The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-12-14
CROSSING THE FERRY
Dr.. Talmage Tells of David's Pas
sage Over the Jordan.
he Draws q Lesson OF Comfort and
Hopefuiness To All Gods Chill
dren-The Ferry 20
Heaven.

From an unnotlced incident OF olden
time DR.. Talmage in this discourse
draws some comforting and rapturous
lessons. The text is 2 Samuel l9:ls;
"And there went over a ferryboat to
carry over the kings household"
Which of the crowd is the king?
That short man, sunburnt and in ia
tigue dress. 1t is David, the exiled
king He has defeated his enemies and
Is now going home to resume his pal
ace. Good l always like to see David
come out ahead. But between him and
his home there is the celebrated river
Jordan which has to be passed. The
king is accompanied to the bank OF the
river by an aristocratic old gentleman
Of so years. Barzillai by name, who
owned a fine country seat at Roge-
lin. Besides that, David has his fam
lily with him. But how shall they get
across the river? While they are stand
ing there see a tsrrylsat coming from
the other side. ard as it cuts through
the water I see the faces of David and
his household brighten up at the
thought Of so soan getting home. No
sooner has the ferryboat struck the
shore than David and his family and
his old friend Barzillai. from Rogelim.
get on board the boat. Either with
splashinR oars at the side or with one
oar sculling at the stern Of the boat
they leave the eastern bank of the Jor-
dan and start for the western bank.
That western bank Is black with
crowds Of people. who are waving and
shouting at the spproach Of the king
and his family. The military are all
out. Some of those who have been
Dasid's worst enemies now shout until
they are hoarse at his return. No
sooner has the boat struck the shore
on the western side than the earth
quakes and the heavens ring with
cheers of welcome and congratulation
David and his family and Barzillai from
kogelim step ashore. King David asks
his old friend to go with him and live
at the palace. but Barzillai apollo
gizes and intimates that he Is infirm
with age and too deaf to appreciate
the music. and has delicate appetite
that would soon be cloyed with lux
urious living. and so he begs that David
would let him so back to his county
seat.
/ once heard the father of a presi-
dent of the United States saw that Ne
had just been TO Washington to see his
son in the white house. and he told me
of the wonderful things that occurred
there, and OF what Daniel Webster said
10 him. but he declared: 81 was glad
20 get home. There was too much go
ing on there for me-" My father an
aged man. made his last visit at my
house in Philadelphia. and after the
church service was over, and we went
home, some one in the house asked the
aged man how he enjoyed the service.
WELL he replied, 81 enjoyed the serv-
Ice. but there were too many people
there for me. 1t troubled my head
very much" The fact is that old peo-
pie de not like excitement. II King
David had asked Barzillai 30 years be-
fore TO go 10 the palace, the probability
Is that Barzillai would have gonh. but
not now. They kiss each other good
by. custom among men oriental. but
in vogue yet where two brothers part
or an aged father and a son go away
from each other never TO meet again.
No wonder that their lips met as King
David and old Barzillai. at the prov OF
the ferryboat, parted forever.
This river Jordan. in all ages and
among all languages. has been the SYM
Dol of the boundary line between earth
and Heaven. Yet when on a former oc-
casion l preached to you about the
Jordanic passage | have no doubt that
some OF you despondingly said: "The
Lord might have divided Jordan for
Joshua. but not for poor me- Cheer
up. ] want TO show you that there Is
way over Jordan as well as through
81 My text says: sand there went
over ferryboat to carry over the
kings household"
All our cities are familiar with the
ferryboat. II goes from San Francisco
TO Oakland and from Liverpool 10
Birkenhead. and twice ever- secular
day Of the week multitudes are on the
ferryboats OF our great cities. so that
you will need TO hunt up Classical die
tionary 10 find out what mean while
am speaking TO you about the passage
OF David and his family across the river
Jordan.
presses me with the fact that when we
cross over from this world TO the next
the boat will have to come from the
other side. The tribe OF Judah. We
are informed, sent this ferry boat across
10 get David and bis household. stand
on the eastern side of the river Jor-
dan. and J find no shipping at all. but
while am standing there see boat
plowing through the river. and as
hear the swirl OF the waters and the
boat comes'fo the eastern side Of the
Jordan and David and his family and
his old friend step'o on board thai boat
! am nightly impressed with the fact
that when we cross over from this
word TO the next the boat will have 10
come from the opposite shore.
guide at Niagara falls said TO me:
DO you see that rock down in the
rsp'ds~ ! said: yes" We'll, be
said "soIie years ago a man got into
the rapid and foated down until he
came TO that rock. and ne clutehed /
that and held on. We sent I've life |
boats at different times out to him. /
ard they were all broken 10 splinferx.
After awhile we got him some food. /
bni he could not eat g. lie seemed -