Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-04-25
THE GARDEN OF GOD.
REV. Or. TALmAGE breaches A SEA.
SONAeLE SERMON.

He Compares the Church To "a Garden Be.
cause NJ Is the Place of Choice Flowers,
Select Fruits and of Thorough Irriga-
tIon-An Invitation 20 Enter.
WASHINGTON. April 25-As the parks in
Washington are abloom with hyacinths. and
the gardens are being made. the smile dom
inant in this subject is very suggestive and
practical. Dr. Talmagc's text will lie
Isaiah lviii, H., "rhou shalt lie like wa
tered garden
Tho Bible Is n great poem. We have IN
Il faultlcss rhythm, and bold imagery, and
startling antiihcsis, and rapiurous lyric,
and sweet pastoral, and Instructive nara
tive. and devotional psalm-thought cx-
pressed I'm style more solemn than that of
Montgomery. moro bold than that OF Mil
ton, moro terrible than that Of Dante,
moro natural than that Of Wordsworth,
moro impaSsloncd than that of Pollock,
moro tender than that of Cowpcr, more
weird ,han that OF Spcnser.
This great poem brings all the gems of
the earth into its coronet, and IL wcaves
tho flames Of Judgment into It's garlands
and pOurs eternal harmonics In it's rhythm.
Everything this book touches It makes
beautiful, from the plain stones of the
summer thrashing floor To the daughters
of Major filling the trough for the camels,
from tho fish pools of lIeshbon up to tho
psalmist praising God with the diapason
of storm and whirlwind and Jobs imagery
of Orion, Arcturus and the Plciadcs.
A Beautiful Garden.
60, i,a.l. F,,e,, :, c.n,,n -
rcdolcncc. Tho world has had "a groat
many beautiful gardens. Charlcmagne
added To the glory 81 his reign by decree.
ing that they be- established all through
tho realm, deciding even the names Of
the flowers TO be planted there. Henry ~,
at Montpelier, established gardens of be-
witching beauty and luxuriancc, gather
ing into them Alpine, Pyrcncan and
French plants. Ono of the sweetest spots
on earth was the garden OF Shenstone. tho
poet. His writings have made but little i'm.
preston ON tho world, hut his garden, "The
Leasowes," will be- immortal. To the nat
ural advantage of that place was brought
the perfection Of nrt. Arbor and terrace
and slope and rustic temple and reservoir
and urn and fountain here had their crown
ing. Oak and yew and hazel put forth
their richest foliage. There was no life
more diligcnt, no soul moro ingenious,
than that OF Shcnstone, and all that dill
gcnce and genius he brought to the ndorn-
ment Of that one treasured spot He gave
$500 for It; he sold it for sit 600. And yet
am to tell you today Of n richer garden
than any have mentioned. 1t Is the gar
den spoken of In my text, the garden Of
tho church, which belongs Ia Christ. He
bought It. he planted 1t, he owns II, and
he shall have Il. Walter Scott, In his out
lay at AbbotsfOrd, ruined his fortune, and
now, in the crimson flowers Of those gar
tlens, You can almost think or imagine that
you sec the blood Of that old mans broken
heart. The payment OF the last 100000
sacrificed him. But have to- tell you that
Christ's life and Christ's death were the
outlay of this beautiful garden Of the
church 1T which my text speaks. Oh how
many signs and tears ard pangs and
agoniesl Tell me- yc women who saw him
hang Tell me, We cxccuiioners who lifted
him and Let him down! Tell me, thou sun
that didst hide. yc rocks that fell Christ
loved the church and gave himself for It.
II tho garden OF the church belongs e
Christ. certainly Eo has right To- walk in
II. Come, then, q blessed Jesus today;
walk up nn,. down these aislos and pluck
what thou wilt Of sweetness for myself.
The church, In my text. Is appropriately
compared TO garden because IL Is tn,
place Of choice flowers. of select fruits and
OF thorough irrigation. That would be q
strange garden In which there were ne
flowers II nowhere else, they would b,
along the borders or al the gateway. TIL,
homclicst taste will dictate something, II
it DO only the old fashioned hollyhock oi
dahlia or danodil, but II there be larger
means then you will find the Mexican
cactus and blazing azalca and clustering
oleander. Well, now, Christ comes to hi.
garden, and he plants there some Of tn,
brightest spirits that ever lowered upon
the world. some Of them are violcts, in
conspicuous, but sweet rs heaven. You
have 90 search and find them. You do not
SEQ them very often perhaps, but you find
where they have been by the frightened
face Of the invalid and the sprig Of Ierani
um on the stand and the new window cur
tains keeping out the glare Of the sunlight
They are perhaps more like the ranuncu
lus, creeping swoctly along nmid tho
thorns and bricrs Of life, giving kiss fol
sting and many n man who has had IN
his way some great black rock Of troubl,
has found that they have covered 1t nj
over with ilowcry jasmine. running in and
out amid the crcviccs. These flowers IN
Christs garden are not, like the sunflower
gaudy in the light. but wherever darkness
hovcrs over "a soul TINT needs to he com
fortcd there they stand. night blooming
ccrcuscs.
But in Christ garden there are plant,
that may bo better compared to the Mcxi
can cactus-thorns without, lovclinos,
within, men with sharp points of char
actcr. They wound almos, every one that
touches them. They are hard 30 handle
Men pronounce them nothing but thorns
but Christ loves them Notwithstanding al
their sharpnesses. Many man has had I
very hard ground to cultivate. and it ha,
only been through severe trial he has raisct
even the smallest crop Of grace. \ yer,
harsh minister was talking tua very placi,
elder, and tho placid elder said to the harsi
minister. Doctor. do wish you woulC
control your temper" "Ah," said thu
minister To the elder. Il control mor,
temper in five minutes than you do in flv,
years.
Thorns In the Garden.
II Is harder for some men To TO RICH
thin Tor utnHr men 10 40 right. i M Ersicl
that would elevate You to tho seventh
heaven might not keep your brother from
knocking man down. / had IA fricn'
who came u mo and said, II dare not join
the church. | said. Why" oh" h
said, IL have such "a violent temper Yes
/ tcrday morning | was crossing very earl,
at tho Jersey City ferry, and saw milk
/ man pour n large quantity of water int
tho milk can, and said to him, / thinl
/ that will do, and hc iusultcd me, and
! knocked him down. DO You think ough
/ - join the church," Nevertheless tina
very same man, who was so harsh in hi
behavior. loved Christ and could not speal
Of sacred things without tears of emotion
I and affection. Thnrns without. swcctnes
I within--iho best specimen II tho Mexican
f cactus i ever saw.
There nrc Others planted in Christ's gar
acn who arc always radiant, always i'm
rrcssivc, moro like the roses Of deep hu
that we occasionally find. called Giant
Of Battlc;" the Martin Luthcrs. st. Pauls
I ChrySOStunis WvclifS T.atiners and sam