The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-04-29
:: DIR. TALMAGE.
Days DISCOURSE BY THE
NOTED DIVINE.
Subject: Practical Lessons From the
Life of Joseph.

TEXTS: "They drew and lifted up JOSEPH
out OF the pit and sold Joseph to the lshmael-
ties for twenty pieces of silver. ."-Geness
land Of Egypt" XIV, 26.
You cannot keep good man down. God
has decreed for him a certain point Of eleva-
tion. 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 dowr.
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 a caravan OF Araolan
merchants trudging along on their camels,
with spices and gums that Loaded the air
with aroma, sold their brother to these mer-
chants. who carried him down into Egypt;
Joseph there sold to Potiphar, r man Of in
f1uence and office; how by Joseph's integ-
rity he raised himself to high position in the
realm until, under the false charge OF 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
eph had the control of a magnificent store
house, which he had filed during seven
years OF plenty; how when his brothers. who
had thrown him into the pit and sold him
into captivity, applied for ccrn he sent them
I 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 re-
turned by that brothers forgiveness and
l.. H. - 49, L.. no
You see, in the first place, that tho world
Is compelled to honor Christian character
Potiphar was only a man Of the world, yet
Joseph rose in his estimation until all
the affairs of that great house were COM
: mitted 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 scoundrel, he soon convinced the
/ taller that he was An innocent and trust
| worthy man. and released from close con-
f1nement he became general superintendent
I of prison affairs. Wherever Joseph was
/ placed whether a servant in the house OF
Potiphar, or prisoner In the penltentlary,
he became the first man everywhere, am is
an illustration of the truth I lay down, that
the world is compelled to honor Christian
character. There are those who affect to
despiss religious life. They speak OF 1t
Us Il system Ol ps NhtSh Wv ttieA1
Is bled of all his courage aud nobility. They
say he has bemeaned himself. 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 conflde in q man who shows that ne has
really become child OF God and is what he
20 ha Won pQnnOf GnSDlS6 son
of tie Lord God Almighty. OF course We
have no admiration for the shame Of religion.
I was at place few hours after the ruff
fans had gone into the rail- train and de-
man led that the passengers throw up their
arms, and then these ruf1ans took the pocket
books, and satan comes and suggests to
man that he throw up his arms in hypocrit-
tcal prayer and pretension, and then steals
his soul. For the mere pretension OF reliS-
ion we have adherence. Redwald, the
king. after baptism, had an altar Of Chris
| tian sacrifice and an altar for sacrifice to
devils, and there are many men now at
tempting the same thinG-half a heart for
! God and half heart for the world-and 1t
Is dead failure, and it is a carcature OF re-
ligion, and the only successful assault ever
made on Christianity Is the inconsistency OF
its professors. You may have contempt for
4 pretension to religion, but when you behold
the exceIlency 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 helpit. Though
that man be as far beneath you in estate as
1 the Egyptian slave OF whom We are dis
coursing was beneath his rulers, by an IRE.
vocable law Of your nature, Potiphar and
Pharaoh will always esteem Joseph.
When Eudo1ia. the empress, threatened
| Chrysostom with death. he made the reply.
"Tell the empress fear nothing but sin. :"
Such scene as that compeIs the admiration
! OF the world. There was something In
Agrippa and Felix which demanded their re-
spect for Paul, the rebel against government.
doubt not they would willingly have yield
ed their office aud dignity for thousandth
part of that true heroism which beamed in
\ the eye and beat In the heart OF that uncon-
querable apostle. Paul did not cover before
Felix; Felix covered before Paul. The inf
del and worldling are compelled to honor in
their hearts, although they may no. eulogize
with their lips, Christian firm in persecu-
ton, cheerful in poverty, trustful in losses,
triumphant in death. find Christian men
In all professions and occupations. and find
them respected and honored and successful.
John Frederick Oberlin alleviating ignorance
and distress; Howard passing from dungeon
to lazaretto with healing for the body
! and soul; Elizabeth Fry going to the profit
gacy Of Newgate prison to shake Its obdur-
4 acy as the angel came to the prison at
Philippi, driving open the doors and snap
ping loose the chain, as well as the lives OF
thousands of followers of Jesus who have
devoted themselves to the temporal and
spiritual welfare Of the race are monuments
! OF the Christian religion that shall not
crumble while the world lasts. A man said
to me In the cars: "What is religion2 Judg.
ing from the character Of many professors Of
religion do not admire religion" ! said
"Now, suppose We went to an artist in the
city of Rome, and while in his gallery asked
him, what Is the art of painting? Would
he take US out in low alley and show US a
mere daub OF a pretender at paintings, OF
would he take US down into the corridors
and the Michael Angeles? When We asked
him, What Is the art Of paintingT he would
point to the works OF these great masters
and say, That is painting Now, you pro-
pose to find the mere caricature Of religion
to seek after that which Is the mere preten.
sior of holy life, and you call that religion
q point you to the splendid men and women
whom this gospel has blessed and lifted and
drowned. Look at the masterpieces OF divine
We learn also from this story OF Joseph
that the result OF persecution Is elevation.
Had It not been for his being sold into Egypt
Han bondage by his malicious brothers and
his false Imprisonment Joseph never woult
have become q governor. Everybody accepts
the promise, "Blessed ara they that are per
eecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs i
The kingdom Of heaven" but they do no
realize the fact that this principle applies t
Worldly as we'll as spiritual success. 1t il
true In all departments. Men rise to higl
bficial positions through Misrepresentation
Public abuse Is all that some Of our public
men have had to rely upon for their eleva
tion. It has brought to them what talen
aud executive force could not have achieved
Many of those who are making great effor