Connecticut western news., 1896-04-16
NEXT TO THE THRONE
PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE LIFE OF
 JOSEPH.
Rev. Dr. TAlmAxe Relates In His Usual Vivid Way How He Rose From Obscur- ity eo . High Place Elevation the Re suit Of Persecution.

ity eo . High Place-Elevation the Re
 suit of Persecution.
 WASHINGTON, April l2.-The sermon of Rev. Dr. Talmage today is full of stirring and practical lessons for all Washington has many men who, like the hero of the texts. started from al- most nothing and rose to high place. The texts chosen were: Genesis xxxvii, 2S, "They drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. Genesis xiv, 26, ''He is governor over all the land of Egypt.
 You cannot keep a good man down. God has decreed for him certain point of elevation He will bring him to that though it cost him thousand worlds. You sometimes find men fearful they will not be properly appreciated. Every man comes to be valued at just what he is worth. You cannot write him up, and you cannot write him down. These facts are powerfully illustrated in my subject. 1t would be an insult to suppose that you were not all familiar with the life of Joseph-how his jealous brothers threw him into pit, but seeing cara van of Arabian merchants trudging along on their camels, with spices and gums that loaded the air with aroma, sold their brother to these merchants, who carried him down into Egypt; Joseph there sold to Potiphar, man of influence and office; how by Joseph's integrity he raised himself to high posi- tion in the realm until, under the false charge of a vile wretch, he was hurled into the penitentiary; how in prison he commanded respect and confidence; how by the interpretation of Pharaoh's dream he was freed and became the chief man in the realm. the Bismarck of his century; how in the time of famine Joseph had the control of magnificent storehouse, which he had filled during seven years of plenty; how when his brothers, who had thrown him into the pit and sold him into captivity, applied for corn he sent them home with the beasts of burden borne down under the heft of the corn sacks; how the sin against their brother which had so long been hidden came out at last and was returned by that brothers forgiveness and kindness, the only revenge he took.
 Chrfstian Character.
 You see, in the first place, that the world is compelled to honor Christian character. Potiphar was only man of the world, yet Joseph rose in his esti- nation until all the affairs of that great house were committed to his charge. From his servant no honor or confidence was withheld When Joseph was in prison, he soon won the heart of the keeper. and though placed there for being a scoundrel, he soon convinced the jailer that he was an innocent and trustworthy man, and released from close confinement he became general su- perintendentof prison affairs Wherever Joseph was placed. whether servant fin the house of Potiphar, or a prisoner in the penitentiary, he became the first man everywhere, and is an illustration of the truth lay down, that the world Is compelled to honor Christian charac- ter. There are those who affect to de spise religious life. They speak of it as . system of phlebotomy by which the man is bled of all his courage and no- bility. They say he has bemeaned him. salf. They pretend to have no more confidence in him since his conversion than before his conversion. But all this is hypocrisy. There is great deal of hypocrisy in the church, and there is great deal of hypocrisy outside the church It is impossible for any man not to admire and confide in a man who shows that he has really become child of God and is what he professes to be. You cannot despise 8 son of the Lord God Almighty. Of course we have no admiration for the sham of religion 1. I was at a place few hours after the ruffans had gone into the rail train and demanded that the passengers throw up their arms, and then these ruffians took the pocketbooks, and satan comes and suggest to 8 man that he throw up his arms in hypocritical prayer and preten- sion, and then steals his soul For the mere pretension of religion we have ab- horrence. Redwald, the king, after bap- tism, Nd an altar of Christian sacrifice and an altar for sacrifice to devils, and there are many men now attempting the same thing-half a heart for God and half heart for the world-and it is dead failure, and it is a caricature of religion, and the only successful as- sault ever made on Christianity is the in- consistency of it's professors You may have a contempt for pretension to re- hgion, but when you behold the excel lency of Jesus Christ come out in the life of one of his disciples, all that there is good and noble in your soul rises up into admiration, and you cannot help it Though that man be as far beneath you in estate as the Egyptian slave of whom we are discoursing was beneath his rulers, by an irrevocable law of your nature, Potiphar and Pharaoh will always esteeIa Joseph.
 When Eudoxia, the empress, threaten cd Chrysostom with death, he made the reply, "Ten the empress fear nothing but sin " Such a scene as that compels the admiration of the world There was something in Agrippa and Felix which demanded their respect for Paul, the rebel against government. doubt not they would willingly have yielded their office and dignity for a thousandth part of that true heroism which beamed in the eye and beat in the heart of that un- conquerable apostle. Paul did not cover before Felix; Felix covered before Paul The infidel and worldling are compelled to honor in their hearts, although they may not eulogize with their lips, Chris tian firm in persecution, cheerful in poverty, trustfu1 in losses, triumphant in death. I find Christian men in all professions and occupations, and I find them respected and honored and success ful John Frederick Oberlin alleviatins ignorance and distress; Howard passing from dungeon to lazaretto with healing for the body and soul; Elizabeth Fry going to the pro1igacy of Newgate pris- on to shake it's obduracy as the angel came to the prison at Philippi, driving open the doors and snapping loose the