat
  face and saying: Father, what is tht matter? Are you not well? Has nythins happened? Are you tired? Lean on m, arm" Then, turning around to thu servants, the son says, "Ah, father ii getting old, and he has had troubl, enough in other days to kill him!''
 Looking For the Lamb.
 The third morning has come, and i is the day of the tragedy. The two serv ants are left with the beast of burden while Abraham and his son Isaac, a was the custom of good people in thos tin1es, went up on the hill to sacrifice to the Lord. The wood is taken off tn beasts back and put on Isaac's back Abraham has in one hand pan of coal or lamp and in the other sharp keen knife. Here are all the appliance for sacrifice, you say. No, there is on thing wanting. There is no victim-n pigeon or heifer or lamb. Isaac, no knowing that he is to be the victim looks up into his fathers face and ask question which must have cut the ol man to the bone, My father!" The ia ther said, My son, Isaac, here am. The son said, Behold the fire and tn wood, but where is the lamb?" The fs ther's lip quivered, and'his heart fain, ed, and his knees knocked together, an his entire body, mind and soul shive in sickening anguish as he struggles gain equipoise, for he does not want break down. And then he looks into hi son 8 face with a thousand rushing ter dernesses and says, My son, God wi provide himself lamb.'
 The twain are now at the foot of tn hill, the place which is to be famous ft a most transcendent occurrence. The gather some stones out of the field an build an altar of three orfour feet higl Then they take this wood of Isaac pack land sprinkle IL over the stones, ( as to help and invite the flame. Tn altar is done-it is all done. Isaac ha