Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-04-17
NEXT TO THE THRONE
PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE LIFE OF
JOSEPH.

Rev. DR.. Talmage Relates In His Usual
Vivid Way How He Rose From Obscur-
ity to High Place Elevation the Re-
suit Of Persecution.
WASHINGTON, April 12.-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, 20, "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 il cost him a 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.
It would be an insult TO suppose that
YOU were not all familiar with the llIe
of Joseph-how his jealous brothers
threw him into a pit, but seeing a cara
van of Arabian merchants trudgng
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 5
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
nit 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.
Christian Character.
You sec, in the first place, that the
world is compelled to honor Christian
character. Potiphar was only a man OF
the world. yet Joseph rose in his estl-
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 taller that he was an innocent ana
Trustworthy man, and released from
close confinement he became general SUI
perintendent Of prison affairs. Wherever
Joseph was placed, whether a servant
in the house Of Potiphar, or a prisoner
in the penitentiary, he became the ilIs'
man everywhere, and is an illustration
Of the truth I lay down, that the world
ia compelled TO honor Christian charac-
ter There are those who affect to de
snise a religious life. They speak OF II
az a system Of phlebotomy by which the
man is bled of all his courage and no
bility. They say he has bemeaned nm
self. They pretend to have no more
confidence in him since his conversion
than before his conversion. But all TIM
IL hypocrisy. There is great deal o.
hypocrisy in the church, and there is I
great deal Of hypocrisy outside TN
church. 1t is impossible for any MAJ
not TO admire and confde III a MAJ
who shows that he has really become
child of God and is what he professe
to be. You cannot despise son OF tn
, Lord God Almighty. OF course we hay
no admiration for the sham OF religion
Twas at a place few hours after tn
ruffians had gone into the rail train am
, demanded that the passengers throw u
their arms, and then these ruiiians TOO
the nocketbooks, and satan comes am
4 suggest to a man that he throw up hi
arms in hypocritical prayer and preten
sion, and then steals his soul For IN
) mere pretension Of religion we have at
borrence. Redwald, the king, after bar
tism. had an altar Of Christian sacriiic
and an altar for sacrifice to devils, an
g there are many men now attemptin
, the same thing-half heart for Go
and half heart for the world-and
is a dead failure, and it is caricatm
of religion. and the only successful a
sault ever made on Christianity Is the Il
consistency Of its professors You ma
have a contempt for pretension to r
ligion. but when you behold the exec
lencv of Jesus Christ come out in q
life Of one Of his disciples, all that the
Y ia good and noble in your soul rises I
e into admiration, and you cannot he
II Though that man be as far beneai
Won in estate as the Egyptian slave
e whom we are discoursing was benea
. his rulers, by an irrevocable law
, your nature, Potiphar and Pharaoh WI
always esteem Joseph.
g When Eudoxia, the empress, threate
ed Chrysostcm with death, he made {
reply, "Tell the empress fear nothn
q but ain" Such scene as that comp'
L the arbitration Of the world. There W
m s,Imething in Agrippa and Felix viii
!. darnanded their respect for Paul, {
y rebel against government doubt 4
d they would Willingly have yielded thu