Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-12-20
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Talmage pleads for merciful interpre-
tation Of human behavior. The text is
Joshua iii. 4. "Ye have not passed this
way heretofore
In December, 1889, waded the river
Jordan, and. although the current was
ftrong, was able TO bear up against
1t. but In the time of spring freshet,
when the SHOWS on Mount Lebanon
melt, nothing but miracle would en-
able any one to cross this river. 1t
was at the dangerous springtime that
Joshua and the officers of his army ut
tered the words of my text to the peo-
pie who Were in few hours to cross
the Jordan. About that crossing we
say but little, because on previous
occasion we discoursed concerning that
piling up OF the waters into crystal
barricade. We only speak OF the march
to the brink of the river. Nc stranger
thing has ever occurred i'm all history.
The ark of the covenant was bril-
liant chest of acacia wood, overlaid
with gold. on the top of which were
two winged figures facing each other.
1t was five feet long and three feet
wide. Poles were thrust through the
rings at the side. and by these poles
the ark was lifted. This splendid box
was to be carried tbree-quarters OF a
mile ahead of the hosts OF Israel on
the way to the crossing. That distance
between the box and the advancing
thousands must be kept because of
reverence. There was n sanctity in
that divine symbol that they must OBJ
serve by keeping three-quarters of
mile away. They must watch that
glittering box and follow; otherwise
they would lose their way and not ar
rive at the right place for crossing.
They had never been there before. and
they must be guided. For that reason
Joshua utters the words OF my text,
aye have not passed this way hereto
fore" And the subordinate officers at
the head OF the regiments repeated 1t.
Eye have not passed this way hereto
FORE"
What was truthfully said Of the an
cient Israelites may be truthfully said
OF US. We are making our first and
last journey through this world. 1t is
possible. as some of my good friends
believe. that this world viii be correct
ed and improved and purified and flo
rallied and unparalleled as to climate
and soil and character until II shall
become a heaven for the ransomed. but
do not think IL. 1 have an idea that
heaven is already built somewhere.
Our departed friends could not wait
until this world is fixed up for sanity
and angelic residence. Having once
gone out of the world. do not think
we will come back. except as minister
Ing spirits 20 help those who remain
In the earthly struggle or perhaps TO
look at the wondrous spectacle of a
burning planet
Travelling New Paths.
But. leaving that theory aside, we
are very sure that we are for the FIRST
time walking the earthly pilgrimage
'Ye have not passed this way before"
Every minute is new minute, every
hour new hour, every century a new
century. Other folks have gone over
the same road we are travelling. but It
Is our first trip New appearances,
new temptations, new sorrows, new
joys That Is the reason so many lose
their way. They meet some one on
The road OF life and ask for direction,
and wrong direction is given. We
have all been pcrplexed by misdirec-
ton after asking the way TO some
place we wished to visit Some one
said TO US, Take the first road to the
right and. having gone n mile on that
road, take the first road on the left.
and you viii soon reach your destina-
ton" We took the advice. but our In
former forgot turn In the road or for
got one or the roads leading TO the left,
and we took the wrong road and were
lost In the woods. and night came on,
and we were put to great irritation and
trouble.
The fact is, ] blame no one for MAX
Ing lifetime mistakes. / pity them in
stead OF blaming them. There are SO
many wrong roads, but only one right
one. You cannot In midlife draw upon
your youthful experiences for wisdom,
for midlife is SO entirely different from
youth. You cannot In old age draw up
on midlife experiences. for the two
stages OF existence are so diverse.
What is wisdom for one man to do
would be folly for another to under
take. A man OF nerve and pluck is not
qualihed to advise a man timid and
shrinking. An achievement that would
be easy for, you might be impossible
Tor me. Human advice is ordinarily OF
little value. People review their own
successes or failures and then tell us
what Is best for us to do, not realizing
that our circumstances are different,
our temperament is different, our phys
tcal and mental and moral capacities
different. Most OF the great mistakes
that have been made have been made
under human advisement.
So. also, 1t may be said TO every ma
ton, "Ye have not passed this way
before" Our own republic is going
through novel experiences. Could wis.
est statesman twenty years ago have
prophesied present conditions? Every
president. every congress. has new cri-
ses to meet and new questions to set
tie. So prophecies made about condi
tons In this country fifty years from
now may turn out as far untrue as the
prophecies made fifty years ago by
the greatest of American statesmen
when be declared on yonder Capito!
hill that 1t was unwise to think Of civil
Nzation or prosperity the other side of
the Rocky mountains, and according
TO his belief the Pacific coast would be
the perpetual abode Of barbarians and
mountain lions, and we must not think
OK annexing those forbidding regions.
A Road OF Novelty.
Many prophecies in regard to our ma
tion failed and many prophecies con-
corning its future Will fail because it is
travelling new road. Every step IL
takes on that road is novelty. The
opinion of Monroe or a Jefferson in
the far past is not of as much value as
the opinion OF our wisest men now.
How could men know In 1923 what it
would be best for this nation to do in
1901? 1t Is belittling as well as un-
wise for our statesmen, who are quite
equal to the statesmen OF the past and
who have, in addition TO the natural.
talents of their predecessors, attain
ments In knowledge that were impossl-