The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-01-24
.DR.TALnAoE's sERnoN
rhe Eminent Dlvine's Sunday
Discourse.
Subject The Msrcifui Interpretation Of
Human Behavior-Foilow tho Divine
Loading-We win Not Pass This Way
Again, So DO Your Good Now.


Again, So DO Your Good Now.
WAsuNoroN, d. C,-This discourse Is
g most unusual presentation of things
that take place IN many lives, and Dr.
Talmage pleads for merciful Interpolation
of human behavior. The text Is Joshua
fore"
In December, 1880, waded the River
Jordan, and, although the current was
strong, ] was able 10 bear up against Il,
but Ia the time of spring treBhet, when
the SHOWS on Mount Lebanon melt, moth
ing but miracle would enable any one to
cross this river. IL was at the dangerous
sprngtime that Joshua and the officers Of
his army uttered the words Of my text 70
the people who were In q few hours 70
cross the Jordan. About that crossing we
say but little, because on o previous occa-
sion we discoursed concerning that pi1ng
up Of the waters into crystal barricade.
We only speak of the march to the brink
Of the river No stranger thing has ever
occurred in oil history.
The ark of the covenant was a brilliant
chest of acacia wood Overlaid with gold,
on the top Of which were two winged
figures facing each other. It was five feet
long and three feet wide. Poles were
thrust through the rings at the side, and
splendid box was to be carried three
quarters Of a mile aheHd Of the hosts of
Israel on the way to the crossing. That
distance between the box and the advano-
ing thousands must be kept because OF
reverence There was sanctity in that
divine symbol that they must observe by
| keeping three-quarters of a 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,
eye have not passed this way heretofore.
| And the subordinate officers at the head
| Of the regiments repeated il, I'VE have not
passed this way heretofore"
! What was truthfully said Of the ancient
| Israaltes may be truthfully said OF us.
We are making our first aud last journey
! through this world. IL is possible, as some
| Of my good friends believe, that this world
viii be corrected and improved and puri-
| fed and horahzed and emparadised as to
climate and soil and character until It
shall become a heaven for the ransomed,
but | do not think It. / 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 viii come back,
except as ministering spirits to help those
who remain in the earthly struggle or per
haps to look at the wondrous spectacle OF
a burning planet.
But, leaving that theory aside, we are
very sure that we are for the hrst time
walking the earthly pilgrimage. Eye have
not passed this way before" Every min
ute is a new minute, every hour a 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 ap-
pearances, new temptations, new sorr0ws
new Joys. That is che reason 80 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 perplexed by misdirection after ask
ing the way to some place we wished to
visit. Some one said TO uB, Take the first
road to the right and, having gone mile
on that road, take the first road on the
left, and YOU win soon reach your destina
ton" We took the advice, but our infor
mer forgot turn in the road or forgot
one Of the roads leading to the left, and W,
took the wrong road and were lost In tht
woods, and night came on, and we were
put to great irritation and trouble.
The fact is, l blame no one for making
lifetime mistakes. pity them instead o
blaming them. There are so many WRONG
roads, but only one right one. You can
not in midlife draw upon your youthful ex
periences for wisdom for midlife Is so en-
tirely different from youth. You canno
in old age draw upon midlife experiences
for the two stages of existence are so di
verse. What is wisdom for one man Il
do would be folly for another to undertake
, "A man Of nerve and pluck is not qualified
to advise a man timid and shrinking. Al
achievement that would be easy for yol
might be impossible for me. Human ad
vice is ordinarily of little value. Peopl
review their own successes or failures ant
then tell us what is best for us to do, no
realizing that our circumstances are differ
ent, our temperament is different, on
physical and mental and moral capacitie
, different Most of the great mistake
that have been made have been made VT
der human advisement.
So, also, it may be said to every nation
aye have not passed this way before.
Our own republic is going through move
, experiences. Could wisest statesma
twenty years ago have prophesied presen
conditions? Every President, every Coz
gTess, has new crises to meet and nel
questions to settle. So prophecies mad
about conditions in this country fit
years from now may turn out as far untru
as the prophecies made fifty years ago b
the greatest of American statesmen whe
/ he declared on yonder Capitol hill that
was unwise to think of civilization or pros
perity the other side of the Rocky Mount
aims, and according to his belief the Ps
cifc coast would be the perpetual abode {
} barbarians and mountain lions, and "
must not think Of annexing those forbiC
ding regions.
Many prophecies in regard to our natio
failed and many prophecies concerning il
, future viii fail, because it is travelling
, I new road Every step it takes on tina
road is a novelty. The opinion Of a MOI
roe or a Jefferson in the far past is not {
: as much value as the opinion of our wisei
men now. How could men know in lSi
what it would be best for this nation to d
in 1901? It is beltthng as well as unwi'
for n11r tntesrnnn WIN are n1lita nnnal