Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-06-22
CHRIST OUR REFUGE.
REV. OR. TALSlAGe'0 SERMON a MES
SAGE or COMFORT.

with sorrow-Iilustra the Power
OF D,vin. Sympathy.
WASHINGTON. June 1T.-Dr. Talmage,
who has finished his tour in England
ard Scotland. where thousands throng-
ed TO hear him whereScever he preach
ell, is now on his way to Norway and
Russia, in which countries lie is al
ready well known through the publica-
ton of TRANSACTIONS Of his sermons. In
the following discourse, which he has
sent for publication this week. he gives
prescription for all anxiety aud wor-
riment and illustrates the divine sym
patty for ell who are i'm any kind Of
struggle. The text is Matthew xiv, -.
"And his disciples went and told Je-
sus."
An outrageous assassination had just
taken place. To appease Il revengeful
woman King uerod ordered the death
of that noble. self sacrificing prophet
John the Baptist. The group of the
disciples were thrown into grief and
dismay. They felt themselves utterly
dcfenseloSS. There was no authority
TO which they could appeal. and yet
grief must always find expression. IL
there be no human ear TO hear it. then
the agonized soul will cry ii aloud TO
the winds and the woods and the wa
tiers. But there was an ear that was
willing TO listen. There is tender
pathos and at the same time n most
admirable picture i'm the words OF my
srT1,nr. Il 81 l.,
could understand all their grief. and he
Immediately soOthed it. Our burdens
are not more than half so heavy to car
ry IL another shoulder is put under the
other end of them. Here we find
Christ. his brow Swallowed with grief.
standing amid the group of disciples.
who. with tears and violent geSticula-
tons and wringing OF hands and out
cry of bereavement, are expressing
their woe. Raphael. with his s&ilful
brush, putting upon the wall of pal
ace some scene of sacred story, gave
not so skillful a stroke as when the
plain hand of the evangelist writes.
They went and told Jesus
The old Goths and Vandals once came
down upon Italy from the north of Eu-
AOlt. anu AlltA Nlctl NAt anu
they broke down the statues and swept
away everything that was good and
beautiful. So there is ever and anon in
the history OF all the sons and daugh-
tcrs of our race an incursion of rough
handed troubles that come to plumber
ard ransack and put TO the torch all
that men highly prize. There is no
cave 40 deeply cleft into the mountains
rs TO afford us shelter. and the foot Of
flcetest courscr cannot bear us beyond
the quick pursuit. The arrows they
put TO the string fly with unerring dart
until we fall pierced ana stunned.
a Message OF Comfort
feel that bring TO you n most APP
propriatc message. l mean 10 bind up
all your griefs into bundle and set
them on fire with n spark from Gods
altar. The prescription that cured the
sorrow OF the disciples will cure all
your heartaches. have read that
when Godfrey and his army marched
out 10 capture Jerusalem. as they came
over the hills. ut the first fash Of the
pinnaclcs OF that beautiful city. the
army that had marched in silence lift
cd shout that made the earth trem-
ble- oh. you soldiers of Jesus Christ.
marching on toward heaven. | would
that today, by some CLEAN from the
palace OF Gods mercy and Gods
strength, you might be lifted into great
rejoicing and that as the prospect OF
Its peace breaks on your cnrapturcd
gaze you might raise one glad hosanna
10 the Lord,
In the first place. commend the be-
havior Of these disciples TO all burden
cd souls who are unpardoned. There
comes time In almost every mans
history when be feels from some source
that lac has an erring nature. The
thought may not have such hcft rs 10
Tell him. IL may be only like the Cash
In an evening cloud just after very
not summer day. One man TO get rid
or that impression will go 10 PRAYER.
another will stimulate himself by ar
dent spirits, and another man will dive
deeper in secularities. But sometimes
q man cannot get rid OF these impress
slons. The fact is. when Il man finds
out that his eternity Is poised upon n
perfect uncertainty and that the next
moment his foot may slip, he must do
something violent 10 make himself for
get where he stands or else ly FOR
refuge.
Some or you crouch under n yoke,
and you bite the dust when this mo-
nleht you might rise up crowned con-
queror. Driven and perplexed as YOU
have been by sin. go and tell Jesus.
To relax the grip OF death from your
soul and plant your unshackled feet
upon the golden throne Christ let the
fortunes or the bloody mount transfix
him. With the beam Of his own cross
he Will break down the door OF your
dungeon. From the thorns OF his own
crown he wiz pick enough gems to
make your brow blaze with eternal vic
tory. In every tear on his wet cheek,
IN every cash OF his side. In every long.
Dlackening mark of laceration from
shoulder 10 shoulder. in the grave shat
tering. heaven storming death groan /
near him say. "iIe that cometh unto
me VIII in nowiSe cast ont"
Oh" but YOU say, "inStead of cur.
ing my wound you want TO make an
other wound-namely. that of convic-
uon'' Have you never known. n sur
~ NS.hN unu n chronic dis
Ease AMI then with sharp caustic burn
all out? SO the grace OF God comes
To the old sore OF sin. 1t has long been
ranking there; but. by divine grace. IL
Is burned out through these fires OF
conviction. 'the flesh coming again IA
Die flesh OF little child" "where sin
sounded, grace much more abound
fth- With the ten thousand unpardon-
ed sins OF your life, so and tell Jesus.
Power of Temptation.
You will never get rid Of your sins in
any other way, and remember that the
broad Invitation which extend to you
Will not always be extended. King AL
fred, before modern timepieces were
invented, used to divide the day into
three parts, eight hours each, and then
had three wax candles. BY the time