Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-06-04

less Dove Two B!rds of Ancient Jeru
salem.
copyright. ...oS. by American Press Asso-
cat,on.l
WASHINGTON, May 29.-Froma scene
! Of old DR.. Talmagc in this sermon pre-
! scnts the old gospel under another
phase text, Lcviticus xiv, 81: And
the priest Shall command that ono
Of tho birds be killed i'll an earther
! 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 liy.
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 tho living bird loose into the open
field. "
The Old Testament to very many
people is great slaughter house strewn
with the blood and bones and horns and
hoofs of butchercd animals. 1t offends
their sight; it disgusts their taste; ii
actually nauseates the stomach. But to
the Intelligent Christian the Old Tesla
mcnt is magnificent corridor through
which Jesus advances. As hoappears at
the other end of the corridor we can
only see the outlines of his character
coming nearer, we can dcscry the fea-
lures. But when at last he steps upon
the platform of the New Testament,
amid the torches of evangclists and
apostles, the orchcstras of heaven an
nounce him withza blast of minstrelsy
that wakes up Bethlehem at midnight.
There were great many cages OF
4 birds brought down TO Jerusalem for
sacriiice-sparrows, pigeons and turtle
doves. can hear them now, whistling,
c;.roling and singing all around about
the temple. When a leper was TO be
cured of his leprosy, in order to his
cleansing two Of these birds were taken
Hone of them was slain over an earthcn
vessel Of running water-that is, clear,
! fresh water-and then the bird was kill
ed Another bird was then taken, tied
60 hyssop branch and plunged by the
priest into the blood of the first bird
and then, with this hyssop branch, bird
Tipped, tho priest would sprinkle the
!cpcr seven times, then unite the bird
from the hyssop branch and itwould 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 Sec
ond bird means your own soul.
There is nothing more suggestive than
Gagged bird In the down of its breast
you can see the glow of southern climes
In tho sparkle of its eye you can see the
flash of distant seas In its voice you
can hear the song it learned in the wild
wood. 1t is child of the sky in capitiv-
Iity Now the dead bird of my text, cap
tured 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. Hc was the favorite
of the land He was the Kings Son
Whenever a victory was gained or a
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 earth
" prince, occasionally issuing from a
palace heraded by troop OF clanking
horse guards. No. He was greeted ev-
erywhere as brother, and all heaven
was perfectly at home with him.
The Kings Son.
But one day there came word to the
palace that an insignificant island was
in rebellion and was cutting itself to
pieces with anarchy. hear an angel
say: ''Let it perish The Kings realm
is vast enough without the island. The
tributes to the King are large enough
without that. We can spare it. " mot
So" said the Prince, the Kings Son,
and | see him push out one day under
The protest Of great company He starts
straight for the rebellious island. He
lands amid the excavations of the in-
I habitants that grow in violence until
the malice Of earth has smitten him and
the spirits of the lost world put their
black wings over his dying head and
shnt the sun out The hawks and yul-
lures swooped upon this dove of the text
until head and breast and feet ran
blood, until under the flocks and beaks
| of darkness the poor thing persisted. No
wonder il was bird that was taken and
slain over an esrthan vessel of running
water. It was Il child of the skies. 1t
tvpified him who came down from heav-
en- in agony and blood to save our souls.
Blessed be his glorious name forever!
notice also III my text that the bird
that was slain was clean bird. The
text demanded that it should be. The
raven was never sacrificed, ror the cor
nlorant, nor the vulrure. 1t must be
clean bird, says the text, and it suggests
the pure .Iesus-thc holy Jesus. AL
though he spent his boyhood III the
worst village on earth, although BIAS
phenies were poured into his ea1
enough to have poisoned any one else,
he stands before the world perfect
Christ. Herod was cruel, Henry VII
was unclean, William III was treach-
erous, but point out fanIt of our King
Answer me, ye boys who knew him on
the streets of Nazareth Answer me, ye
miscreants who saw him die! The skep
tical tailors have uried for 1, 500 year:
to find out one hole in this seamless
garment, but they have not found it.
The most ingenious and eloquent infide-
of this day, in the last line of his book,
all of which denounces Christ, says
"All ages must proclaim that among
the sons of men there is none greater
than Jesus" So let this bird of the text
be clean-its feet fragrant with the dew
that it pressed, its beak carrying spriE
of thyme and frankincense, its feathers
washed in summer showers 0 thor
Spotless Son of God, impress us witt
Thy innocencei
unou lovely source of true delight,
Whom l, unseen, adore,
Unveil thy beauties to my sight.
That may love thee more.
None to Eelp.
remark also in regard to this hrs
hat 1