The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-03-17
DR.TALMAGE's SERMON
The Eminent Divine's Sunday
Discourse.
Subject: "Bundlos Of Ldfs"--InspIra&ioi
Drawn From Hotnely Phrasc-Life
Spiritual and Physical, II Divinely PRO
tected-Bundles which Are blessings.

tected-Bundles which Are Blessings.
TEXT: "The soul OF my Lord shall be
bound in the bundle of life with the Lord
thy God ."--I Samuel XIV, 20.
Beautiful Abigail, In her rhythmic plea
for the rescue OF her inebriate husband,
who died within ten days, addresses David,
the warrior, in the words of the text. She
suggests that his life, physically and in
tellectually and spiritually, is u valuable
package or bundle. divinely bound up and
The phrase "bundle of life" heard many
times In my fathers family prayers. Fam
lily prayers you know, have frequent repeti-
eSss abos ss aas Sy ay they s
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 compost
tiop. That familiar prayer becomes the
household liturgy. would not give one
OF my old fathers prayers for fifty elocu-
,tionary supplications. Again and again,
] In the morning and evening prayer. I heard
the request ekat we might all be bound up
In the bundle OF life, but did not know
until few days ago that the phrase was n
Bible phrase.
During the last spell OF cold weather
! there were bundles that attracted the at
tention and the plaudits OF the high heav-
ems, buudles OF clothing on the way from
,ns,or comfortable homes u to the door Of the
spowbanks and said as the bundles passed.:
'Naked, and ye clothed me. Inasmuch as .
ye have done It unto one of the least OF
unto meb Those bundles are mnitibly-
ing. Blessings on those who pack them.
blessings on those who distribute 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 is lifel Bundle OF
memories, bundle OF hopes, bundle OF
ambitions. bundle OF destinlesl Once in
n VIZ IN mn rr~tkD l,f Iolg
and 1t is OF thrilling interest. The story OF
his birthplace, the story of his struggles,
the story of his sufrerings, the story OF his
triumphsl But II the autobiography OF the
most eventful life were we'll written 1t
would make many chapters OF adventure,
OF tragedy, OF comedy, and there would
not be an uninteresting step from cradle
to grave.
Bundle OF memories are youl Boyhood
memories, with all Its injustices from play
mates, with all it's game with ball and bat
and Kite and sled. Manhood memories,
with all your struggles in startinY-ob-
stacles, opposition, accidents, misfortunes
losses, successes. Memories OF the first
marriage you ever saw solemnized, OF the
nrst grave you ever saw opened, OF the
fret mighty wrong YOU ever suffered, OF
the first victory you ever gained. Memory
tf the hour when you were affianced, MEM
ory OF the first advent in your home, men,
ory OF rossate cheek faded and of blue
eyes 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 properties that came in like
time. What bundle! .
Bundle OF hopes and ambitions also is al
most every man and woman, especially at
the starting. What gains he VII! harvest,
or what reputation he will achieve, or
what bliss he will reach. or what love he
will win. What makes college commence
meDt day so enhancing to all OF us as we
see the sadents receive their diplomas and
= take pp the garlands thrown to their feet3
They will be Faradays In science; they will
be Tennysons in poesy; they will be Willard
Parkers In surgery; they will be Alexander
Horace Grseleys in editorial chair; they
will be Websters In tho Senate. Or she
will be Mary Lyon In educational
realms, or Frances Willard on reforma;
tory platform, or q Helen Gould in military
hospitals. Or she will make home life
q, radiant with helpfulness and self-sacrifioe
and magnificent womanhood. oh, what a
Nbundle of hopes and ambitlonsl It Is a
wHeh I would not take one sprig of
mlShonette nor exttnguish one spark OF
brilliaAce. They who start life without
iggh p,ignt Aopes and inspiring ambitions
step will bea failure. Rather would add
TO the bundle, and IL I open It now It will
be because wish to take anything from
It. bpt that may put intoit more coronets
Bundle Of faculties In every man and
every woman! Power to think-to think
OF the past and through all the future, to
IhlnR UPWARD and higher than the highest
until there Is no lower ubysm to fathom
rover TO think right, power to think wrong
power 70 think forever. for, once having
1esan TO think, there shall be no terminus
ior tnat exercise, and eternity itself shall
have no power to bid 1t halt. Faculties to
love-ilial love, conjugal love, paternal
love. maternal love, love OF country, love
OF God. Faculty of judgment, with scales
% 30 delicate and yet so mighty they can
weigh arguments, weigh emotions, weigh
worlds, weigh heaven and hell. Faculty OF
Will, that can climb mountains or tunnel
them, wade seas or bridge them, accepting
eterhal enthronement or choosing ever
lasting exile. oh, what IL is to be a mani
Oh, wha. 1t is to be woman Sublime and
Infinite bundle OF facultiesl The thought
OF II staggers me, swamps me, stuns me-
oewilders me, overwhelms me, Oh, what
abundle OF life Abigail Of my text saw In
David and which we ought to see in every
human yet immortal being!
Know, also, that this bundle OF life is
properly directed. Many bundle has
the address has dropped and no one can
lind by examination for what city or town
or neighborhood It was intended. All great
carrying companies have so many misdi-
rected packages that they appoint days OF
ysndSs to dispose Of t6eta AZ b 4RSvaSs Ss11lSs
valuable package plainly directed. the
name OF the one to whom 1t Is to 70 plainly
written. Baggage master and expressman n
to take IT,.
The bundle OF life that Abioa,, IN r,v
text speaks OF Is plainly addressed. AZ
divine penmnnship 1t is directed heaven.
Ward. However long may be the earthly
distance Vt travels its destination is the
sternal s0aa city & OF God on high: Every mile 1t