Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-01-26
SACRIFICES OF GOD.
The Lesa's GIFT 90 nss Son ThrssSh
ME- Aeve 90 Man fos the woris's
Dssenshrasiseat - Mssston
81 the Savfeur.
copyright. yoo. by Louis ksopsch. ~. Y 7
Washington. Dec -

In this discourse DIR. TalmaRc de-
scribes in new way the sacrincss made
for the worlds disenthrallm~nt and de-
hverancc. His text 10 4. John ~. &c:
God IL love"
Psrilous undertaking would IL be TO
attempt . comparison between the at
tributes of God. They are not like a
mountain range, with here and there
q higher peak. nor sse the ocean. with
here and there pTofoundsr depth. We
cannot measure inhnities. We would
not dare TO say whether His omnipo-
tence. or oIrniscience. or ompipress rec,
OF i-amutability, or wisdom. or Justice.
or love is the greater attribute, but
The one mentioned in my text makes
ceeper Impression upon us than any
other. IL was evidently very old man
who wrote the chapter from which !
take the text. John was not in bis
dotnge. as Prof. Eichorn asserted, but
you can tell by The repetition in the
epistls and the rambling style that he
called grown people little children"
that the suthor was probably an octo-
genarinn. Yet Paul. in midlife master
ing an audience Of Atheninn critics on
Msrs hiii. said nothing stronger or
be John when he wrote the three words
OF my text: God il love-"
Indeed the older enc gets the more
he appreciates this attribute. The
harshress and the ombstiveress and
the se,oity have gone out of the old
man. and he is more leuient and aware
OF his own faults. is more disposed 10
make excuses for the faults OF others.
and he frequently calculates: Poor
human naturc," Fhe young minister
preached three sermons on the JUS
tiSe OF God and one on the love Of God.
bat when he got old ne preached
three sermons on the love of God
and one on the justice of God.
Far back In the eternities there came
a time when God would express one
emotion OF His nature which was vet
uneNpressed. He had made more worlds
than were seen by the ancients from
the top Of the Egyptian pyramid. which
was used as an observatory. and more
worlds than modern astronomy has
catalogued or deserted through micro
scopic lens. All that showed the
Lords slmightiness, but II gave no
denomination Of His love. He might
make 50 Saturnx aud 4 hundred Jupitrrs
and not demonstrate an insta of love.
That was an unknown passion and the
secret of the universe. IL was sup
pressed emotion OF the great God. But
there would come a time when this
passion OF infinite love would be de-
ciared and illustrated. God would vei,
IL no longer. After the clock OF mary
centuries had run down and worlds
had been born and demolished on a
comparatively obscure star race OF
human beings would be born and who.
though SO beautifully provided for that
they ought 10 have behaved themselves
we'll. went into inSurrsction and con-
spirsey aad revolt and war 49, finite
against infinite. weak arm against
thundsrbolt. man against God.
In high intelligences looked down and
saw what was going on. they must have
prophessed determination. complete ex-
termination. of these offenders OF Jeho-
yah. But MOI Who is that coming out
OF the throne room OF Heaven? Who is
that coming out OF the palaces OF the
eternal? IL is the Son OF the Emperor
OF the universe. Down the stairs Of the
high heavens He comes till He reaches
the colo air OF December night in Pal
estine. and amid the b.easings Of sheep
and the lowing Of cattle and the moan
ing OF camels and the banter of herds
men takes his first sleep on earth and
Ger "a years invites the wandering race
20 return to God and happiness and
Heaven. They were the longest 30
| years ever known in Heaven. Among
many high inteliigences. what impa-
thence 10 get Him back, The Infinite
Father looked down and saw his Son
slapped and spit on and supperless and
homeless. and then. amid horrors tn 4
made the MONDAY heavens turn black
in the face, His body and soul parted.
And all for what? Why allow the
Crown Prince 10 come on such an er-
rand and endure such SORROW and die
such death? IL was 10 invite the hu-
man race 10 put down it's sntipathies
and resistance. II was because God il
love"
Now. there In nothing beautiful in a
shipwreck- We 90 down &c ,ook at the
battered and split hulk Of an old ship on
Long Island or New Jersey coast. tex
cites our interest. We wonder when
and where IL came ashore. nd whether
II was the recklexsnrss OF a pilot or a
storm before which nothing could bear
up Human nature wrecked may in
terest the Inhabitants of other words
a. curiosity. but there Is nothing love
ly In that which has foundefed on the
rocks Of sin and sorrow. Yet il Was in
that condition Of mora break up tina,
Heaven moved 20 the rescue. 1t was
ioveiiness lowering over d.formity. II
was the iifeboat putting out into the
surf that attempted it's demolition. II
was harmony pitying dixcord. II was