The Yale expositor., 1899-04-21
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
MASSACRE OF THE INNO-
CENTS" SUNDAYS SUBJECT.
-My Father, IL Thou Hast Opened Thy
Mouth Unto the Lord, DO to Me Ac-
cording to That Which Hath Proceed
ed Out Of Thy Mouth"-Judges, 1Ii3e.

ought to have been cared for, he con-
sorted with rough men and went forth
TO earn his living as best he could. In
those times it was considered right
for a man to go out on independent
military expeditions. Jephthah was a
good man according to the light of
his dark age, but through a wandering
and predatory life he became reckless
and precipitate. The grace OF God
changes mans heart, but never re-
verses his natural temperament The
Israelites wanted the Ammonites
driven out of their country. so they
sent a delegation to Jephthah, asking
him to become commandeT-in-chie of
all the forces. He might have said,
You drove me out when you had no
use for me, and now you are in trouble
you want me back" but he did not
say that. He takes command of the
army, sends messengers to the AM
monites to tell them to vacate the
country, and, getting no favorable re-
spouse, marshals his troops for bat
tie.
Before going to the war Jephthah
makes a very solemn vow, that if the
Lord will give him victory, then, on
his return home, whatsoever first
comes out of his doorway he will Of
fer in sacrifice as a burnt Offering.
The battle opens. 1t was no skir-
mishing on the edges of danger, no
Numbering OF batteries two miles
away, but the hurting of men on the
point OF swords and spears until the
ground could no more drink the
blood, and the horses reared to leap
over the pile of bodies of the slain.
In those old times opposing forces
would fight until their swords were
broken; then each one would throt-
tie his man until they both FELL teeth
to teeth, grip to grip, death-stare to
death-stare, until the plain was one
tumbled mass of corpses from which
the last trace OF manhood had been
dashed out.
Jephthah wins the day. Twenty
cities lay captured at his feet. Sound
the victory all through the mountains
of Gilead. Let the trumpeters call up
the survivors. Homeward to your
wives and children. Homeward with
your glittering treasures. Homeward
to have the applause OF an admiring
nation. Build triumphal arches
Swing out flags all over Mizpeh. Open
all your doors to receive the captured
treasures. Through every hall spread
the banquet. Pile up the viands. Fill
high the tankards. The nation is re-
deemed, the invaders are routed, and
the national honor is indicated.
Huzza for Jephthah, the conqueror.
Jephthah, seated on a prancing steed
advances amid the acclaiming multi
tudes. but his eye is not on the excit-
ed populace. Remembering that he
ing from victorious battle, whatsoever
first came out of the doorway of his
home. that should be sacrificed as
burnt Offering he has his anxious look
upon the door. l wonder what spot
less lamb what brace Of doves will
be thrown upon the fires of the burnt
offering.
Oh, horrors! Paleness of death
blanches his cheek. Despair selzes his
heart. His daughter. his only child,
rushes out to throw herself in her
fathers arms and shower upon him
more kisses than there were wounds
on his breast or dents in his shield.
All the triumphal spendors vanish.
Holding back this child from his heav-
ing breast, and pushing the locks back
from the fair brow, and looking into
the eyes of inextinguishable affection,
with choked utterance he says Would
God l lay stark on the bloody plain!
My daughter, my only child, JOY of my
home, life of my life, thou art the
sacrificed"
The whole matter was explained to
her. This was no whining, hollow
hearted girl into whose eyes the father
looked. All the glory of sword and
shield vanished in the presence of the
valor of that girl. There may have
been tremor on the lip, as a rose leaf
trembles in the sough of the south
wind; there may have been the start
ing of tear like drop of rain shaken
from the anther of water lily; but
with self-sacrifice that man may
not reach, and only woman's heart can
compass, she surrenders herself to fire
and to death. She cries out in the
words of my text: my father, if
thou hast opened thy mouth unto the
Lord, do unto me whatsoever hath
proceeded from thy mouth"
She bows to the knife, and the blood.
which so often at the fathers voice
had rushed to the crimson cheek.
smokes in the fires of the burnt Of
fering. No one can tell us her name
There is no need that we know her
name. The garlands that Mizpeh twist
ed for Jephthah the warrior have gone
into the dust; but all ages are twisting
this girls chaplet. 1t is we'll that her
name came not to us. for no one can
wear It. They may take the name of
Deborah. or Abigail, or Miriam, but
no one in all the ages shall have the
title of this daughter OF sacrifice
OF course this offering was not
pleasing to the Lord. especially as a
nrovision was made I'm the law for