Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-06-27
A SEARCH FOR GAME.
REV. Or. TALMAGE USES GOSPEL
ARCHERY AS HIS THEME.
He Tells About the Mighty Hunters of
Scripture and shows How to Use the
Gospel Arrow The Kind OF Game 90
Seek,

Scripture aud shows How to Use the
Gospel Arrow The Kind OF Game to
Seek.
WASHINGTON. june a. All people who
are irwin. 10 lo good viii find this discourse
~ Dr. Ialmagc inspiring a> we'll Us unique.
His tex, viii b. Genesis y, Q. '.lle w. a
mighty hunter before the Lord
IN our GAY hunting Is Srurt, pur IA
the lands and the times infested with Wild
beasts il was matter of lie or death with
the people II was very different from gn-
ing out ON a sunshiny afternoon with a
patent brcchloadcr 10 shoot rccdhrds on
the flats when Pollux and Achilles and
Diomedes went out 70 clear the land Of
lions ard tigers and bears My text sets
forth Nimrod rs u hero when 1t presents
him with broad shoulders and shaggy ap-
parcl and sun Drowned face and arm
punched with musclc-'a mighty hunter
before the Lord : thinl, he used the bow
and the arrows with great success practic-
ing archery
Gospel Archery.
have thought. II it is such great
thing and such brave thing TO clear wild
beasts out of country, IL ii is not n better
and Drawer thing to hunt down and de
stroy those great evils of society that are
stalking the land with fierce cycand bloody
paw and sharp tusk ana quick spring
have wondered II there is not such n thing
as gospel archery, 10y which those who have
been flying from the truth may bc captured
for God and heaven The Lord Jesus in
his sermon used the art of angling for an
illustration when he said II will make
ffehnr. ~ AttI I ehs.tt-
have authority for using hunting as an il
lustration of gospel truth. and pray God
that there may he many n man today who
will begin 10 study gospel archery Of
whom II may after awhile bc said. Gle
was "A mighty hunter before the Lord. .
How much awkward Christian work
there is done in the world How many
good people there are who drive souls away
from Christ instead of bringing them 10
himl All their fingers are thumbs-rclig-
ious blundercrs who upset more than they
right. Their gun has crooked barrel
and kicks rs II goes of They arc like a
clumsy comradc who goes along with skill
full hunters. At the very moment when
no ought TO he most quiet he Is cracking
an alder or falling over log and frightcn-
ing away the game. How few Christian
people have ever learned the lesson of
which read at the beginning of this SER
vice; how that the Lord Jesus Christ at
the we'll went from talking about n cup of
water to the most practical religious
truths which won the woman's soul for
Godl Jesus In the wilderness was break
ing bread to the people l think it was
good bread II was very light bread and
the yeast had done its work thoroughly
Christ, after he had broken the bread, said
10 the people, " Beware Of the yeast or Of
the heaven of the Pharisecs. So natural
a transition It was, and how easily they
all understood hint But how few Chris
tian people there are who understand how
to fastcn the truths Of God and religion to
the souls of men. Truman Osborne, one
of the cyangclists who went through this
country years ago, had n wonderful art in
the right direction. He came Ia my
fathers house one day, and while we We're
all seated in the room he said, Mr.. Tai
mage. are all your children Christians"
Father said, Yes all but De Witt y
Then Truman Osborne looked down into
the fireplace and began 10 tell story of n
storm that came on the mountains, and
all the sheep were in the fold, but there
was one lamb outside that persisted in the
storm Had he looked me in the eye |
should have been angrrcd when he told
that story. but he looked into the fireplace
and it was 50 pathctically and beautifully
done that l never found any peace until |
was sure l was inside the fold where the
other sheep We're
The archcrs of oldcn times studied their
art. They were very precise in tho matter
Tho old books gave special directions rs to
how an archer should go and as 10 what
an archer should do He must stand erect
and firm, his left foot little in advance
Of the right foot With his left hand he
must take hold of the bow in the middle,
and then with the three fingers and the
thumb of his right hand he should lay hold
Of the arrow and aiix it To the string-so
precise was the direction given. But how
clumsy we are about religious work. How
little skill and care we cxcrcisei How often
our arrows miss the mark Oh, that there
were moro institutions established in all
the towns and cities of our land, where
men might learn the art of doing good
studying spiritual archery, and known as
mighty hunters before the Lord 3"
Look to Your weauon