The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-10-16
ABRAHAM'S TRIAL.
The Intended Human Sacrifice on
Mount Moriah.
Lessons to be Learned From the Great
Faith and Obedience of the Ancient
Patrlarch-GodA Always Helps
Those Who Ask Him.

IhOSe WnO ASK HIM.
The subject chosen by Rev. DR.. Tai
mage for his latest sermon was Abra-
hams faith and obedience-a symbol
of the great sacrifice on Calvary. The
text was Genesis xxi. Z: Behold the
fire and the wood, but where is the
lamb?" Following is the sermon;
Here are Abraham and Isaac: the one
kind, old, gracious, affectionate IA
ther; 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, us some suppose, thirty-three years
of age; nevertheless boy, considering
the length of life to which people lived
in those times, and the fact that son
never is anything but a boy to father.
l remember that my father used to
come into the house when the children
were home on some festal occasion, and
say: "Where are the boys?" although
"the boys" were twenty and thirty,
and thirty-fve years of age. So this
Isaac is only boy to Abraham, and
this 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 Isaacs walk, and Isaac's ap-
parel, and Isaacs manners, and 1saac's
prospects, and Isaac's prosperity. The
fathers heart strings are all wrapped
around that boy, and wrapped again,
until nine-tenths Of the old mans life
is in Isaac. l can just imagine how
lovingly and proudly he looked at his
only son.
Well, the dear old man had borne a
great deal of trouble, and it had left
it's 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 destitute, Isaac will earn him
bread. How glad we are that the ship
that has been in such stormy sea is
coming at last into the harbor. Are
you not rejoiced that glorious old Abra'
ham is through with his troubles? No
no! a thunderbolt! From that cleal
eastern sky there drops into tha'
fathers tent voice with an announce
ment enough to turn black hair white
and to stun the patriarch into instan
annihilation. God said: "Abraham!'
The old man answered: Here | am.
God said to him: Take thy son, thy
only son Isaac, whom thou lowest, anC
get the into the land of Moriah, anC
offer him there as burnt offering,
In other words, slay him; cut his bod,
into fragments; put the fragments OF
the wood set fire to the wood, and lie
Isaacs body be consumed to ashes.
''Cannibalism! Murder!" says so m
one. mot so,' said Abraham. | hea
him soliloquize: Here is the boy OF
whom | have depended. o, how | love-
him! He was given in answer tt
prayer, and now must l surrende
him? o, Isaac, my son! Isaac, HOY
shall part with you? But then it /
is always safer to do as God asks m
to; have been in dark place befor
and God got me out. | will Implicit
do as God has told me, although it
very dark. | can't see my way, but
know God makes no mistake, and t
Him l commit myself and my darlin
son."
Early in the morning there is sti
around Abraham's tent A beast c
burden is fed and saddlcd. Abraham
makes no disclosure of the awful st
cret. At the break of day he says
"Come, come, Isaac, get up! We ar
going off on q two or three day
Journey" hear the AK hewing an
splitting amid the wood until the stick
are made the right length and tn
right thickness, and then they ar
fastened on the beast of burden. The
pass on-there are four of them-Abrt
ham, the father; Isaac, the son, an
two servants. Going along the road,
see Isaac looking up into his father
face, and saying, Father, what
the mater? Are you not well? HG
anything happened? Are you tired
Lean on my arm" Then, turnin
to the servants, the son says: "Al
father is getting old, and he has ha
trouble enough in other days to ki
him."
The third morning has come, and
is the day of the tragedy. The tw
servants are left with the beast of bu
den, while Abraham and his son Isaa
as was the custom of good people
those times, went upon the hill to sa
rifice to the Lord. The wood is take
off the beasts back and put on Isaac
back. Abraham has in one hand a pa
of GOALS or lamp, and in the other
sharp, keen knife. Here are all the a
pliances for sacrifice, you say. N
there is one thing wanting; there is I
yictim-no pigeon, or heifer, or lam
Isaac, not knowing that he is to be tt
victim looks up into his fathers fac
and asks question which must ha'
cut the old man to the bone: "My
ther!" The father said "My so
Isaac, here l am" The son said: "B
hold the fire and the wood, but whe
is the lamb?" The fathers lip qui
cred, and his heart tainted, and h
knees knocked together, and his enti
body. mind and soul shivered in sicke