The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-05-07
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE NOTED DIVINE's SUNDAY
DISCOURSE.
Subject: "The Church Garden"

The Bible Is a great poem. We have it in
faultlesS rhythm and bold imagery and start
ling antithesis and rapturous lyric and sweet
pastoral and instructive narrative and de-
vOtiOnal psalm, thoughts expressed in style
more solemn than that of Montgomery,
more bold than that OF Milton, moro terri
BILE than that Of Dante, moro natural than
that OF Wordsworth, moro iInpaSsOncd than
that of Pollock, moro tender than that of
Gov per, more weird than that Of Spen5er.
This great poem brings ell the gems of the
earth into its cOrOnct, and it weaves the
flames of judgment into its garlands, and
pours eternal harmonies in its rhythm
Everything this book touches it makes beau
tiful, from the plain stones Of the summer
thrashing floor to the daughters OF Major
filling the trough for the camcls, from the
fish pools Of HeshbOn up to the psamlst
praising God with the diapasOn OF storm and
whirlwind and Jobs imagery of Orion Are
turus and the PeadeS.
My text leads us into scene of summer
redolencc. The world has had Il great many
beautiful gardens. Charemagne added to
the glory of his reign by decreasing that they
be established all through the realm. decid-
ing even the names Of the flowers to be
planted there. Henry ". at Montpelier es-
tablishcl gardens of bewitrhing beauty and
luxurianc". Gathering into Thorn Alpine,
PyrrncHn and French plants. Ono Of the
sweetest spots on earth was tho garden of
Shen5tonr, the poet. His writings have
made but little impression on the world, but
his garden. 1.-The Leasowers," will be i'm
mortal To the natural advantage of that
place was brought the perfection Of art. Ar
Dor aud terrace and slope and rustic temple
and reservoir and urn and fountain here had
their browning. Oak and yew and hazel put
forth their richest foliage. There was no
life more diligent, no soul more ingenious,
than that of Shenstone, and all that dill
gence and genius he brought to the udorn-
ment of that one treasured spot. He gave
$500 for it. He sold it for 91700O.
And yet l am TO tell you to-day
OF richer garden than any I have
mentioned. 1t is the garden spoken of in
my text, the garden OF the church, which
belongs to Christ. He bought it. He planted
it, He owns it, and He shall have it. Walter
Scott. in his outlay at Abbotsford, ruined
his fortune, and now, in the crimson flowers
OF those gardens, you can almost think or
Imagine that you can see the blood of that
old mans broken heart. The payment OF
the last f1O0, 900 sacrificed him. But have
to tell you that Christ's life and Chrsts
death were the outlay Of this beautiful gar
den of the church of which my text speaks.
oh. how many signs and tears and panss
and agonies! Tell me, ye women who saw
Him hang! Tell me, ye executioners who
lifted Him and let Him down! Tell me, thou
sun that didst hide! Ye rocks that fell!
Christ loved the church and gave Himself
for it, II the garden of the church belongs
to Christ, certainly He has a right to walk
in it. Come. then, o blessed Jesus, to-day,
walk up and down these aisles and pluck
what Thou wilt of sweetness for Thyseif
The church In my text is appropriately
compared to a garden because it is the place
of choice flowers, of select fruits and of
thorough irrigation. That would be strange
garden in which there were no flowers. If
nowhere else. they would be along the
borders or at the gateway. The homeiest
taste will dictate something, if it be only the
old fashioned holyhock or dahlia or daffo-
dill, but if there be larger means then Won
Will lind the Mexican cactus, and blazing
azalea, and clustering oleander. Well, now,
Christ comes to His garden, and He plants
there some Of the brightest spirits that ever
flowed upon the world. Some of them are
vlolets, inconspicuous, but sweet as heaven.
You have to search and find them. You do
not see them very often perhaps, but YOU
find where they have been by the frightened
face OF the invalid. and the sprig Of geranium
on the stand, and the new window curtains
keeping out the glare of the sunlight. They
are perhaps more like the canuncuIus. GREEN
Ing sweetly along amid the thorns and briars
OF life, giving kiss for sting, and MANY a man
who has had in his way some great black
rock OF trouble has found that thew have
covered it all over with flowery Jasmine.
running in aud out amid tho creyices. These
flowers In Christ's garden are not, like the
sunflower, gaudy in the light, but wherever
darkness movers over soul that needs to be
comforted there they stand, night blooming
cereuses.
But in Christ's garden there are plants that
may be better compared to the Mexican cac-
tus-thorns without, loveliness within. men
with sharp points Of character They wound
almost every one that touches them. Thew
are hard to handle. Men pronounce them
nothing but thorns. but Christ loves them
Notwithstanding all their sharpnesses. Many
man has had very hard ground TO cult
vate, and 1t has only been through severe.
trial he has raised even the smallest crop of
grace. very harsh minister was talking
TO very placid elder, and the placid elder
said to the harsh minister, doctor. [ do
wish you would control your temper
'Ah. said the minister to the elder. II con-
troi more temper In five minutes than you
do in five years.
1t Is harder for some men to do right than
Tor othor men to do right. The grace thar
would elevate you to the seventh heaven
might not keep your brother from knocking
man down. had u friend who came to
me and said, II dare not join tho church. ~
said, "Why'' "Oh, he said. IL have such
violent temper, Yesterday morning 1 wa,
crossing very early ut the Jersey CITY ferry
and saw mikman pour u large quantity
otWater into the milk can, and l said to
him, Il think that will do and he insultrd
me, and knocked him down. Do Won think
ought to join The church," Nevertheless
that very same man. who was so harsh in his
behavior, loved Christ and could not speoR,
OF sacred things without tears of emotion
and affection. Thorns without. sweetness
within-the best specimen of tho Mexican
cactus l ever saw.
There are others planted in Christ's garden
who are always radiants. always impressive.
more like the roses OF deep hue than We oc-
casionally find, calle1 "Giants of Battle. y
the Martin Luthers, st. Pauls, Chrysostpms.
Wycl1fs, Latimers and Samuel Rutherfor,s.
What In other men is u spark in them is II
conflagration. When they sweat, they sweat
great drops of blood. When they prav. thri,
prayers take fire. When they preach. If is a
Pentecost. When they fight, it is a Thermo-
pylm. When they die, it is a martyr(om,
You find great many roses in the gardens
but only few 'Giants of Battle" Men say
''Why don't you have more of them In the
church?' l saw, "Why don't YOU have il
the world more Humboldts and Wellington
God gives to some ten talents; to another
enc.
In this garden of the church which Chris,
has planted also find the snowdrops. beau
tlful, but cold-lcoking, seemingly anothe,
phase of winter. | mean those Christian.