The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1897-05-14
TALMAGE.
Christ Mistaken for a Gard.
ner.

AT the request OF several readers III
the TEIRaRAM We publish the very able
sermon preached by DR.. Talmage on
Eeaster. to very large congregation at
Washington. d. q.
Z. The text Of DR.. Talmage's Easter
sermon was John XIX, ID: "She sup
posed him 70 be a gardener"
just after his resurrection. For 1000
years grim and ghastly tyrant had
been killing people and dragging them
into his cold palace. He had passion
for human skulls For 40 centuries he
had been unhindered in his work. In
that cold palace there were shelves of
skulls, and pillars of skulls, and affairs
of skulls, and even the chalices at the
table were made of bleached skulls.
To the skeleton of Abel he added the
skeleton Of all the ages. and no one
had disputed his right until one Good
Friday, about s67years ago, us near
as can calculate 1t, a mighty stranger
came to the door Of that awful palace.
rolled back the door, and went in, and
Selling the tyrant threw him to the
pavement and put upon the tyrant's
neck the heel of triumph.
Then the mighty stranger, exploring
all the ghastly furniture Of the place,
and walking through the labyrinths,
and opening the dark cellars Of mys-
terry. and tarrying under roof the
ribs of which were made OF human
bones-tarrying for two nights and q
day, the nights very dark and the day
very dismal, he seized the two chief
pillars Of that awful palace and rocked
them until It began to, fall, and then
laying hold of the ponderous front
gate, hoisted it from its hinges, and
marched forth crying, 81 am the Res
urrectionW That event we celebrate
this Easter morn, Handelian and Bee
thovean miracles Of sound added to
this floral decoration which has set
the place abloom.
There are three or four things which
the world and the church have not mo-
t'ced in regard to the resurrection OF
Christ. First, our Lord in gardeners
attire. Mary Magdalen, grief-struck.
stands by the ritled sarcophagus OF
Christ, and turns around, hoping she
can find the track of the secrilegious
resurrectionist who has despoiled the
grave, and she finds some one In work.
ing apparel come forth as II to water
the flowers, or uproot the weeds from
the garden, or set to reclimbing the
fallen vine-some one IN working APP
parel. his garments perhaps having
the sign OF the dust and the dirt OF
the occupation.
Mary Magdalcn, on her face the rain
of fresh shower of weeping, turns to
this workman, and charges him with
the dissertation OF the tomb, when 10!
the stranger responds, flinging his
whole soul into one word which trem-
bles with all the sweetest rythm Of
earth and Heaven, saying, 'sMaryw
In that popularity of accentuation all
the incognito sell of, and she found
that instead OF tallsing with an hum
BILE gardener OF Asia Minor, she
was talking with Him WHO owns
all the hanging gardens OF Heaven.
CONSULTATIONS the clusters forget
me-nots, the sunflower, the chief OF
all, the morning sky and midnight
aurora, faring terraces OF beauty,
blazing like summer wall with coro-
nation roses and giants OF battle.
Blessed and glorious mistake OF Mary
Magdalen. "She supposing him to be
the gardner" What does that mean9
It means that we have an everyday
Christ for everyday work and
everyday apparel. Not on Sab
bath morning In our most seemly
apparel are we more attractive to
Christ than we are in our everyday
work dress managing our merchandise,
shifting our anvil, blowing our field,
tending the flying shuttles, mending
the garments for our household, pro-
vidinp food for our families, or toiling
with weary pen, or weary pencil, or
weary chiseL A working day Christ
In working day apparel for us IN our
everyday toll Putt into tho highest
strain Of this Easter anthem. sup
posing him TO be the gardener"
If Christ had appeared at daybreak
with a crown upon his head. that
would have seemed to suggest especial
sympathy for monarchs; II Christ had
anneared in chain OF gold and with
robe bediamonded, that would have
seemed to be especial sympathy for
the affiuent; If Christ had appeared
With soldiers sash add sword dangling
at his side, that would have seemed to
imply especial sympathy for warriors;
hut when l find Christ in gardeners
habit with perhaps tho flakes OF earth
and Of the upturned sod upon his gar
ments, then spell it out that he has
hearty and pathetic understanding
with everyday work, and everyday
anxiety, and everyday fatigue
Roll It down in comfort al through
these aisles. A working-day Christ in
working-day apparel Tell It in the
dnrkest corridor of the mountain to
the moor miner. Tell it to the factory
maid In most unventilated establish
ment at Lowell on Lancaster. Tell 1t
To the clearer or toughest new ground
in the western wilderness. Tell 1t TO
the sewing woman, q stitch In the side
for every stitch in the garment, some OF
the cruel employers having no right
tn think that they will get through
the door Of Heaven any more than
thew could through the eye Of broken
needle which had just dropped on tho
fioor from the pricked fingers OF the
consumptive sewingsgirl Away with
1our talk about hypnotic union, and
sotsr;olooy OF the Council OF Trent,
and the metaphysics Of religion which
wnnid freeze practical Christianity out
Of the world; but pass along thus
gardeners coat to all nations tnas tney
may touch OF the hem Of u ana iesi