The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-12-14
CROSSING THE FERRY
DIR. Talmage Tells of David's Pas
sage Over the Jordan.
ne Draws n Lesson of Comfort ana
HopefuIness TO All Gods Chill
dren-The Ferry TO
Heaven.
copyright. 1900, by Louis Klopsch.l
Washington, Dec. ..


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
figue dress. 1t is David, the eNiled
king. He has defeated his enemies and
is now going home to resume his pal
ace. Good | always like to see David
nome 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-
aim. Besides that, David has his fam
fly with him. But how shall they get
across the river? While they are stand
eng there see a ferry boat coming from
the other side, and as 1t cuts through
the water | see the faces of David and
his household brighten up at the
Thought of so soon 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
eplashing 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 approach of the king
and his family. The military are all
out. Some of those who have been
David's worst enemies now shout until
they are hoarse at his return. No
no no ha hAr
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
Rogelim step ashore. King David asks
his old friend to go with him and live
Mt the palace. but Barzillai apollo
gizes and intimates that he is infrm
with age and too deaf to appreciate
the music and has a delicate appetite
that would soon be cloyed with lux
nrious living and so he begs that David
) would let him go back to his country
seat.
| once heard the father of presi-
dent of the United States say that he
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
TO him. but he declared: 81 was glad
to 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 do not like excitement. II King
/. David had asked Barzillai 30 years be-
fore to go to the palace, the probability
is that Barzillai would have gone, 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 son 90 away
o from each other never to meet again.
:, No wonder that their lips met as King
! David and old Barzillai. at the PROV of
: the ferrybo parted forever.
n This river Jordan. in all ages and
among all languages has been the sym
Z Dol of the boundary line between earth
! and Heaven. Yet when on a former oc-
,l casion | preached to you about the
/ Jordanic passage l have no doubt that
!. some of you despondingly said "The
Z Lord might have divided Jordan for
Y Joshua, but not for poor me-" Cheer
q mp! ! want TO show you that there is
y way over Jordan as well as through
Vi ii. My text says: "And there went
4 over ferryboat 10 carry over the
4 kings household"
Il All our cities are familiar with the
ferryboat It goes from San Francisco
TO Oakland and from Liverpool 10
\ Birkenhead, and twice every secular
" day of the week multitudes are on the
y ferryboats of our great cities. so that
u you will need 70 hunt up classical die
4 tionary to find out what mean while
Al am speaking to you about the passage
"a of David and his family across the river
X Jordan.
~ My subject, in the first place. i'm
n Npresses me with the fact that when w,
y cross over from this world to the mex
N the boat will have to come from tn,
M other side. The tribe of Judah. W,
4 are informed, sent this ferryboat acros,
X, TO get David and his household. stanC
N en- the eastern side of the river Jor
a dan. and find no shipping at all, bu
while | am standing there | see a boa
~ blowing through the river, and as
p' hear the swirl of the waters and tn,
n boat comes to the eastern side of tn,
M Jordan and David and his family an,
IA his old friend step on board that boa
" am nightly impressed with the fac
4 that when we cross over from th
u world to the next the boat will have t,
come from the opposite shore.
M guide at Niagara falls said to me
VI ''Do you see that rock down in tn
N, rapids?" ! said: Eyes" "Wen," h
a said, "some years ago a man got int
81 the rnpids and fnnted down nnli h