The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-01-05
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE BABES ESCAPE LAST
SUNDAYS SUBJECT.
From Matthew. Chapter IL, Verse IS, -
Follows: "Hcrsd VIII Seek the Young
Child to Destroy Him"-Cradle of the
Redeemer. <~s-& f.-5;s 81 fS5 sS & 4E$

The cradle Of the infant Jesus had
no rockers, for it was not to be soothed
by oscillating motion, as are the era
dies Of other princes. 1t had no can
opy, for it was not to be lowered over
by anything so exquisite. 1t had no
embroidered pillow, for the young
head was not to have such luxur1ous
comfort. Though meteor-ord1nar-
lily the most erratic and seemingly
ungovernable of all skyey appearances
had been sent to designate the place
where that cradle stood, and choir
had been sent from the heavenly tenn
pie to serenade its illustrious occupant
with an epic, yet that cradle was the
target for all earthly and diabodcal
hostilities. Indeed, I give you as my
opinion that it was the narrowest and
most wonderful escape of the ages that
the child was not slain before he had
taken his first step or spoken his first
word. Herod could not afford to have
him born. The Caesars could not al
ford to have him born. The gigantic
expressions and denominations of the
world could not afford to have him
born. Was there ever planned more
systematized or appalling lombard
ment in all the wrold than the bonn
bardment of that cradle? .,-
The Herod who led the attack was
Treachery, Vengeance and Sensuality
impersonated. AS sort of pastime
he slew Hyrcanus, the grandfather of
his wife. Then he slew Marianne, his
wife. Then he butchered her two
sons, Alexander and Aristobulus.
Then he slew Antipater, his oldest son.
Then he ordered burned alive forty
people who had pulled down the eagle
Of his authority. He ordered the no
bles who had attended upon his dying
bed to be slain, so that there might be
universal mourning after his decease.
From that same death-bed he ordered
the slaughter of all the children in
Bethlehem under two years of age,
feeling sure that, if he massacred the
entire infantile population, that would
include the destruction of the child
whose birthplace astronomy had
pointed out with it's finger of light.
" AdL WclS IuC SuCc1cu OdbCo "
him. and as many fren1ied and bereft
mothers? If he had been we'll enough
to leave his bed, he would have en-
joyed seeing the mothers wildly strug-
Cling to keep their babes and holding
them so tightly that they could not be
separated until the sword took both
lives at one stroke, and others, mother
and child hr1r1o1 roofc 0f hO11coS
into the street, until that village of
horseshoe shape on the illside be-
came one great butcher-shop. To have
such a man, with associates just as
cruel, and an army at his command,
attempting the life OF the infant Jesus,
does there seem any chance for his
escape? Then that flight southwark
for so many miles, across deserts and
amid bandits and wild beasts (my
friend, the late missionary and scien-
fist, DR.. Lansing, who took the same
journey, said it was enough to kill
both the Madonna and the child), and
poor residence in Cairo, Egypt. You
know how difficult it is to take an or
binary child successfully through the
disorders that are sure to assail it even
in comfortable homes and with all
delicate ministries, and then think of
the exposure of that famous babe in
villages and lands where all sanitary
laws were put at defiance, his first
hours on earth spent in room with
out any doors, and ofttimes swept by
chilled night winds; then afterward
riding many days under hot tropical
sun, and part of many nights, lest the
:avenger overtake the fugitive before
. he could he hidden in another land!.
The Sanhedrim also we're affronted
at the report of this mysterious arrival
& child that might upset all conven-
tionalities and threaten the throne of
the nation. "Shut the door, and bolt
it, and double-bar it against him,
cried all political and ecclesiastical
power Christ on retreat when only
few days of age, with all the priva-
lions and hardships and sufferings OF
retreat! When the glad news came
that Herod was dead, and the Madon-
ma was packing up and taking her
child home, bad news also came, that
Archelaus, the son, had taken the
throne-a crowned infamy
What chance for the babes life? Will
not some short grave hold the won
drous Infant?" rs
Put him to DEATH" was the order
all up and down Palestine, and all uI
and down the desert between Bethle
hem and Cairo. The cry was, 'Her,
comes an iconoclast Of all established
order! Here comes an aspirant 70:
the crown of Augustus! II found sol
the streets of Bethlehem, dash hin
to death on the pavement! If founl
on a hill, hurl him down the rocks
Away with him" But the Babe go
home in safety, and passed up iron
infancy to youth, and from youth t
manhood, and from carpenter shop t
Messiahship, and from Messiahship t
Enthronement, until the mighties
name on earth is Jesus, and there
no mightier name in heaven.
Can you imagine what a scariicatio