The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1898-12-30
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE BABES ESCAPE" LAST
SUNDAYS SUBJECT.
From Matthew. Chapter IL, Verse IS. as
Follows; 'Herod WIN Seek the Young
Child to Destroy HIm"-Cradle of the
Redeemer.

dies of other princes. 1t had no can
opy, for it was not to be lowered over
by anything so exquisite. 1t had no
embroidered pillow, for the young
head was not to have such luxurious
comfort. Though a meteor-ordinar-
| lily the most erratic and seemingly
ungovernabIe of all skyey appearances
had been sent 10 designate the place
where that cradle stood, and choir
had been sent from the heavenly tenn
pie to serenade its illustrious occupant
with an epic, yet that cradle was the
target for all earthly and diabolical
hostilities. Indeed, / give you as my
opinion that 1t was the narrowest and
most wonderful escape OF the ages that
the child was not slain before he had
taken his first step or spoken his first
word. Herod could not afford to have
him born. The Caesars could not af-
ford to have him born. The gigantic
expressions and denominations Of the
world could not afford to have him
born. Was there ever planned more
systematized or appalling lombard
iLANhl III al TIC WI lh NildL NAAO 49,
bardment Of that cradle?
The Herod who led the attack was
Treachery. Vengeance and Sensuality
impersonated. AS a sort OF pastime
he slew Hyrcanus, the grandfather OF
his wife. Then he slew Marianne, his
wife. Then he butchered her two
sons, Alexander and Aristobulus.
Then he slew Antipater his oldest son.
Then he ordered burned alive forty
people who had pulled down the eagle
OF his authority. He ordered the no
bles who had attended upon his dying
bed to be slain, so that there might be
universal mourning after his decease.
From that same deathbed he ordered
the slaughter OF all the children in
Bethlehem under two years of age,
feeling sure that, II he mastered the
entire infantile population, that would
include the destruction OF the child
whose birthplace astronomy had
pointed out with its finger OF light.
What were the slaughtered babes TO
him, and as many frenZied and bereft
mothers? II he had been we'll enough
to leave his bed. he would have en-
joyed seeing the mothers wildly strug-
Cling to keep their babes, and holding
them so tightly that they could not be
separated until the sword took both
lives at one stroke, and others, mother
and child, hurled from roofs OF houses
into the street, until that village OF
horseshoe shape on the hillside be-
came one great butcher-shop. To have
such n man, with associates Just as
cruel, and an army at his command.
attempting the life of the infant Jesus,
does there seem any chance for his
escape? Then that flight southwark
for so many miles. across deserts and
amid bandits and wild beasts (my
friend, the late missionary and scien-
list, DR.. Lansing, who took the same
Journey, said 1t was enough to kill
both the Madonna and the child), and
poor residence in Cairo, Egypt. You
know how difficult it is to take an Or
binary child successfully through the
disorders that are sure to assail it even
in comfortable homes and with all
LululDll lSS, anu NhCH lulIh VI
the exposure Of that famous babe in
villages and lands where all sanitary
laws were put at defiance, his first
hours On earth spent in room with
out any doors, and ofttimes swept by
chilled night winds; then afterward
riding many days under hot tropical
sun, and part Of many nights, lest the
avenger overtake the fugitive before
he could be hidden in another land!
The Sanhedrim also we're affronted
at the report Of this mysterious arrival
of child that might upset all conven-
tionalities and threaten the throne OF
the nation. Shut the door, and bolt
It, and double-bar 1t against him,
cried all political and ecclesiastical
power Christ On a retreat when only
few days Of age. with all the priva-
tons and hardships and sufferings of
retreat! When the glad news came
that Herod was dead, and the Madon-
ma was packing up and taking her
child home. bad news also came, that
Archelaus, the son, had taken the
throne-another crowned infamy.
What chance for the babes life? Will
not some short grave hold the won
drous Infart?"
put him to DEATH" was the order
all up and down Palestine, and all up
and down the desert between Bethle-
hem and Cairo. The cry was, Here
comes an iconoclast Of all established
orderl Here comes an aspirant for
the crown of Augustusl II found on
the streets of Bethlehem. dash him
to death on the pavement! II found
on hill, hurl him down the rocks!
Away with himl" But the Babe got
home in safety, and passed up from
infancy to youth, and from youth to
manhood, and from carpenter-shop to
Messiahship, and from Messiahship to
Enthronement, until the mightiest
name on earth Is Jesus, and there is
no mightier name In heaven.
Can you imagine what scarifcation
Of the worlds literature would be the
removal of all Christ ever did and
said? 1t would tear down the most
| important shelves of wonder Congress