The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-12-07
TEST OF FAITH.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Points Out Some
Valuable Lessons
To he Learned From the Story OF Abra-
ham and Isaac on Mount Moriah-
A Prototype of Christie suf-
feriBgs and Death.

The following discourse on the su
preme trial Of Abraham's faith Is {
riven out by Rev. T. Dewitt Iaimage /,
for publication this week. 1t is Daseo {
on the text:
Hebold the FIRE and the wood; but where Is
the Iamb.-lGenesis xii, ..
Here arc Abraham and isaac Inv
one kind, old, gracious, aneclionase
father: the other brave, obedlen'' re
l;pious son. From his broDzed appear
ance YOU can tell that this son mas
b.en much in the fields, and from ms
shaggy dress you know tna' nc nos
been watching the herds. Inc inou.
tain air has painted his cheek ruor
cuud. lie is twenty. or twenty-five
or. as some suppose, thirty-three years
NJ AGE: nevertheless boy, consider
inc the length of life to which people
lived in those times, and the fact that
q son never is anything but boy to
father. / remember that my father
nsed to come into the house when |
the children were home on some
festal occasion. and say: Where
are the boys?" although the
bovsn were twenty five and
thirty, ana tnire
age. So this Isaac is only boy 10
Abraham, and his fathers heart IS IN
| him. 1t is Isaac here and Isaac there.
If there is any festiyity around the
| fathers tent, Isaac must enjoy 1t. 1t is
Isaac's walk, and Isaac's apparel, and
| fsaac's manners, and Isaac's prospects,
and Isaac's prosperity. The fathers
heartstrings are all wrapped around
that boy, and wrapped again, until
nine-tenths OF the old mans life is In
Isaac. 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 1t had lett
it's 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
be Is very soon to rest forever II the
old man shall get decrepit, Isaac is
. strong enough to wait on him. II the
, father get dim OF eyesight, Isaac VIII
lead him by the hand. II 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 In
to the harbor. Are you not rejoicet
that glorious old Abraham is through
: with his troubles? Mol no! A thun
} derbolt! From that clear eastern SIX,
there drops into that fathers tent
+. voice with an announcement enough
2 to turn black hair white, and to stul
D the patriarch into instant annihila
ton. God said, Abraham The oil
man answered: Here l am" CO.
said to him: ''Take thy son, thy onl
2 son, Isaac, whom thou lowest. and ge
= thee into the land of Moriah. and offe
him there as a burnt Offering" !
other words. STAY him; cut his bod
into fragments; put tho fragments o
the wood, set fire to the wood and lie
: tsaac's body be consumed to ashes.
"Cannibalism Murder" says som
one. mot So" said Abraham. hea
"a him soliloquize: Here is the boy Q
IN whom l have depended Oh, how
n loved himl He was given in answer
"a PRAYER, and now must surrender hin
It, b Isaac, my sonl Isaac, how shall
part with you? But then it is alwa.
y ne safer to do as God asks me to; ha'
y. been in dark places before, and TO
got me out. / will implicitly do
SO God has told me, although 1t il vel
. dark. can't see my way, but kno
God makes no mistakes, and to Him
commit myself and my darling son. !"
90 Early in the morning there is ST
Il around Abrahatns tent. A beast
50 burden is fed and saddled. Abraha
~. ~ makes no disclosure of the avn
or secret. At the break of day he say
n Come, come, Isaac, get up! We
n going off on two or three days jor
ney." Il hear the ak hewing and spl
tn ting amid the wood until the site
ut are made the right length and t
90 right thickness, and then they 9
fastened on the beast of burden. TIL
us pass on--there are four of them
Abraham, the father; Isaac, the sr
. and two servants. ubing along
road, see Isaac looking up into
fathers face, and saying: Faith
what is the matterp Are yen not we
Has anything happened? Are y
- tired? Lean on my arm" Then, tn
- ing around to the servants, the 6
says: "Ahl father is getting old, 9
as he has had trouble enough in oil
ere days to kill him."
ing The third morning has come. and
rs, Is the day of the tragedy. The t
es. servants are left with the beast
is burden, while Abraham and hts
lily Isaac, as was the custom of good p
pie In those times. went up on the
to sacrifice to the hord. The wood
taken off the beasts hack, and put
lsaac's back. Abraham has in I
hand a pan of Goals or lamp. and
the other a sharp, keen knife. ii
are all the appliances for sacrifice,
say. Go, there is one thing wanti
there is no victim-no pigeon,
. heifer, or lamb. Isaac, not know
'uS that he Is to be the victim, looks
. into his fathers face, and asks q
ton which must have cut the old I
to the bone, MY father!" The fat
said, MY son, Isaac, here l am"
son said, Behold the fire and
wood, but where is the lamb?'
fathers lip quivered and his h
tainted, and his knees knocked togei
and his entire body, mind and
shivered in sickening anguish a.
;vm : struggles to gain equipoise; for
eral does not want to break down.
owe. then he looks into his sons face. ,
sTR thousand rushing tendernesses,
me me SAYS. "My son. God will provide