The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-12-20
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY The NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject; The Mereifui Interpretation of
Human Behavior-Foliow the Divine
Leading-we VIII Not Pass This Way
Again, So DO Your Good Now.

Leading-ws VIII Not Pass This Way
Again, SO DO Your Good Now.
WAsmNoToN, ID. C.-This discourse Is
a most unusual presentation Of thing
that take place in many lives, and D-.
JalmaEe pleads for mcgcliul Interpretation
OF human behavior. The text Is Joshua
~, !, Ie have not passsd this way hereto
fore"
Ia December, 1880, I waded the River
Jordan, and, although the current Wa.
strong, ! was able 20 bear up against u,
but IN the time OF spring freshet when
the SHOWS on Mount Lebanon melt, moth
ing but a miracle would enable any one %
cross this river. IL was at the dangerous
sprlustime that Joshua and the officers OF
his army uttered the words of my text %
the people VINO were IN a lew hours -
eros the Jordan. About that crossing we
say but little, because on a previous ooca-
sion we di-cOursed concerning that plllug
up OF the waters into crystal barricade.
We only sDeak OF the march 90 the brink
OF the river. No stranger thing has ever
occurred ~ all history.
The ark OF the covenant was a brilliant
chest Of acacia wood. Ovcr!aid with gold
on the top Of which were two winged
figure, facing each other. II was FIVE feet
long and three feet wide Poles were
thrust through the rings at the side, s~sl
by these poles the ark was lifted. This
splendid box Wss % be carried three.
quarters OF a mile ahead OF the hosts OF
Israel on the way 90 the crossing. That
distance between the box and the advanc.
ing thousands must be kept because Of
reverence. There was sanctity in that
divine symbol that they must observe by
keeping thrce-quarter5 OF mile away.
They must watch that glittering box and
follow; otherwise they would lose their
way and not arrive at the right place for
crossing They had never been there be-
fore, and they must be guided For that
reason Joshua utters the words OF my text
"Ye have not passed this way heretofore
And the subordinate officers at the head
Of the regiments reDeated II, "Ic have not
passed this way heretofore
What was truthfully said OF the ancient
Israelites may be truthfully said OF us.
We are making our first and last journey
through this world. II is possible. as some
of nv good friends believe, that this world
will be corrected and improved and puri.
fed and horalized and emparadised ls TO
climate and soil and character until II
shall become a heaven for the ransomed,
but do not think IL. | have an idea that
heaven Is already built somewhere. Our
departed friends could not wait until this
world is fixed up for staintly and angelic
residence Having once gone out Of the
world | do not think we will come back,
except "a ministering spirits TO help those
who remain i'm the earthly struggle or per
haps 10 look at the wondrous spectacle Of
a burning planet.
But, leaving that theory aside, we are
very sure that we are for the first time
walking the earthly pilgrimage. "Nc have
not passed this way before Every min.
ute is a new minute, every hour new
hour every century new century. Other
folks have gone over the same road we are
travelling, but u ~ our first trip. New ap-
pearances, new temutatlons, new sorrows,
I.NH.U
their way. They meet some one on the
road of life and ask for direction, and
wrong direction is given. We have all
been perplexed by misdirection after ask.
ing the way 10 some place we wished 70
visit. Some one said 10 Us, Take the first
road TO the right and, having gone mile
on that road take the first road on the
left and you will soon reach your destlna.
ton" We took the advice, but our lnfor'
mer forgot turn in the road or forgot
one of 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 il, | blame no one for making
lifetime mistakes. / pity them instead OF
blaming them. There are so many wrong
roads, but only one right one. Gou can
not in midlife draw upon your Youthful eN-
pericnccs for wisdom, for midlife is so en-
tirelv different from youth. You cannot
in old age draw upon midhfe experiences,
for the two stages Of existence are so dl-
verse What ia wisdom for one man TO
do would be folly for another to undertake.
4 man of nerve and pluck is not qualified
TO advise man timid and shrinking An
achievement that would be easy for YOU
might be impossible for me. Human adj
vice Is ordinarily of little value People
review their own successes or failures and
then tell Ms what is best for us 10 do. not
realizing that orr circumstances are differ
ent our temperament is different, our
physical and mental and moral capacities
different Most of the great mistakes
that have been made have been made un-
; der human advisemcnt
So. also. It may be said to every nation
ave have not passed this way before.
Our own republic IL going through novel
experiences. Could wisest statesman
twenty years ago have prophesied present
conditions? Every President every Con-
Cress has new crises to meet and new
questions 10 settle. SO prophecies made
about conditions in this country fifty
wears from now may turn out aS TAR untrue
rs the prophecies made fifty years ago by
/ the greatest of American statesmen when
he declared on wonder Caritol hill that It
+ was unwi,c to think Of civilization or pros
perity the other side of the Rocky Mount.
/ aims. and according to his belief the Pa.
/ cifc coast would be the perpetual abode OF
/ harhlrians and mountain lions. and we
mus. not think OF anucNing those forbid
/ dine regions
Nauv prophecies in regard 10 our nation
/ fniled and many prophecies concerning ltS
/ future will fail. because II Is travelling n
/ new road Every step 1t takes on that
road ia a novelty. The opinion of Mon.
roe or a jefferson in the far past Is not OF
as much value rs the opinion OF our wisest
men wow. How could men know IN 1893
. what 10 would I've best for this nation 10 do
. in 1902 It Is behttlng as well aS unwlSo
for our statesmen. who are quite equal "a
/ the statesmen Of the past and who have,
. in addition 20 the natural talents OF their
! predecessors. attoinmeuts in knowledge
that were impossible in any decade hut
our own, to depend on advice of men who
I have been dead three-Quarters of a cen
turv. In all other things the world has
. advanced Can il he that IN statesman
| shin it has gone back. and that tins open
Ing Of the twentieth century must consult
| the ouening of the nineteenth century
"Nc have not uaSsed this way before.
Yea. Our entire world is on new path
way Ii may he swinging in the same ~,
orbit "a when bv the hand Ct the y.
mighty immensitv was sprinklcd witl
worlds. but IL has been rocked with earth
ouakcs and sccrchcd with volcanic fire,
and wheimcd with tidal waves anC
wrought upon bv climatic changes-cite'
sunk. and islands lifted, and mountain
ava'anchcd into valleys.
80 " is another world than that wn,c'
was frSt started IN the solar system. We
10 Is all the time changing and Will Secl
| changing until the hour Of It's demolition
! a. fh,4 beautiful world this lustrO-