Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1899-03-10
BOUND IN A PACKAGE
BUNDLES OF LIFE THE SUBJECT OF
DR.. TALMAeE's SERMON.
The Great Preacher Draws Inspira-
tfon From n Homely Phrase-Life,
Spiritual and Physical. IL Divinely
Protected.

Copyright, 1899. by American Press Asso-
ciationl
WASHINGTON, March 5.-Under the
familiar image of bundle DR.. Talmage
shows in this sermon the things which
go to make up mans earthly and heav-
enly life; text, Samuel XIV. 90, 1.-THE
soul Of my Lord shall be bound in the
bundle Of life with the Lord thy God. "
Beautiful Abigail in her rhythmic
plea for the rescue Of her inebriate hus-
band, who died within ten days, ad-
dresses David. the warrior, in the words
of the text She suggests that his life.
physically and intellectually and spirit
ually. is a valuable package or bundle,
divinely bound up and to be divinely
protected
The phrase "bundle of life" I heard
many times in my fathers family pray-
ers Family prayers. you know. have
frequent repetitions because day by
day they acknowledge about the same
blessings and deplore about the same
frailties and sympathize with about
the same misfortunes. and | do not
know why those who lead at household
devotions should seek variety of com
position. That familiar prayer becomes
the household liturgy. Iwould not give
one Of my old fathers prayers for so
elocutionary applications Again and
again. in the morning and evening
prayer, | heard the request that we
might all be bound up in the bundle OF
life. but did not know until few
days ago that the phrase was Bible
phrase
Now. the more l think Of 1t the bet
ter like it. Bundle of lifel 1t is such
a simple and unpretending. yet express
i've comparison. There is nothing like
grandiloquence in the Scriptures
While there are many sublime passages
in Holy Writ. there are more passages
homely and drawing illustrations from
common observation and everyday life
In Christ's great sermons you hear a
hen clucking her chickens together, and
see the photographs of hypocrites with
a sad countenance, and hear OF the grass
Of the field. and the black crows which
our heavenly Father feeds and the salt
that is worthless. and the precious
stones flung under the feet Of swine,
and the shifting sand that let's down
the house with a great crash. and hear
the comparison of the text. the most
unpoetical thing we can think of-a
bundle Ordinarily it is something
tossed about. something thrown under
the table something that suggests gar
rets or something on the shoulder OF a
poor wayfarer. But there are bundles
of great value. bundles put up with
great caution, bundles the loss OF
which means CONSERVATION and despair.
and there have been bundles represent
ing the worth Of q kingdom.
Blessed Bundles.
During the last spell Of cold weather
there were bundles that attracted the
attention and the plaudits of the high
heavens. bundles of clothing on the way
from comfortable homes to the door OF
the mission room, and Christ stood in
the snow banks and said as the bundles
passed NAKED. and ye clothed me.
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one
Of the least of these my brethren, ye
have done it unto me. " Those bundles
are multiplying Blessings on those who
pack them. Blessings on those who dis
tribute them. Blessings on those who
receive them.
With what beautiful aptitude did
Abigail in my text speak Of the bundle
of lifel Oh, what precious bundle IL
ifel Bundle of memories. bundle Of
hopes. bundle Of ambitions, bundle Of
destiniesl Once in awhile man write:
his autobiography, and it is Of thrilling
interest. The story Of his birthplace
the story of his struggles, the story Of
his sufferings, the story Of his triumphs
But if the autobiography Of the most
eventful life were we'll written it would
make many chapters Of adventure, Of
tragedy, of comedy, and there would
not be an uninteresting step from era
die TO grave.
Bundle of memories are you'll Boy
hood memories, with all its injustice'
from playmates, with all its game
with ball and bat and kite and sled
Manhood memories, with all your strug
ples in starting-obstacles, oppositions
accidents. misfortunes. losses, successes
Memories Of the first marriage you eve
SAW solemnized, of the fret grave yo'
ever saw opened, Of the first might,
wrong you ever suffered, Of the frs
victory you ever gained. Memory of tn
hour when you were affianced. menor
of the first advent in your home, meInor
of the roseate cheek faded and OF blu
ewes closed in the last sleep. memory o
anthem and of dirge. memory OF grea
pain and Of slow convalescence. memor
of times when all things were agains
you memory Of prosperities that cam
in like the full tide Of the sea. memo
ries of lifetime. What bundlei
| lift that bundle today and unloos
the cord that binds it. and for a me
ment Won look in and see tears an
smiles and laughter and groans an
mondays and midnights OF experience
and then tie again the bundle wit
heartstrings that have some time vi
brated with JOY and anon been thrun
med by fingers OF woe
Homes and Ambitions.
, Bundle of hopes and ambitions ais
is almost every man and woman, esp'
: cially at the starting What gains B
5 will harvest. or what reputation b
will achieve. or what bliss he wi
reach. OF what love he will win. Whi
p makes college commencement day
>, enhancing to all OF us as we see II
students receive their diplomas and tai
II up the garlands thrown to their feet
They will be Faradays In science; the
will be Tennysons in pOesy they WI
be- Willard Parkers in surgery; the
will be Alexander Hamiltons In nj
d tiopsl finance, they win be Hora,
d Greeleys in editorial chair; they WI
: be Websters in the senate. Or she WI
), = be a Mary Lyon in educational realm
u or Frances Willard on reformatol
= 4 H. s..aI "a