Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-10-24
THE HARVEST FIELD,
IT INSPIRES Or. TALMAGE's SERMON
ON GOSPEL FARMING.

Noah the First Farmer The Honor 60
Agriculture Of the Ages Deep Flowing
For soul The straight Furrow with
Gods Red standard NJ Guide.
WASHINGTON, oct. lS-This sermon at
this season, after most people have had u
good long breath Of the country, II they
do not actually live there, will revive many
pleasant memories. while II deals with
great religious truths. DIR. 1almagc's text
was John Nv. /, Ny Father is the hus-
bnndman."
This last summer having gone In diff
fcycnt directions over between five and six
thousand miles II harvest fields | can
hardly open my Bible without smelling
the breath uf new mown hay and seeing
tho golden light Of the whcatilcld, and
when open my Bible to take my text tho
scripture leaf rustlcs like the tasscls uf the
corn
We were nearly all of us born in the
country We dropped corn In the hin and
went an Saturday to the mill, tying the
girls, in the center ~ the sack 80 that the
contents On either side the horse balanced
each other, aud drove the cattle ancld. our
iAtt AtfA WV ~ lAAAAtfNt anu tff tt' tt'il
with the halter to the brook until wc fell
on. and hunted the NOW for nests until
the fcathcr,h occupants went cackliug
away We were nearly all II US born IN
the country, aud all would have staid there
had not some adventurous lad on his vaca.
ton come hack with better clothes and
softer hands and set the whole village on
fire with ambition for city life. 80 we all
understand rustic aliusiuns. The bible Is
fun 81 them. In Christ sermon on the
mount you could see the full blown lilies
and the glossy black 81 the crow wing rs
1t flies over Mount Oliyct. David and
John Paul and Isaiah lind III country life
source Of frequent illustration, while
Christ in the text takes the responsibility
Of calling tod a farmer, declaring, My
Father is the hushandman.
The Earth Was Nnnh's Farm.
Noah was tho first farmer. We say moth.
ing about Cain, the tillcr Of the soil
Adam was gardener on "a large scale. hat
20 Noah was given all the acres of the
earth. Elisha WAS an ngricul,urist, not
culiivating ten acre lot, for We find him
blowing with j. yoke 81 oxen. In Bible
times the land was ~ plenty aud the in
habiiants 80 fcw that Noah was right wh,n
he gave To every iuhahitant "A certain FOR
ton of land that land, II cultivated, ever
after To- bc his own possession, just n~ in
Nebraska the uiicd states government
on payment II SO years ago gave pre-
cmptiOu right To- 100 acres to any mn,
who would settle there and cultivate the
soil.
All classes uf people were expected to
cultivate ground except ministers Of re-
ligion IL was supposed that they would
have their time entirely occupied with
their own profession, although | am told
that sometimes ministers do plunge 80
deeply into wnrldlncss that they remind
one Of what Thomas Fraser said In regard
to man in his day who preached very
well, but lived very III. when h. j. cut
OF the pulpit, it is u pity hc should ever 20
into it, and when lac i In the pulpit. ii Is a
i.ty he should ever come ont Of II.
They were not small crops raised in
those times. for though the arts were rude,
the plow turned up very rich soil and
barley and cotton and flax and all kinds
of grain came up at the call 81 the harvest
crs. Pliny tells of one stalk of grain that
had on IL between three and four hundred
ears. The rivers and the brooks. through
artificial channels, were brought down tn
the roots of the corn, and to this habit uf
turning u river wherever it was wanted
solomon refers when he says, The king 5
heart is IN the hand Of the Lord, and hc
turneth 1t ~ the rivers oi water arr turned,
whithersucVcr he will