The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-02-07
THEKING' .GHWAY
REV. DR.. TALMAGE POINTS OUT THE
RIGHT ROAD

There Are Many and Devious Ways In the
Journey Through Life, but One Only
Leads to Eternal Happiness--A Clean
Heart Makes Vision Clear.
WASHINGTON, Feb Rev. DR.. Tai
mages sermon for today was picture
of the road that many have travelled and
Others are trying to get on and is no
more appropriate for the capital of the
nation than for all places. The text
chosen was Isaiah xxxv, 8, 9, 10: And
an highway shall be there, and a way,
and it shall be called, the way of holi-
ness the unclean shall not pass over it,
but it shall be for those; the wayfaring
men, though fools, shall not err therein.
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous
beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be
found there, but the redeemed shall
walk there, and the ransomed of the
Lord shall return and come to Zion WI h
songs and everlasting joy upon their
heads. They shall obtain 10y and glad
ness and sorrow and signing shall flee
away"
There are hundreds of people in this
house who want to find the right road.
You sometimes see person halting at
crossroads, and you can tell by his looks
that he wishes to ask a question as to
what direction he had better take. And
I stand in your presence conscious of the
fact that there are many of you here
who realize that there are thousand
wrong roads, but only one right one,
and take it for granted that you have
come in to ask which one it is. Here is
one road that opens widely, but | have
not much faith in it. There are great
many expensive tollgates scattered all
along that way. Indeed at every rod you
must pay in tears, or pay in genufex-
ions, or pay in f1agellations. On that
road, if you get through it at all, you
have to pay your own way, and since
this differs so much from what have
heard in regard to the right way, be-
lieve it is the wrong way.
Here is another road On either side
of it are houses of sinful entertainment
rest, but from the looks of the people
who stand on the piazza. I am certain it
is the wrong house and the wrong way.
Here is another road. 1t is very beauti
full and macadamized. The horses hoofs
clatter and ring, and they who ride over
it spin along the highway until sudden
ly they find that the road breaks over
an embankment, and they try to halt,
and they see the bit in the mouth of
the fiery steed and cry: "Ho! Hol'
But it is too late, and, crash they go
over the embankment. We shall turn
and see if we cannot find a different
kind of road You have heard of the
Appian way. 1t was $50 miles long. 1t
was "a feet wide, and on either side OF
the road was path for foot passengers.
1t was made out of rocks cut in hexag-
onal shape and fitted together. What
road it must have been Made of
smooth, hard rock, $50 miles long No
wonder that in the construction OF it
the treasures of a whole empire were
exhausted Because of invaders and the
elements and time-the old conqueror
who tears up road as he goes over it
there is nothing left of that structure
but a ruin. But have to tell you of
road built before the Appian way, and
yet it is as good as when first construct
ed Millions of souls have gone over 1t.
Millions more will come.
The prophets and apostles too,
Pursued this road while here below.
We therefore will, without dismay,
Still walk Christ the good old way,
From Earth to Heaven.
First, this road of the text is the
kings highway. In the diligence you
dash on over the Bernard pass of the
Alps, mile after mile, and there is not
60 much as pebble to jar the wheels.
You 20 over bridges which cross chasms
that make you hold your breath, under
projecting rock, along by dangerous
precipice, through tunnels a-drip with
the MEETINGS of the glaciers and perhaps
for the first time learn the majesty of
road built and supported by govern
mental authority. Well, my Lord the
King decided to build highway from
earth to heaven. 1t should span all the
chasms of human wretchedness 1t
should tunnel all the mountains of
earthly difficulty; it should be wide
enough and strong enough to hold fifty
thousand millions of the human race, if
so many of them should ever be born; IL
should be blasted out of the "rock Of
ages" and cemented with the blood Of
the cross and be lifted amid the shout
ing of angels and the execration of dew
Ills. The king sent his son to build that
road. He put head and hand and heart
to it, and after the road was completed
waved his blistered hand over the way,
crying, at is finishedp' Napoleon paid
100000 francs for the building of
the Simplon road that his cannon might
go over for the devastation of Italy, but
our King at a greater expense has built
a road for different purpose, that the
banners of heavenly dominion might
come down over it. Being kings high
way, of course it is we'll built Bridges
splendidly arched and buttressed have
given way and crushed the passengers
who attempted to cross them. But
Christ the King would build no such