Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-05-14
ABATTLE FOR BREAD
DR.. TALMAGE breaches ON FAMlNES
PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL.

The Birds OF the Bible-Elljah and the
Ravens That Fed Him-The Ravens That
the Lord Has Today-The Vast Family
OF God.
wAsHISGToN, May 9.-Dr Talmage has
returned home after most remarkably
successful tour through the west, and in
behalf Of the famine struck of India, speak
ing in the great corn centcrs to vast mul-
titudes of people and raising many car
loads Of breadstuffs and many thousands
Of dollars. His subject is today to the last
degree appropriate to all who are trying to
achieve a livelihood Text, l Kings xvii,
6. "And the ravens brought him bread
and flesh in the morning and bread and
flesh in the evening"
The ornithology Of the Bible Is a very
interesting study. The stork which know
eth her appointed time; the common spar
rows teaching the lesson of God 5 proyi-
dence; the ostriches Of the desert by care
less incubation illustrating the reckless
ness Of parents who do not take enough
pains with their children; the eagle sym
bolizing riches which take wings and fly
away: the pelican emblemizing solitude;
the bat, a fake Of the darkness; the night
hawk, the ossifrage, the cuckoo, the lap
wing, tho osprey, by the command Of God
in Leyiticus, flung out Of the worlds Dill
of fare.
| would like TO have been with Audu-
bon as he went through the woods, with
gun and pencil, bringing down and
sketching the fowls Of heaven, his unfold
ed PORTFOLIO thrilling all Christendom.
What wonderful creatures of God the birds
arel some ot them, this morning, like
the songs Of heaven let loose, bursting
through the gates Of heaven. Consider
their feathers, which are clothing and con-
yeyancc at the same time; the nine yerte-
br.r Of the neck, the three cyelids TO each
eve. the third cyclid an extra curtain Tor
graduating the light Of the sun. some OF
these birds scaycngers and some of them
/ orchestra. Thauls God for quail's whistle,
and lark's car, !, and the twitter OF the
I wren, called by the ancients the king OF
/ birds. because when the fowls of heaven
went into contest as 70 who should ny
| the highest. and the eagle swung nearest
the sun. q wren on back Of the eagle, after
the eagle was exhausted, sprang up much
higher. and so was called by the ancient'
the king OF birds. Consider those Of them
that have golden crowns and crests, show
| ing them TO be- fcathered imporials. And
listen 10 the humming birds serenade III
the ear of the honeysuckle. Look at th'
heltcd kingnsher. striking like dart from
sky TO water Listen 10 the voice Of Tho
owl. giving the keynote TO all croakcrs
And behold the condor among the Andes
battling with the reindeer. do not kno"
whether an aquarium or aviary Is the bes
altar from which to worship God.
Elijah and the Ravens.
There is an incident in my text thai
bafllcs all the ornithological wonders of th'
world. The grain crop had been cut OIL
Famine was i'm the land. In cave by th'
brook Cherith sat minister of God, I'll
iah. waiting for something TO eat. WIZ
did he not 90 10 the neighborss Thor
were no ncighbors: it was wilderness
Why did no not pick some Of the berries
There were none. II there had been, the,
would have been dried up. Seated on
morning at the mouth Of his cave, th
nror,het secs a flock Of birds approaching
Oh. If they were only partridgcs' OF II h
ONLY had an arrow with which TO brlhl
them down. But as they come nearer
ne finds that they are not c0mestlble, bu
unclean. and the eating Of them would b
sniritual death The strength OF thel
beak. the length Of their wings, the black
ness Of their color, their loud, harsl
"cruck. cruck," prove them TO be ravens
They whir around about the prophet
head. and then they come on nutterlhI
wing and pause on the level OF his lips
and ono of the ravens brings bread an
another raven brings meat, and after the
have discharged their tiny cargo the
wheel Fast, and others come, until alle
awhile the prophet has enough, and thes
hlack servants Of the wilderness table at
gone. For six months, and some say
whole year, morning and evening Dreah
fast and supper bell sounded as thes
ravens rang out on the air their "cruck
cruckVi Guess where they got the 100
from. The old rabbins say they got
from the kitchen Of King Ahab. Other
cav that the ravens got their food iroi
Mons Obadiah. who was in the haDlt {
feeding the prosecuted. Some say that tn
ravens brought the food to their young
the trees. and that Elijah had only
climb up and get it. Some say that IN
whole story is improbable, for these wei
} corniyorous birds, and the food they ca
ricd was the torn flesh OF living beast
and therefore cercmonially unclean' OF
was carrion. and would not have been
for the prophet. Some say they were IL
ravens at all, but that the word translate
ravens" in my text ought to have bee
translated ARABS" So it would bay
read. ..The Arabs brought bread and lies
in the morning and bread and flesh in Il
evening" Anything but admit the BIB
? to be true.
The Battle For Bread.
Hew away at this miracle until all u
0 miracle is gone. Go on with the depletif
q nrocess. but know, my brother, that yC
are robbiDg only one man-and that
| vourself-of one Of the most comfortin
e beautiful, pathetic and triumphant IL
sons in all the ages. can tell you wi
D these purveyors were They were raven
s can tell you who freighted them WI
nrovisions-God. | can tell you WI
launched them-God. can tell you WI
h TAUGHT them which way TO hy-Uod'