The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-01-16
ALONG NEW PATHS.
We Are Making Our Earthly Pill
grimage for the First Time.
Sermon of DR.. TalmaGe in Which He
Pleads for Merciful Interpreta-
ton of Human EndeavOr-
Crossing the Jordan.
copyright, 1901, by Louis klopsch. N. VI
WASHINGTON.

copyright, 1901, by Louis Klopsch, N. VI
Washington,
This discourse is a most unusual
presentation of things that take place
in many lives, and DR.. Talmage pleads
for neutrality-suspicious. of human
behavior. The text is Joshua 3, 4: 'Ye
have not passed this way heretofore"
In December, 1889, waded the River
Jordan, and, although the current was
strong, was able to bear up against it,
but in the time of spring freshet, when
the SHOWS on Mount Lebanon melt,
nothing but a miracle would enable
anyone to cross the river. 1t was at
the dangerous springtime that Joshua
and the officers of his army uttered the
words of my text to the people who
were in a few hours to cross the Jor-
dan. About that crossing we say but
little, because on previous occasion
we discoursed concerning that piiing
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 all history.
The ark of the covenant was bril-
liant chest of acacia wood, overlaid
with gold, on the top of which We're
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 three-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 a 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 before, and they must be
the words of my text: "Ye have not
passed this way heretofore" and the
subordinate officers at the head of the
regiment repeated it: "Ye have not
passed this way heretofore"
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 pos
sible, as some of my good friends be-
lieve, that this world will be corrected
and improved and purified and floral
ized and emparadised as to climate and
soil and character until it shall become
a heaven for the ransomed, but do not
think it. l have an idea that Heaven
is already built somewhere. Our de-
parted friends could not wait until this
world is fixed up for sanity and
angelic residence. Having once gone
out of the world, l do not think we will
come back, except as ministering spir-
its to help those who remain in the
earthly struggle or perhaps to 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. "Ye
have not passed this way before" !"
Every minute is a new minute, every
hour a new hour, every century 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
perplexed by misdirection 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
mile on that road, take the first road
to the left, and you will soon reach
your destination" We took the advice,
but our informer forgot turn in the
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 ma king
lifetime mistakes. I pity them instead
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
upon 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
qualified to advise man timid and
shrinking. An achievement that would
be easy for you might be impossible
for 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
physical and mental and moral capac.
tiles different. Most of the great mis-.
takes that have been rade have been
made under human advisement.
So, also, it may be said to every ma
tion: "Ye have not passed this way be,
fore" Our own republic !s goias