The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-04
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: "Comfort."

TEXT: "And God shall wipe away all
tears from their eyes. ."-Revelation VIII. II.
Riding across Western prairie. wild flow.
ers up to the hub OF the carriage wheel, and
while long distance from any shelter, there
came n sudden shower, and while the rain
was falling in torrents. the sun was SHINING
az brightly ms | ever saw it shine, and
thought what beautiful spectccle this IS
So the tears of the Bible are not midnight
storm, but rain on pansied Pratrles IN Coo
sweet and golden sunlight. You remember
that bottle which David labeled rs contain
ing tears. and Marys tears. and Paurs tears.
and Christ's tears. and the harvest Of Joy
that is to spring from the sowing OF tears
God mixes them. God rounds them. God
shows them where to fall God eXhales
them. A census is taken Of thom, and there
Is a record as to the moment when they are
born and as to the place OF their grave.
Tears of bad men are not kept. Alex.
ander in his sorrow had the hair clipped
from his horses and mules an male great
ado about his grief. but in all the vases OF
heaven there is not one Of Alexander tenrs.
I speak Of the tears OF Gods children. Alas,
me they are falling all the time! In sum-
mer YOU sometimes hear the growing
thunder, and you see there is storm miles
away. but you know from the drift OF the
clouds that it will not come any.
where near YOU. So though it may be all
bright around about you, there Is shower
of trouble somewhere all the time. Iears'
Tears!
What is the use OF them anyhow? Why
not substitute laughter? Why not make this
a world where all the people are we'll ana
eternal strangers to pain and aches! Nhat
IA the use OF an eastern storm when we
might have a perpetual nor'wester? why,
when family is put together, not have
them all STAY, or if they must be transplant
ed to make other homes. then have them all
liye-the family record telling story OF
marriages and births. but OF no death! why
not have the harvPsts chase each other Will
out fa,iguing toll? Why the hard pillow.
the hard crust, the hard struggle? It's easy
enough to explain smile, or success, or a
congratulation. but come now and oring all
your dictionaries. and all your phllosophies,
and all your religions. and help me explain
a tear. A chemist will tell you that 1t is
made nm of salt and lime and other compo-
nent parts. but he misses the chief lngrtdlents
the acid of a soured life, the viperine
sting Of a bitter memory. the fragments OF a
broken heart. I will tell YOU what tear is:
It is agony in solution. Hear, then, while
discourse Of the uses Of trouble:
First, it is the design Of trouble to keep
this world from being too attractive. Some
thing must be done to make us willing TO
quit this existence. IT 1t were not 1or
trouble. this world would be a good enough
heaven for me- You and would be willing
70 fake a lease Of this life for 100000, 900
wears if there were no trouble. The earth
cushioned and upholstered and pillared and
chandeliered with such expense, no story Oh
other worlds could enchant Us.
. We would saw: "Let we'll enough alone.
II YOU want to die and have your body dis
integrated in the dust and your soul 20 out
on a celestial adventure, then you can 60,
but this world is good enough for me- You
might as we'll 60 to a man who mas Just en-
tered the Louvre at Paris and tell him to
hasten off to the picture galleries OF Venice
or Florence. "Why, he would say. "waas
Is the use of nv going there? There are
Rembrandts and Rubenses and Raphaels here
that I haven't looked at yet" No man
wants to go out of this world, or out OF any
house. until he has better house. To cure
this wish to stay here God must somehow
create a disgust for our surroundings. How
shall He do it? He cannot afford to deface
His horizon. or to tear of fiery panel from
the sunset. or to subtract an anther from the
water lily. or to Danish the punCent aroma
from the mignonette, or to drag the robes OIL
the morning in mire. You cannot expect a
CHRISTOPHER Wren 70 mar his own 81. Pduls
.
his own "Last Judgment" or Handel to
discord his sIsrael in Egypt" and you can
not expect God to spoil the architecture and
music of His own world. How. then. are we
to be made willing to leave? Here is where
trouble comes in.
After man has had good deal of trouble
he says: 'Well, I am ready to go. If there
Is q house somewhere whose roof doesn't
leak, would like to live there. II there Is
an atmosphere somewhere that does not dis
tress the lungs, would like to breathe it.
"If there is society somewhere where
there is no title tattle, would like to live
there. II there is home circle somewhere
where can find my lost friends, I would
like to 60 there" He used to read the first
part of the Bible chiefly. now he reads the
last part of the Bible chiefly. Why has he
changed Genesis for Revelation? All, he
used to be anxious chiefly 10 know how this
world was made. and all about its geological
constitution. Now he is chiefly anxious to
know how the next world was made. and
how it looks. and who live there. and how
they dress. He reads Revelation ten times
now where he reads Genesis once. The old
story, SIN the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth" does not thrill him
half as much as the other story, Il saw
new heaven and new earth" The old
mans hand trembles as he turns over this
apocalyptic leaf, and he has to take out his
handkerchief to wipe his spectacles. That
book of Revelation is a prospectus now Of
the country into which he Is soon to lmml-
crate; the country in which he has lots al.
ready laid out, and avenues opened, and
mansions built.
Yet there are people here to whom this
world is brighter than heaven. Well, deal
souls, do not blame you. 1t Is natural
But after awhile you will be ready to so. L
was not until Job had been worn out with
bereavements that he wanted to see God. II
was not until the prodigal got tired OF living
among the hogs that he wanted to go to hi:
fathers house. It is the ministry OF trouble
to make this world worth less and HEAVIER
worth more.
Again, it is the use OF trouble to make u:
feel cur dependence upon God. Men think
that they can do anything until God show;
them they can do nothing at oil. We lay ou
our great plans and we like to execute them
It looks big. God comes and takes US down
As Prometheus was assaulted by his enemy
when the lance struck him it opened Srea
swelling that hal threatened his death, anC
he got we'll. So it is the arrow Of trouble
that lets out great swelings OF pride. W.
never feel our dependence upon God unit
we get trouble. I was riding with my littl'
child along the road, and she asked il sh
might drive. I said. "Certainly." handle,
over the reins to her, and had to admir-
the glee with which she drove. But afte
awhile we met team and we ha
to turn out. The road was narrow
and it was sheer down on both sides
She handed the reins over to me an
said, ~ think you had better take charge o
the horse" So we are all children. and o.
this road OF life we like to drive. 1t give
one such an appearance Of superiority an
power. It looks big. But after awhile W
Meet some obstacle and we have to turn out
and the road is narrow, and it is sheer dow
on both sides; and then we are willing tina
God should take the reins and drive. All