The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-22
:: DR TALMAGE'S SERMON ::
,,co,yri.h,, 1901, Ieuis rSlopsch, N.Fa

ess le i iS < is until the hour of its demolition. Of this beautiful world. this lustrous world, this glorious world, 1t may be said. ''Ye have not passed this way before"
 What is the practical use of this sub upon human advice and instead of ask ing of. the past what we ought to do, fol. low the divine leading as the men of Joshua followed the golden lidded chest of acacia, which was the symbol of the divine presence.
 Teaches Reverence to God.
 That three-quarters of 8 mile distance between the ark or sacred box and the front column of Joshua's troops nightly impPesses me. It was a. foreefpl way of teaching reverence for the Almighty. They needed to learn that lesson Of rev. eRenee- ia the use of Gods name. Hear you 1t not on the streets and in social groups. and Is not q profane word some times thought necessity to point jocosi- phraseciogy of the Bible often intro dueed into the most frivolous conversa- tion and made mirth provoking. Irrever- epce for the cath in court room or GUS ventional and mechanical mode of its ad- minisfrati0n. 1rreverenee for the holy Sabbath by the way it is broken in pleas ure excursion and carousal. Irreverence on tne RaEL or CHll0Icn IOT tIl6A RdIGnlSs insoience being substituted for obedience. Irreverence for rulers, which induces vile cartoons and assassination. lrreverence in church during prayer, measuring on song and sermon by cold. artistic or It. erary criticism, and in prayer time neith- CT bowling the head nor bending the knee TOT standing as one does in the presence of earthly ruler, thus showing more re- spect for a map than to the King of Kings. We ask not for genufiexions or circumnexions or prestrations. but when prayer ia offered let us either bow the head or bend the Knee or let us in some way prove that we are not indifferent. In how many places have presumption and foolhardiness taken the place of rever- encel That three-quarters of mile be. tween the chest of acacia covered with gold and mounted with vings--a symbol n sf ps that IS woefully lacking in social life. in legislative hall and religious assemblage farmer went to the wheatheld, taking his son with him. The child said These stalks that stand straight uo must have the hest grain. Those stalks that bend over cannot be worth anything" Then the father broke on two of the tops of the stalks and said: N'Chlld. that one that bends clear over has the grain" It Is the soul that bows in deepest reverence which Is the best soul.
 Follow the Divine Leading.
 l Hut though Joshua's host observed the three quarters of . mile command they followed the ark, and you will do well to follow the divine leading. as the path
 ''Ye have not passed this way before . Many of you are suffering from just such annoyances as nave not occurred in all yauE-- history. There have been mean nesses practiced upon you or you have of mislnterpretations or you are in the midst of sore disappeintInents or there are demands made upon your strength and time more than yeu-can meet OF your castle of health or you are under | endorsements that you cannot men, ton even to nearest friends. You say; well, ] never saw anything like this. I never expected such treatment as this. l never thought 1t possible to be placed | in such circumstances" And when you say all that you are only translating the words of my text into your own pfras- like this bSfore, yeu would have known what to do, but here Is a flank movement for which you are not ready
 As you have had no experience of this kind upon which to draw for wisdom and as you cannot fully state all the cir | cumstances to any human ear, go to God and tell him all about it. He knows already. but 1t will relieve you and heiT you if you tell him. That is what he has been doing ever since the world got into ] trouble by disobedient behavior on the banks of the Euphrates. If in the first chapter of the Bible we see the gate entered, in the third chapter of the Bi- ble we see the opening of the gate through which they are to be driven out Promises by, the scores and hundreds and thousands Sacrificial lambs fore telling the Lamb of God. Rock str;cker into gushing floods. typical of the fact that the worlds thirst is going to be slaked. Pillar of fire helsted above wild | Gkar af place in 8 barn. sepulchers rent open 1 Trumpets of doliverRnce sounded. Al heaven to take part In the rescue of ouI planet. The Infinite God listening with l en ear in which a whisper 10000 miles away Is as audible as thunder.
 Perhaps 1t Is bereavement. You have felt sorrow for those who lost children or thought you did. but now that the ls a different thing. You never coulC have imagined the sileneeR about the house now that the little feet are quie aud the infant voice has ceased Its prat
 no one to put to bed! What toys pT' away to be looked at on anniversary days! How Christmas day is shadoweC and the world Is changed! Get over it Perhaps 1t is your first sorrow. "Ye have not passed this way before" Got graPt that you may never pass this way l HI Suo WAAS OE Lno AEks
 But follow the ark. and it will lead vol to rivers of consolation. You viii find that your child has gone into heaver of children, a land where children art in vast majority, a score of infant souli to one manly or womanly soul, for thu vast majority of the race die in infancy It is the exception when people live t Erow up. Heaven a great playground fol
 children: Palaces for kings and queens
 Oh, yesl But what wide halls of pleas
 ure. what gardens of delight, what rap
 lures. such as on earth with ball ant
 kite and hoop they never felt! Let then go. mother. You can trust him in thC land of music and flowers. The front doo ] of that eternal home was opened by hin
 who said. Suffer the little children t,
 come unto me and forbid them not, fo
 of such Is the kingdom of heaven" Wha
 a time the children have up there! Cal
 you not almost hear their quick feet ol
 tho ivory stairs: What rounds of glad
 ness! What laughter of eternal glee
 Follow the ark. and it will lead you t.
 the crossing into the reunions of tn
 home where you will never part.
 As our sorrows are new, our joys ar
 new and all our experiences are new. Gu l life is one long diacOVarV Of fhtp0a ho