The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-10-25
TEST OF FAITH.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Points Out Some
Valuable Lessons
No he Learned From the Story of Abra-
ham and Isaac ON Mount Moriah--
A Prototype of Christ's Suf-
ferings and Death.

Dreme trial OF hUrdnduS ldibh
sriyen out by Rev. Il. Dewitt Talmagt
for publication this week. 1t is based
ON the text: 5a
Behold the fire and the wood; but where Is
the lamb.-Genesis xii, y.
Here are Abraham and Isaac; the
one a kind, old, gracious, affectionate
father; the other brave, obedient, re-
ligious son. From his bronzed appear
ance 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 noun
tain air has painted his cheek rubi-
cund. He is twenty, or Twenty-Five,
or, as some suppose. thirty-three years
of age; nevertheless a boy. consider
ing the length of life to which people
lived in those times, and the fact that
a son never is anything but boy to a
father. | remember that my father
used to come into the house when
the children were home on some
festal occasion, and say: Where
are the boysP" although 1.-THE
bows" were twenty five and
thirty, and thirty-five years of
ape. So this Isaac is only a boy to
Abraham, and his fathers heart is in
him. 1t is Isaac here and Isaac there.
If there is any festivity around the
fathers tent. Isaac must enjoy it. 1t is
Tsaac's walk, and Isaac's apparel. and
Isaac's manners, and Isaac's prospects.
and Isaacs prosperity. The fathers
heartstrings are all wrapped around
that boy, and wrapped again. until
r,ine-tenths of the old mans life is in
Isaac can just imagine how lovingly
and proudly he looked at his oply
son.
Well, the dear old man had borne
great deal of trouble, and it had left
its mark upon him. In hieroglypics 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. 1t 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 destitute, Isaac will earn him
bread How glad we are that the
ship that has been in such a
stormy sea, is coming at last in
to the harbor. Are you not rejoiced
that glorious old Abraham is through
with his troubles? No! no! A thun-
derbolt! From that clear eastern sky
there drops into that fathers tent a
voice with an announcement enough
TO turn black hair white. and to stun
the patriarch into instant annihila-
ton. God said: Abraham" The old
snan answered.: Here 1 am" 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 burnt offering" In
other words, STAY him; cut his body
into fragments; put the fragments on
the wood; set fire to the wood and let
Isaac's body be consumed to ashes.
''Cannibalism! Murder" says some
one. Not So" said Abraham. hear
him soliloquize: "Here is the boy on
whom l have depended! Oh, how l
aoved him He was given in answer 20
prayer, and now must surrender him?
o Isaac, my son! Isaac. how shall l
part with your But then it is always
safer to do as God asks me to; l have
been in dark places before, and God
got me out. will implicitly do as
God has told me, although it is very
dark. ! can't see my way. but know
God makes no mistakes. and to Him l
myself and my darling SON"
Early in the morning there is stir
around Abraham's tent. A beast of
burden is fed and saddled. Abraham
makes no disclosure OF the awful
At the break of day he says:
Come, come, Isaac. get up! We are
going off on a two or three days jour
ney." / hear the ak hewing and split
ting amid the wood until the sticks
are made the right length and the
right thickness, and then 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
road, see Isaac looking up into his
face, and saying: Father,
what is the matter2 Are you not WE'LL
Has anything happenedp Are you
tired? Lean on my arm" Then, turn
ing around to the servants. the son
says: "Ah! father is getting old, and
he has had trouble enough in other
days to kill him."
The third morning has come. and 1t
Is the day of the tragedy. The two
are left with the beast of
burden, while Abraham and his son
Isaac, as was the custom of good peo-
pie in those times. went up on the hill
10 sacrifice to the Lord. The wood Is
taken off the beasts back, and put on
Isaac's back. Abraham has In one