The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-11-30
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
caleb's Wedding Present to His
Daughter His Subject.
AN OLD STORY RETOLD.
Draws inspiration from Table OF
Springs of Water. Wealth
Without Religion Worth
less. Gods Gift.


cusses the supernal advantages Of re-
iigion for this world and the next: text.
Joshua, XIV, 10: Thou hast given me
south land; give me also springs Of
water. And he gave her the upper and
the neither springs
The city Of Debir was the Boston of
antiquity-a great place for brain and
books. Caleb wanted it, and he Of
fered his daughter Achsah as a prize to
any one who would capture that city.
It was strange thing for Caleb to do,
and yet the man that could take the
city would have, at any rate, two ele-
ments of mauhood-brayery and pa
triotism. Besides, do not think that
Caleb was as foolish in offering his
daughter to the conqueror Of Deblr as
thousands in this day seek alliances Tor
their children with those who have
large means without any reference to
moral or mental requirements: vi two
evils would rather measure happiness
by the length of the sword than by the
length of the pocketbook. In one case
there is sure to be one good element OF
character; in the other there may be
none at all. With Caleb's daughter as
q prize to fight for General Othniel
rode into the battle. The gates Of De-
bir were thundered into the dust, and
the city Of books lay at the feet Of the
coz uerors. The work done, Othniel
GENES back to claim his bride. Having
conquered the city, it is no great job
for him to conqueror the girls heart,
for, however. faint hearted woman
herself may be, she always loves cour-
age in man. I never saw an excep-
ton in that.
The wedding festivity having gone
by. Othniel and Achsah are about to
go to their new home. However loudly
the cymbals may clash and the laughter
ring, parents are always sad when
fondly cherished daughter goes of to
stay, and Achsah, the daughter OF Ca
leb. knows that now is the time to ask
almost anything she wants of her fs n
er. It seems that Caleb, the gooo old
man, had given as wedding present to
his daughter piece Of land that was
mountainous and slopsng southwark to-
ward the deserts of Arabia, swept with
some very hot winds. 1t was called a
''south land" but Achsah wants an ad-
dition of property. She wants piece
Of land that is well watered and fertile.
Now, it is no wonder that Caleb, stand
ing amid the bridal party, his eyes SO
full Of tears because she was going
away that he could hardly see her at
all, gives her more than she asks. She
said to MIN: ''Thou hast given me a
south land. Give me also springs OF
water. And he gave her the upper
springs and the neither springs.
The fact is, that as Caleb, the father,
gave Achsah, the daughter, south
land, so God gives US his world. l am
very thankful he has given it to US, but
I am like Achsah in the fact that am
not satisfied with the portion. Trees
and flowers and grass and blue skies
are very we'll in their places, but ne
who has nothing but this world for a
portion has no portion at all. 1t IS a
mountainous land, sloping off toward
the desert Of sorrow, swept by hery
sirocess. It is "a south land, por-
tion for any man that tries to put his
trust in it. What has been your expe-
rience? What has been the experience
of every man, Of every woman that has
tried this world for portion? Queen
Elizabeth, amid the surroundings OF
pomp, is unhappy because the painter
sketches too minutely the wrinkles on
her face, and she Indignantly cries out,
"You must strike of my likeness with
.ou. any shadows Hogarth, at the
.ery height of his artistic triumph, IS
stune almost to death with chagrin be-
cause she painting he had dedicated to
the king does not seem to be accept
able, for George II cries out: WHO is
this Hogsrth? Take his trumpery out
Of my prssence"
Brinsley Sheridan thrilled the earth
With ais eloquence, but had for his last
words, ''I am absolutely undone. "
Walter Scott, fumbling around the ink
S13nC, lIyLaS " WIG, S@SS w ~
daughter: ''Oh, take me back to my
room! There is no rest for Sir Walter
but in the gravel Stephen Girard,
the Eealthiest man in his day or, at any
rate, only second in wealth, says: !
live the life Of galley slave. When l
arise in the morning, my one effort is to
work so hard that can sleep when it
gets to be night" Charles Lamb, ap-
plauded of all the world, in the very
midst of his literary triumph says:
''Do you remember, Bridget, when We
used to laugh from the shilling gallery at
the play? There are now no good plays
to laugh at from the boxes. But why
20 50 far as that? I need to 60 no
farther than your street to find an illus
tration of what am saying.
Pick me out ten successful world
lings-aDd you know what mean by
thoroughly successful worldlings-pick
me out ten successful worldlings, and
you cannot 6nd more than one that
looks happy. Care drags him to busi-
ness; care drags him back. Take your
stand at 2 o'clock at the corner Of the
streets and see the agonized physiog-
Monies. Your high officials, your
bankers, your insurance men, your i'm
porters, your wholesalers and your re-
tailers, as class-as class, are they
happy? No. Care dogs their steps,
and, making no appeal to God for help
or comfort, many of them are tossed
everywhither. How it been with you,
nv hearer? Are you more contented
in the house of Il rooms than you were
in the two rooms you had in house
when you started? Have you not had
more care and worriment since you won
that $4,000 than you did before?
Some eff the poorest men [ had ever
known have been those Of great fortune.