Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1896-07-17
LAME ON BOTH FEET.
THIS is THE BIBLE IDEA AND OEFINI-
TON OF SIN.

Rev. DR.. Talmage breaches Upon "Kind-
ness For Another's SaSe"-Novel Presen-
tation of the Theories Of Ruin and Res
toration.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-Dr Tai
mage's sermon Of today is vivid and
novel presentation Of the theories OF
ruin and restoration. The Bible scene
described is dramatic His text was IL
Samuel tx, l and 13: "Is there yet any
that is left Of the house Of Saul, that
may show him kindness for Jonathan
sake? 4s4 So Mephibosheth dwelt in
Jerusalem, for he did eat continually at
the kings table and was lame ON both
his feet" "
Was there ever anything more roman
tic and chiyalrous than the love OF
David and Jonathan? At one time JON
athan was up and David was down.
Now David is up and Jonathan family
is down. AS you have often heard OF
two soldiers before going into battle
making a covenant that if one is shot
the survivor will take charge Of the
body. the watch, the mementos and
perhaps Of the bereft family of the one
that dies. so David and Jonathan had
made a covenant, and now that Jona-
than is dead David is inquiring about
his family, that he may show kindness
unto them for their father Jonathan s
sake.
Careful search is made, and a son OF
Jonathan by the dreadfully homely
name Of Mephibosheth is found. HIS
nurse, in his infancy, had let him fall,
and the fall had put both his ankles out
of place, and they had never been set.
This decrepit, poor man is brought into
the palace of King David. David gazes
upon him with melting tenderness, no
doubt seeing in his face a resemblance
to his old friend, the deceased Jonathan.
The whole bearing Of King David to-
ward him seems to say: "How glad L
am to see you, Mephiboshethl How you
remind me Of your father, my old friend
and benefactorl l made bargain with
YOUR father a good many years ago. and
l am going to keep it with you. What
can do for you, Mephibosheth? l am
resolved what to do will make you a
rich man. will restore to you the con-
fscated property of your grandfather
Saul, and you shall be a guest OF mine
as long as you live, and you shall be
seated at my table among the princes. "
! 1t was too much for Mephibosheth, and
he cried out against it, calling himself
a dead dog "Be still, says David, i
don't do this on your own account; l dc
this for your father Jonathan's sake.
can never forget his kindness. Iremem-
her when 1 was bounded from place to
nlace how he befriended me. Can ever
forget how he stripped himself Of his
courtier apparel and gave it to me In
stead of my shepherds coat, and how
he took off his own sword and belt and
gave them to me instead Of my slingl
Oh. I can never forget himl l feel as II
1 couldn't do enough for you, his son.
I don't do it for your sake; l do 1T for
vour father Jonathan's sake. " sc
Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, FOL
he did eat continually at the kings IA
ble and was lame on both his feet. y
There is somuch gospel in this quaint
incident that am embarrassed to know
where TO begin. Whom do Mephibosheth
and David and Jonathan make you
think of
| Disabled.
Mephibosheth, in the first place
stands for the disabled human soul
Lord Byron describes sin as a charming
recklessness, as gallantry, as a Dor
Juan; George Sand describes sin as tn
upmhant in many intricate plots; Ga'
yarni, with his engraver's knife, always
shows sin as u great jocularity; but the
Bible presents it as a Mephibosheth
! lame on both feet. Sin. like the nurs'
in the context, attempted TO carry u'
and let us fall, and we have been dis
abled. and in our whole moral nature
we are decrepit Sometimes theologianl
haQgle about technicality. They us'
the words total depravity, and som'
people believe in the doctrine, and som'
reject it What do you mean by tota
depravity2 Do you mean that every maj
is as bad as he can be9 Then, l do no
believe IL either. But do you mean tina
sin has let ns fall; that it has scarifie'
and wounded and crippled our entlr