Connecticut western news., 1899-03-09
BOUND IN A PACKAGE
BUNDLES OF LIFE THE SUBJECT OF OR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.

D0NOIE0 VT LITE TIE OO6JECl UT
 DR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
 The Great Preacher Draws Inspira-
 tten From . Home1y Phraae-Lffe,
 Protected.
 [Copyright, 1899. by American Press Asso-
 ciation.l
 WASHINGTON, March 6.-Under the familiar image of a bundle Dr. Talmage shows in this sermon the things which go to make up mans earthly and heav- enly life: text. Samuel XIV, go, "The soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God. 7
 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 valuable package or bundle divinely bound up and to be divinely protected
 The phrase "bundle of life" 1 heard many times in my fathers family pray era Family prayers, you know. have frequent repetitions, because day by day they acknowledge about the same 6lSssings and deplore about the same irAilties and sympathize with about the same misfortunes. and I do not 'Enow why those who lead at household devotions should seek variety of com petition. That familiar prayer becomes the household liturgy. Iwould not give one of my old fathers prayers for 50 slocutionary applications. Again and again. in the morning and evening prayer, heard the request that we might.an be bound up in the bundle of life. but I did not know until a few days ago that the phrase was Bible phfnsa
 Now. the more l think of it the bet sm I like it. Bundle of lifel It is such . simple and unpretending, yet express i've comparison. There is nothing like gr1ndiloquence in the Scriptures. While there are many sublime passages insHoly Writ, there are more passages homely and drawing illustrations from cornmon ohsegvation and everyday life In Christ's great sermons you hear hen clucking her chickens together, and see,the photographs of hypocrites with nd countenance, and hear of the grass of the field. and the black crows. which oprSheavenly Father feeds, and the salt that b worthless and the precious strnes flung under the feet of swine and 9hs shifting sand that let's down kh> house with great crash. and hear the comparison of the text the most uDpoetical thing we can think of-a bundle Ordinarily it is something tosssd about something thrown under tho table. something that suggests gar rsts CT something on the shoulder of a poor wayfarer But there are bundles of great value. bundles put up with gpsAt caution. bundles the loss of which means cousternation and despair, and there have been bundles represent ing the worth of kingdom.
 D1ssseA 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 erom comfortable homes to the door of ths. mission room, and Christ stood in
 
 passed: "Naked, and ye clothed me. Inamuch 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 hfei Oh. what precious bundle is hfei Bundle of memories bundle of hopes bundle of ambitions. bundle of destiniesi Once in awhile man writes his autobiography, and it is of thrilling interest The story of his birthplace, the story of his struggles, the story of his su6erings. the story of his triumphsl But if the autobiography of the most sventful life were well written it would mako many chapters of adventure, of Hseedy. of comedy. and there would not be an uninteresting step from era de to grave.
 Bundle of memories are youl Boy hood memories. with all it's injustices from playmates. with all its games with ball and bat and kite and sled Manhood memories. with all your strug ylSs in starting-obstacles, oppositions. accidents, misfortunes, losses, successes Memories of the first marriage you ever saw solemnized. of the first grave you over saw opened, of the first mighty wrong you ever suffered. of the first victory you ever gained. Memory of the hour when you were ahianced. memory 2th6 ffst advent in your home, memory of the roseate cheek faded and of blue syes closed in the last sleep, memory of anthem and of dirge, memory of great pain and of slow convalescence, memory of times when all things were against you, memory of prosperities that came In like the full tide of the sea, memo ries of . lifetime What bundlei
 lift that bundle today and unloose the cord that binds it, and for mo- ment you look in and see tears and smiles and laughter and groans and noopdays and midnights of experience, and then tie again the bundle with heartstrings that have some time vii brased with joy and anon been thrum- med by fingers of woe
 < Hopes ana Ambitions.
 Bundle of hopes and ambitions also Is almost every man and woman, espe- cially at the starting What gains he will harvest. or what reputation he will achieve. or what bliss he will reach, or what love he will win. What makes college commencement day so sntrancing to all of us as we see the students receive their diplomas and take up the garlands thrown to their feet3 They will be Faradays in science; they win be Tennysons in poesy; they will be Willard Parkers in surgery; they will be Alexander Hamiltons in na- ional finance; they will be Horace Greeleys in editorial chair; they will be Wsbsters in the senate Or she will be Mary Lyon in educational realms, Ero~coc W;I1orI nx, roforxocko~y