The Progress., 1898-06-04
'CLEANSED IN BLOOD.
OR. TAlMAGE ILLUSTRATED AN OLD
TESTAMENT SCENE.
Sins That Only Blood Can Remove-Glori-
I Gus Freedom of q Purified Soul What
We Are Taught by the Birds of An
Client Sacrifice.


Client Sacrifice.
Copyright. 1898. by American Press Asso-
ciation.]
! WASHINGTON, May 29-From a scene of
old DIR. Talmage in this sermon presents
the old gospel under another phase; text,
Ieviticus xiv, 81: "And the priests shall
command that one of the birds be killed
in an earthen vessel, over running water
AS for the living bird, he shall take it,
and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and
the hyssop and shall dip them and the liv-
ing bird in the blood of the bird that was
killed over the running water, and he
shall sprinkle upon him that is to be
cleansed from the leproSy seven times and
shall pronounce him clean and shall let
the living bird loose into the open field -
The Old Testament to very many Deo-
pie Is n great slaughter house strewn with
the blood and bones and horns and hoofs
or butchered animals. 1t offends their
sight; 1t disgusts their taste; it actually
nauseates the stomach. But to the intel
Ngent Christian the Old Testament is a
magnificent corridor through which Jesus
advances. AS he appears at the other end
OF the corridor we can only see the out
lines of his character. Coming nearer we
can descry the features But when at last
he steps upon the platform of the New
Testament, amid the torches Of evangelists
and apostles, the orchestras of heaven an
nounce him with blast of minstrelsy that
wakes up Bethlehem at midnight.
There were great many cages Of birds |
brought down to Jerusalem for sacrifice
sparrows and pigeons and turtledoves l |
can hear them now, whistling, caroling |
and singing all around about the temple. |
When leper was to be cured Of his leprosy, |
IN order to his cleansing two of these birds
were taken. One Of them was slain over
an earthen vessel of running water-that
Is, clear, fresh water-and then the bird
was killed. Another bird was then taken.
lieu TO hysSop branch and plunged by
the priest into the blood Of the first bird,
and then with this hyssop branch bird
tipped, the priest would sprinkle the leper
seven times, then unite the bird from the
hyssop branch, and it would go soaring
Into the heavens
Now open your eyes wide, my dear
brethren and sisters, and see that that first
bird meant Jesus and that the second
bird means your own soul.
There Is nothing more suggestive than
q Gagged bird. In the down of its breast
you can see the glow Of southern climes
In the sparkle of its eye you can see the
Hash OF distant seas In its voice YOU can
hear the song it learned in the wildwood.
IL Is child OF the sky In captivity. Now
the dead bird of my 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.
be was the favorite Of the land He was
the Kings Son. Whenever a victory was
gained or throne set up he was the first
TO hear It, He could not walk incognito
along the streets, for all heaven knew him
For eternal ages he had dwelt amid the
mighty populations Of heaven. No holt
day had ever dawned on the city when he
was absent. He was not like an earthly
prince, occasionally issuing from a palace
heralded by a troop of clanking horse
guards No; he was greeted everywhere
as brother, and all heaven was perfectly |
ut home with him.
But one day there came word to the pal
sce that an insignificant island was in re-
oellion and was cutting itself to pieces I
With anarchy. l hear an angel say: "Let
t perish. The Kings realm is vast enough
Without the island. The tributes to the
King are largo enough without that. We
an spare 1t. - "Not SO, - said the Prince,
he Kings Son, and see him push out
ne day under the protest of great COM b
'any. He starts straight for the rebellious a