St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-02-04
AS THE YEARS 90 BY
Dr.. Talmage breaches a Sermon
Suitable to New Years.
He Proposes = New Way OF MeasuR-
ing Earthly E4istence-Fr0m
the Text ..How Old Art
ThOu."

mage puts in this discourse, which pro-
pose different mode of measuring
tine from that ordinarily employed:
text, Genesis 41:S: "How old art thou?"
The Egyptian capital was the focus
of the worlds wealth. In ships and
barges there had been brought to il
from India frankincense and cinnamon
and ivory and diamonds; from the
Forth marble and iron: from Syria.
purple and silk: from Greece, some OF
the finest horses of the world and some
OF the most brilliant chariots. and from
all the earth that which could best
please the eve and charm the ear and
crafty the taste. There were temples
afiame with red sandstone, entered by
the gateways that were guarded Ly
pillars bewildering with hieroglyph,cs
ard wound with brazen serpents and
adorned with winged creatures-iheir
eyes and bcaks and pinioEs glittering
With precious stones. There were mhr-
bic columns blooming into white flower
beds. There were stone pillars, at the
top bursting into the shape OF the To-
tus when in full bloom.
Along the avenues. lined with sphinx
and fame and obelisk there were
princes who came in gorgeousiy uphoi-
stored palanquins. carried by servants
in scarlet or elsewhere drawn by We
hicles. the snow white horses. golden
bitted and six abreast. dashing at full
run. On the floors Of mosaic the gio-
rics of Pharaoh were spelled out in let
tiers OF porphyry and beryl and flame.
There were ornaments twisted from
the wood Of tamarisk. embossed with
silver breaking into foam. There were
footstools made out of a single precious
stone. There were beds fashioned out
Of a crouched lion in bronze. There
were chairs spotted with the sleek hides
OF leopards. There were sofas footed
with the claws of wild beasts and
armed with the beaks Of birds. As you
stand on the level beach Of the sea en-
summer day ard look either way.
and there are miles of breakers. white
with the ocean foam. dashing shore
ward, so it seemed 40 il the sea Of the
worlds pomp and wealth in the Egyp-
tan capital for miles and miles flung
itself up into white breakers of marble
temple, mausoleum and obelisk.
1t was to this capital and the palace
Of Pharaoh that Jacob. the plain shep-
herd. came to meet his son Joseph. who
had become prime minister. in the roy
al apartment. Pharaoh and Jacob met.
dignity and rustici,y. the gracefulness
of the court and the plain manners OF
the field. The king, wanting to make
the old countryman ut ease and Sec
ing how white his beard is and how
feeble his step. looks familiarly into
his face and says 10 the aged man:
How old art thou?"
Last night the gate Of eternity opened
to let in, amid the great throng OF DE-
parted centuries, the soul OF the dying
wear. Under the twelfth stroke of the
Lrazen hammer Of the city clock the
ratriarch fell dead. and the stars OF the
eight were the funeral torches 1t j.
most fortunate that on this roa! Of life
there are SO many milestones. on which
we can read just how fast We are goin;,
toward the journeys end. feel thatn
is not an inappropriate question that
ask to-day when look into your faces
md saw, as Pharaoh did TO Jacob. tie
patriarch: "How old art thou?"
People who are truthful on every
other subject lie about their ages. {.
that do not solicit from you any Il
eral response TO the question J hav'
asked. would put no one under temp
tation; but simply want this morning
to see by what rod it is we are neasur-
ing our earthly existence. There is
right way and wrong way OF measnr-
ing our earthly existence. There is .
light way and q wrong way of measur-
ing q door. or a wall. or an area. CT
tower. and so there is right way and
wrong way of measuring our earthly
existence. It is with reference 10 th'a
higher meaning that confront you this
morning with the stupendous question
ef the text, and ask: ''How Gid art
thou?"
There are many who estimate their
life by mere worldly qualification
When Lord Dundas was wished happy
lew year. he said: 1T will have 10 be ::
happier year than the past. fer nadn';
enc happy moment in all the l. months
that have gone" But that has not been
tie experience Of most Of Us. We have
found that though the world is blasted
with sin i. is a very bright and beau,i-
full place to reside in. We have had
joys innumerable. There is no hostility
between the Gospel and the nerrinents
and the festivities of life. / DO not thini;
that we fully enough appreciate the
worldly pleasures God gives US. Wheh
you recount your enjoymeDts, YOU do
not go far enough back. Why do you
rot so back to the time when you wer.
an infant in your mothers arms. look
ing up into the Heaven OF her smile: TO
those days when You filled the house
with the uproar of boisterous merri-
raent; when you shoute d as You pitched
the ball on the playground; when. or
tie cold, sharp winter night. muftied
Up, on skates YOU shot over the r.sound-
ing ice of the pond? Have yon forgot
ten all those good days that the LORI!
gave you? Were you never boy: Were
\ on never a girl? Between those times
and this how many mcrcies the L..rt has
bestowed upon you: How many joys
have breathed UP to you from the flow
crs and snonc down 10 you from the
stars, and chanted to you with the Voice
OF soaring bird and tumbling cascade
and booming sea and thnnders that
with bayonets OF fire charged down the
mountain side. Joy! JOY! Joy! l.
there is anyone who has right TO the
cnjoymen:s Of the world ]: is the Chris
tan, for God has given him lease OF
everything in the promise: All are
yours" But have to tell you that a
ran who estimates his life on earth b..
r:erc worldly qualification isa ncstun-
wise man. Our life is not to be game
IL chess. It is not a Gance in lighted
hall. to quick music. 1t is nottac frot.,
of an ale pitcher. II is not the settings
Of wine cup. II is not a banquet. with
intoxication and FOSTERING. 1t is the
first step on ladder that mounts into
.he skies, or the first step on a road
tia. plungcs into horrible abyss.
4 LA