Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-04-18

Kew. Dr. Irilna&c 1scEileh Al lib CoehA
vivid Way How IIo 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, 90, che is governor over
sill the land of Egypt"
You cannot keep good man down.
God has decrecd for him a 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
Won cannot write him down These facts
are powerfully illustrated i'll 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 trudginS
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, Il man of
influence and office; how by Joseph S
integrity he raised himself to high posi-
ton III the realm until, under the false
charge of vile wretch, he was hurled
into the pcnitentiary; how i'll prison he
commanded respect and confidence;
how by the Interpretation of Pharaoh S
dream he was freed and became the
chief mm in the realm, the Bismarck of
his century; how i'll the time of famine
Joseph had the control of Il magnificent
storehousc, 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 tie
beasts Of burden borne down under the
hcft of the corn sacks; how the sin
against their brother which had 50 long
been hidden came ont at last and was
returned by that brothers forgiveness
and kindness, the onlyrevenge he took.
Christian Character.
You see, III the first place, that the
world is compelled to honor Christian
character Potirhar was only man of
the world, yet Joseph rose i'll his esti-
nation until all the affairs Of that
great house were committed to his
charge From his servant 10 honor or
confidence was withheld. When Joseph
was III prison, he soon won the heart of
the keeper, and though placed there for
being Il scoundrel he soon convinced
the iailer that he was an innocent and
trustworthy man, and released from
close confinement he became general SUI
perintendent Of prison affairs. Wherever
Joseph was placed, whether servant
in the house Of Potiphar, or q prisoner
in the penitcntiary, he became the first
man everywhere, and is ;m illustration
of the truth lay down, that the world
is compelled to honor Christian charac-
ter. There are those who affect to de-
spise a religious life They speak of it
us Il system of phlebotomy by which the
man is bled of all his courage and no.
bility. They say he has bcmeaned him
self They pretend to have no more
confidence in him since his conversion
than before his conversion. But all this
is hypocrisy. There is a great deal OF
hypocrisy i'll the church, and there is
great deal of hypocrisy outside the
church. 1t is impossible for any man
not to admire and confide in man
who shows that he has really become a
child of God and is what he processes
to be. You cannot despise Il son of the
Lord God Almighty. Of course we have
no admiration for the sham of religion.
was at a place a few hours after the
ruffians 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 man that he throw up his
arms in hypocritical prayer and preten-
sion, and then steals his soul. For the
mere pretension CT religion we have alb
horrence. Rcdwald, the king, after bap-
tism had an altar of Christian sacrifice
and all altar for sacrifice to devils, and
there are many men now attempting
the same thing-half a heart for God
ard half q heart for the world-and it
is q dead f.lilure, and it is caricature
Of religion, and the only successful as
sault ever made Oh Christianity is the in
consistency Of its professors You may
have IL contempt for pretension to re-
ligion, bat when you behold the excel
lency Of Jesus Christ come out i'll the
life Of one OF lis disciples, all that there
is good and lioblc in your soul rises up
into admiration, and you cannot help
ii. Though that man be as far beneath
you in estate as the Egyptian slave Of
whom we mrc discoursing was beneath
his rulers, By an irrevocable law OF
your nature, Potiphar and Pharaoh will
always esteem Joseph.
When E1doxia, the empress, threaten
ed Chryscstom with death, he made the
reply, "Tcll the empress 1 fear nothing
but sin" Such Il scene rs that compels
:ho admiration CT the world. There was
something in Asrippa and Felix which
demanded their respect for Paul, the
rebel against government. I doubt not
they would willingly have yielded their
Office and dignity for thousandth part
If that true hcroism which beamed i'll
the eye and beat in the heart Of that un-
comparable apostle. Paul did not cover
before Folk; Felix covered before Paul.
The infdel and wording are compelled
to honor in their hearts, although they
may not eulogize with their lips, Chris
tian firm in persecution, cheerful in