The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-09-27
FIVE PICTURES
Rev. DR.. Talmage Discourses on
Saint Stephen.
And Draws Word Pictures Of the Last
Hours Of the Martyr-A Theme
Both Picturesque and Spir-
itually Inspiring.

Saint stephen, is chosen by Rev. L.
Dewitt Talmage for publication this
week 1t is based on the text:
Behold l see the heavens opened.
vii, 81.
Stephen had been preaching a rous-
ing sermon, and the people could not
stand it. They resolved to do as men
sometimes would like to do in this day.
II they dared. with some plain preach
err of righteousness-kill him. The only
way to silence this man was to knock
the breath out of him. So they rushed
Stephen out of the gates of the city,
and with curse, and whoop, and bel
low, they brought him to the cliff, as
was the custom when they wanted to
take away life by stoning. Having
brought him to the edge of the cliff,
they pushed him off. After he had
fallen they came and looked down,
and, seeing that he was not yet dead.
they began to drop stones upon him,
stone after stone. Amid this horrible
rain of missiles, Stephen Chambers up
on his knees and folds his hands,
while the blood drips from his tenn
pies; and then, looking up, he makes
two prayers-one for himself and one
for his murderers. Lord Jesus. re-
ceive my spirit;" that was for himself.
lord, lay not this sin to their charges"
that was for his nurderers. Then,
from pain aud loss Of blood, he swooned
away and fell asleep.
want to show you to-day five pict-
| ures.
Stephen gazing into Heaven. Stephen
looking at Christ. Stephen stoned.
Stephen in his dying prayer. Stephen
| asleep.
First, look at Stephen gazing into
Heaven. Before you take leap you
want to know where you are going to
land. Before you climb a ladder you
want to know to what point the lad
| der reaches. And it was right that
Stephen. within a few moments OF
Heaven, should be gazing into it. We
| would all do we'll to be found in the
same posture. There is enough in
Heaven to keep us gazing. A man OF
large wealth may have statuary In the
hall, and paintings in the sitting room.
and works of art in all parts OF the
house. but he has the chief pictures in
the art gallery, and there hour after
hour YOU walk with catalogue and
glass and ever-increasing admiration.
Well, Heaven is the gallery where GOD
has gathered the chief treasures OF
His realm. The whole universe Is His
palace. In the lower room where
we stop there are many adornments;
tessellated floor of amethyst, and on
the winding cloud-stairs are stretched
ont canvas on which commingle azure,
and purple, and saffron, and gold But
Heaven is the gallery in which the
chief plories are gathered. There are
the brightest robes. There are the
richest crowns. There are the high
est exhilarations. ST. John says OF IL:
"The kings of the earth shall bring
their honor and glory into it." And
see the procession forming, and IN the
line come all empires, and the stars
snrinp M into an arch for the hosts &c
. march under They keep step to the
sound of earthquake and the pitch OF
avalanche from the mountains, ano
the flag they bekr Is the flame OF
consuming world, and all heaven
turns out with harps and trumpets
and myriad-voice1 acclamatlons o.
angelic dominions to welcome them In
|. and so the kings of the earth bring
their honor and glory into it. DO YOU
!. wonder that good people often stand
, like stephen, looking into Heaven
, We have many friends there. -.
. There Is not man SO isolated IN liz
brt there is some one in Heaven with
. whom he once shook hands AS a mar
! oets older, the number OF his ceiest'a
scouaintances very rapidly multipiies
We have not had one glimpse OF then
since the night we kissed them good
nv. and they went away; but still w
stand gazing at Heaven. AS "he'
some OF our friends 60 across the sea
ne stand on the dock, or on the steam
tug, and watch them. and after awnll
the hulk of the vessel disappears AM
there is only patch of sail on the SKY
and soon that is gone, and they are al
out of sight, and yet we stand LOOKING
On tbe same direction; so when GU
y friends go away from us into the ~
o ,rra world we keep looking dow
e through the Narrows, aud gazing am
o gazing as though we expecteu Una
thew would come out and stand Q
? some cloud, and give us one glimpse
I, ,heir blissful and TRANSPORTED faces
8 While you long to join their cou
= naniopship, and the years aud the day
n 20 with such tedium that they orea
your heart, and the vipers Obtain, an
sorrow, and bereavement keep gnss
inc at your vitals. you will stand in
e stephen. gazing into Heaven, 10
g wonder IL they have changed sin'
" ..w them laSt. You wonder