The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1898-06-03

ciationl
WASHINGTON, May 30. From scene
|@a@old DIR. Talmage in this sermon pre-
sents the old gospel under another
phase; text, Leviticus xiv, 81; And
the priest 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 Nv
ing bird in the blood Of the bird that
was killed over the running water ana
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
people is a great slaughter house streWn
with the blood and bones and horns ana
hoofs of butchered animals 1t otfends
their sight; it disgusts their taste; 1t
actually nauseates the stomach But 10
the intelligent Christian the Old Iesta-
ment is a magnificent 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 nearer, we can descry the TEA
lures But when at last he steps upon
the platform of the New Testament,
amid the torches of evangellsts ana
anostles. the orchestras of heaven an
nounce him with blast of minstrelsy
that wakes up Bethlehem at midnight.
There were a great many cages OF
birds brought down to Jerusalem for
neutrality-suspicious. pigeons and turtle
doves. | can hear them now, whlstl1ng,
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 Kill
ed. Another bird was then taken, tled
TO a hvssop 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 GQ6 ySSOp DluLACI IIlI't ~ "ONAoN o
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
A. Gagged bird. In the down of its breast
Won can see the glow of southern chimes.
In the sparkle of its eye you can see the
fash of distant seas. In its voice you
can hear the song it learned in the wild
wood It is child of the sky in capitiv-
ity. Now the dead bird OF my text, cap,
tured from the air, suggests the Lore
Jesus, who came down from the realms
of light and glory. He once stood III the
sunlight of heaven. He was the taYorlte
of the land He was the Kings Son.
Whenever a victory was gained or
throne set up, he was the first to heal
il. He could not walk incognlto along
the streets, for all heaven knew him
For eternal ages he had dwelt amid thu
mighty populations of heaven. No hoH
day had ever dawned on the city whel
he was absent. He was not like an earth
" prince, occasionally issuing from
palace heralded by troop OF clanklnI
horse guards. No. He was greeted ev
ervwhere as a brother, and all heavel
was perfectly at home with him.
The Kings Son.
But one day there came word to tn
palace that an insignificant island wa
in rebellion and was cutting itself t
pieces with anarchy. l hear an ange
say: LET it perish. The Kings realr
is vast enough without the island. III
tributes to the King are large enoug
without that. We can spare it. " INC
so /" said the Prince, the Kings Son
and see him push out one day unde
the protest of a great company. he starr
straight for the rebellious island
lands amid the excavations OF the IL
habitants that grow in violence unit
the malice of earth has smltten him an
the spirits of the lost world put thel
black wings over his dying head an
shut the sun out. The hawks and w
tures swooped upon this dove of the te2
until head and breast and feet IA
blood until under the f1ocks and heal
of darkness the poor thing persisted. n
wonder it was a bird that was taken an
slain over an earthen vessel OF runnln
water. 1t was child Of the skies.
typified him who came down from hea'
en- in agony and blood to save our soul
Blessed be his glorious name forever
notice also in my text that the BIZ
that was slain was clean bird. II
text demanded that it should be. III
raven was never sacrificed, nor the co
morant, nor the vulture. 1t must be
clean bird, says the text, and 1t sugges
the pure Jesus-the holy Jesus. A
though he spent his boyhood in Il
worst village on earth, although bla
phemies were poured into his e
enough to have poisoned ahy one els
he stands before the world a perte
Christ. Herod was cruel, Henry vi
was unclean, William III was treac
erous, but point out fault OF our Kin
Answer me, ye boys who knew him
the streets of Nazareth Answer me,
miscreants who saw him diel The ske
tical tailors have tried for l,oOO yea
10 find out one hole in this seamle
garment, but they have not found
The most ingenious and eloquent ln1lo
Of this dav in the last line of his boo