The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1897-10-15
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
Some New lessons Drawn From
the Story of Joseph.
Strength of Parental Attachmeht-O"F
Children Always Children, NO matter
How Old They GrOw-The Beau
ties OF FiIiaI Affection.

Rev. T. Dewitt Talmnge, in the fol-
lowing sermon, presents scene OF ten
derness and reverence for the aged
The text is;
will 20 and see him before idie-Genesis
XIV, -
Jacob had long since passed the Ice
wear milestone. In those times people
were distinguished for longevity. In
the centuries after, persons lived to
great age. Galen, the most lebrated
physician of his time, took so little OF
his own medicine that he lived to l4V
years. A man of undoubted yeracity
ON the witness stand In England swore
that he remembered an event lao years
before, Lord Bacon speaks of coun-
tess who had cut three sets of teeth and
died at TAO years. Joseph Crele, OF
Pennsylvania, lived 140 years In 1891
book was printed containing the
names of 81 persons who lived l4U
years, and the names Of II persons VINO
lived $50 years,
Among the grand old people of whom
We have record was Jacob, the shep
herd of the text. But he had bad Io'
of boys. They were jealous and am
bilious and every way unprincipled'
Joseph, however, seemed to be an eN
ception; but he had been gone many
years, and the probability was that h'
was dead. As sometimes now IN
house YOU will find kept at the table
vacant chair, plate, knife 1ofK
for some deceased member OF the lam
iv. so Jacob kept In his heart a Plac
for his beloved Joseph. There sits tn
old man, the flock of 14O years in thel
flight having alighted long enough t
leave the marks of their claw on 1ore
=, head and cheek and temple. His Ion
heard SHOWS down over his chest Ill
ewes are somewhat dim, and he can Sc
farther when they are closed ina
when they are open, Tor he can st
clear back into the time when beaut
fuI Rachel, his wife, was hving' an
his children shook the oriental aeoU
with their merriment.
Va The centenarian is sitting dreamln
80 over the past when he hears wage
rumbling to the front door. lie ge
mn and goes to the door to see who hi
q arrived, and his lOng-absent sons 1ro
Egypt come in and announce 10 Hl
that Joseph, instead OF being dead
living in an Egyptian palace with
the investiture of prime minister ne
TO the king, in the mightiest empire
all the world, The news was I
sudden and too glad for the old ma
;! and his cheeks whiten, and he mas
dazed look, and his staff falls out
his hand. and he would have dropp
had not the sons caught him and
him to a lounge and put cold water
:. his face and famed him little.
In that half delirium the old m
ls mumbles something about his son
BIZ seph, He says: "You don't mean
'ni seph. do you? my dear son who
&c been dead so long? You don't me
me Joseph. do youP" But after they
fully resuscitated him, und the nc
was confirmed, the tears begin III
- winding way down the crossroads
m the wrinkles. and the sunken hps
NJ the old man quiver, and he brings
bent fingers together as he saysi .,
sanb is vet alive. l will go and
him before die"
II did not take the old man 81
while to get ready, warrant you
put on the best clothes that the 81
-eat herds wardrobe could afford. he
nd into the wagon, and though the a
are cautious and like to ride slow'
9 wagon did not go fast enough for
old man: and when the wagon '
the old man met Joseph's chariot {
inc down to meet him, and Joseph
out of the chariot and got into
wagon and threw his arms arount
fathers neck. it was an antithesl
ed ROYALTY and rusticitv, of simplicity
! all pomp, of flial affection and pate
love. which leaves us so much IN q
ses, whether we had better laugh or
: of that we do both. So jacob
ino. the resolution of the text VIII
.r.D and see him before L die
What a strong and unfailing thi
10 ,arantaI attachment Was it nC
who most time for Jacob to forget JOS
The hot suns of many summers
icine" blazed on the heath; the river Nile
rently -a,.a,,vad and receded, overh
duty and receded again and again; the
nisli- had been sown aud the harvests re-
stars rose and set; years OF pIent.
N hIe years of famine had passed on; ot
testi, love of Jacob for Joseph IN my I
u overwhelmingly dramatic. On l
,ntion- n cord that is not snapped, u
death. pulled on by many decades! II
!, ], Wv when the little child expired tn
ientiOn ents may not have been more u
n years of age, and now they
- vet the vision of the c
and the childish face. and
fHI first utterances of the
tile lips are fresh to-day, IN
of the passage of half century
m. was as fresh in Jacobs memo
ever. though at IL years OF age u
yonH had disappeared from the old
'Op'' stead. 1 found in our family
the story of an infant that had
,,l;r, years before, and said to my p'
n HWhat is this record, and what
VI meanPn Their chief answer
easol' long. deep sigh. 1t was yet TO
.clteds verv tender sorrow. What doe
all mean? Why, it means our ci
departed are ours yet and that
attachment reaching across the
will hold us until it brings US tc
in the palace, as Jacob and
we're brought together. That
thing that makes old people Ole
They realize it is reunion, witt
set from whom they have long oeel
rated.
> enn am often asked as past
every pastor is asked the gu,
N .sWiil my children be child
w Heaven and forever Children
d, secu-. there was no doubt a great en-
ed fa.9 1sA'7. Joseph from the time Jaeoo