The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-08-28
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON
SUNDAYS DlscoURsEBY THE NOTED
DIVINE.

Subject: Religion Great Refreshment -
Water For the Thirsty - God q Foun-
tain of Joy That is Unappreciated -
An Everlasting Well Of Gladness.
Copyright 1sOll
WASHINGTON, D. Gin this discourse
DR.. Taimage represents religion as a
great refreshment and invites all the world
to come and receive it; text, Genesis XXX,
;, owe cannot until all the focks be gath
cred together and till they roll the stone
from the wells mouth; then we water the
sheep"
A scene in Mesopotamia, beautifully
pastoral. A well of water Of great value
in that region. The fields around about
it white with three ,flocks of sheep lying
down waiting for the watering. I hear
their bleating coming on the bright air
and the laughter of young men and maid
ems indulging in. rustic repartee. look
of, and I see other focks of sheep COM
ing. Meanwhile Jacob, a stranger, on an
interesting errand of looking for, wife,
comes to the we'll A beautiful shepherd
ess comes to the same well. l see her ap-
of sheep. 1t was a memorable meeting
Jacob married that shepherdess: The
Bible account of it is, "Jacob kissed Rach-
ell and lifted up his voice and wept." 1t
has always been mystery to me what he
found to cry about. But before that scene
occurred Jacob accosts the shepherds and
asks them why they postpone the shaking
of the thirst of these sheep and why they
did not Immediately proceed to water
them. The shepherds reply to the effect:
1--WE are all good neighbors, and as mat.
of the neighborhood come up. Besides
that, this stone on the wells mouth is
somewhat heavy, and several of US take
hold of it an, push it aside, and then the
buckets and che troughs are filled, and
the sheep are satisfied. We cannot until
all the hoeks are gathered together and
till they roll the stone from the wells
mouth; then we water the sheep"
Oh, this is thirsty world! Hot for
the head and blistering for the feet and
parching for the tongue. The worlds
great want is cool, refreshing, satisfying
draft. We wander around, and we find
drought has dried up the worlds fountain,
in the shape OF cross and feet cut to
the bleeding, explored the desert passages
of this world, and one day came across q
well thousand feet deep, .bubbling and
bright and opalescent, and looked to the
north and the south and the east and the
west and cried out with voice strong and
musical that rang through the ages, "Ho,
every one 81, that thirsteth, come ye to the
Now, a great flock of sheep to-day
gather around this gospel well. There
are great many thirsty souls. I wonder
why the focks Of all nations do not gath
er-why 80 many stay thirsty-and. while
! am wondering about it my text breaks
forth in the explanation, saying, eve can
not until all the hocks be gathered to-
gether and till they roll the stone from
the wells mouth; then we water the
sheep"
If herd of swine come to well they
angrily .iostle each other for the prece:
they hook each other back fr6m the
water, but when a flock ofasneep come,
though a hundred of then shall be disap.
pointed, they only express it by sad bleat.
ing, they come together peaceably. We
want great multitude to come around
the gospel well. know there are those
who do not like crowd; they think a
crowd is vulgar. If they are oppressed
for room in church, it makes them posi-
lively impatient and belligerent. We have
had people permanently leave church be-
did these Oriental shepherds. They wait.
ed until all the focks were gathered, and
the more hocks that came the better they
| liked it. And 80 we ought to be anxious
that all the people should come. Go out
into the highways and the hedges and
compel them to come in; go to the rich
and tell them they are INDECENT without
| the gospel of Jesus; go to the poor and tell
them the affluence there is in Christ; 60
to the blind and tell them of the touch
that gives eternal Illumination; 90 to the
lame and tell them of the joy that. will
make the lame man leap like a hart
none so torn of the dogs, none 80 sick,
none so worried, so dying, as to be omit
ted. Why not gather a great flock? All
this city in flock; all New York in a
| fock;- all London in flock; all the world
in flock.
This we'll of the gospel is deep enough
| to put out the burning thirst of the
1000, 900, 900 of the race. Do not let the
church by a spirit of exclusiveness keep
the world out. Let down all the bars,
swing open all the gates, scatter all the
invitations, "Whesoever will let him
come" Come, white and black. Come,
out of the snow. Come, Patagonian, out
ing under palm leaves. Come one. Come
all. Come now. As at this we'll of Meso-
potamia Jacob and Rachel were betrothed,
so this morning at this we'll of salvation
Christ, our Shepherd, will meet you COM
ing up with your long focks of cares and
anxieties, and He will stretch out His
hand in pledge of His affection while all
the heaven will cry out: Behold the
bridegroom cometh! Go ye out to meet
You notice that this we'll Of Mesopota-
mia had stone on it, which must be re-
moved before the sheep could be watered,
and / find on the well of salvation to-day
impediments and obstacles which must be
removed in order that you may obtain
the refreshment and life Of this gospel.
heart. You cannot bear to come to so
democratic fountain. You do not want
to come with 80 many Others. 1t is as
though you were thirsty and you were in.
vited to slake your thirst at the town
pump instead of sitting in parlor sip
ping out Of chased chalice which has
just been lifted from silver salver. Not
so many publicans and sinners. You
want to get to heaven, but you must be
in a special car, with your feet on Turk
ish ottoman and band Of music on board
the train. You do not want to be in COM
pany with rustic Jacob and Rachel and to
be drinking out of the fountain where TO-
900 sheep have been drinking before you.
You will have to remove the obstacle OF
pride, or never find your way to the well.
You will have to come as we came, will
ing to take the water of eternal life in
any way and at any hand and in any kind
Of pitcher, crying out: 20 Lord Jesus, l
am dying Of thirst! Give me the water OF
eternal life, whether in trough or goblet.
Give me the. water of life. I care not in
what it comes to me-" Away with all
your hindrances of pride from the wells
mouth!
Here is another man who is kept back
from this water of life BY the stone of an
obdurate heart. which lies over the mouth
of the well. You have no more feeling