Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1898-06-01
DIR. IALMAGE'S SERMON.
Bird Used to Cure the Leper as Re-
corded in the Old Testament.
>ynbolic OF TN. Souls Flight TO Its Home
Above-Cleansed and Prepared the
Soul May Soar Upward a. Did
the Turtle Dove.

xiv, 81:
And the priest shall command that
one OF the birds be killed in an earth
en- vessel. over running water. As for
the living bird, he shall take it. ana
the cedar wood. and the scarlet, and
the hyssOp. and shall dip them and the
living bird IN the blood OF the bird
that was killed over the running water:
ana he shall sprinkle upon him that is
10 be eleaSed from the leproSv seven
times and shall pronounce him clean
and shall let the living bird loose into
the omen field.
The Old Testament, TO very many
people, is a great slaughter house
strewn with the blood. and bones. and
horns, and hoofs of butchered ami
mails. II offends their sight; il dis
gusts their taste; il actually nauseates
the stomach. But to the intelligent
Christian the Old Testament is a mag
nitcent corridor through which Jesus
advances. As He appears At the other
end of the corridor we can only see the
outlines OF His character; coming near
er we can descry His features But
when, al last, He steps upon the plat
form OF the New Testament. amid the
torches Of evanEelists and APOSTLES.
the orchestras of Heaven announce
Him with blast of minstrelsv that
wakes up Bethlehem NJ midnight.
There We're n great many cages OF
birus brought down 10 Jesusalem for
saerifice-sparrows, and pigeons, and
turtle doves. l can hear them now.
whistling. carolng and singing all
around about the temple. When n
lePer was 10 be cured of his lcprosv. in
order TO his cleansing two of these
birds were taken; one OF them was
slain over an eaytheu vessel ot run
ming water-that is clear. fresh water.
and then the bird was killed Another
bird was then taken. tied TO a hysSoD
branch and plunged by the priest into
the blood of the first bird; ana then
with this hyssop branch. bird-tiuped.
the priest would sprinkle the leper
seven times, then unite the bird from
the hyssop branch and il would no
soaring into the heavens.
Now. open your eyes wide my dear
brethren and sisters and see that the
hrst bird meant Jesus, and that The
second bird means your own soul
There i nothing more suggestive
than Gagged bird. In the down OF its
breast you can see the glow OF south
ern chimes; in the sparkle of its eve
yoa can see the flash OF distant seas:
in its voice you can hear the song il
learned in the wildwood II is n
child OF the sky in captivity.
Nov the dear bird OF NV text.
captured from the air. suggests the
Lord Jesus. who came down from the
realms OF light and glory. He once
stood in the sunlight OF Heaven. He
was the favorite OF the land He was
the kings son. Whenever victory
WAS gained or a throne set up. he was
the first 20 hear il. He could not walk
incOynito along the streets. for all
Heaven knew him. For eternal ages
be had dwelt amid the mighty popula-
tipns Of Heaven. No holiday had ever
a7Tned on the city when he was a D.
cent He was not like an earthly
prince. occasionally issuing from a
palace heralded by troop OF clanking
borse-guards. No; he was greeted
everywhere as brother. and all Heav-
en- was perfectly at home with him.
But one day there came word TO the
palace that an insignificant island
20
itself 10 pieces with anarchy. hear
an angel say: Let il perish The
Kings realm is vast enough without
the island. The tributes 20 the king
are large enough without that We c1n
spare Not so, said the Prince. the
Kings son; and l see Him push out
one day. under the protest OF great
company. He starts straight for the
rebel.iOus island. He lands amid
abe excavations of its inhabitants.
that grow in violence until the
uslicc OF earth had smitten Him. and
thc spirits Of the lost world put their
back wings over His dying head and
smut the sun out The hawks and vul-
fuFes svo1ped upon this dove Of my
text until head, and brea-t. and feet
ran 0looa-until. under the flock, aud
fcsks Of darkness, the poor thing per
tshed. No wonder 10 was bird that
was taken and slain over an earthen
vessel or running water. % was "a
enid OF the skies. L. typifcd Him
who came down from Heaven i'm az
O1y and blood 90 save our souls.
biessed uo His glorious name forever.
notice also ia my text. that thc
bira that was slain was q clean bird
1ne text demanded that 10 should b..
Tie raven was never sacrificed. nor
Toe corm0raut nor the u.ture 10
must b. clean bird. say. th. text.
End it suggest. the pure Jesus the
holy Jesus Although TIE spent Ills
boz hood .n.the worst yi. age ou earth.
although hl4sphem were poured in.
~ Ills car enough o. have noisonel