Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1902-01-17
ALONG NEW PATHS.
We Are Making Our Earthly Pill
grimage for the First Time.
Sermon OF Dr. TaImaEe In Which He
Pleads for MercifuI IuterpretR-
tGon OF Human EndeaVor-
Crossing the Jordan.
lCopyright. lsM. BY Louis Klopsch. y "
MashlnEtun. Dec 10.

ICopyright. 1901. by Louis KIopsch. " "
Washington, Dec 10.
This discourse Is a most unusual
presentation of things that take place
IN many lives, and Or. Talmage pleads
for merciful interpretation OF human
behavior. The text is Joshua 3, 4: "Ie
have not passed this way heretofore
In December. 1859, waded the River
JORDAN. aud. although the current was
strong, was ableto bear up against II,
but IN the time of spring freshet, when
the SHOWS on Mount Lebanon melt.
nothing but a miracle would ena bic
anyone TO cross the river. IL was 81
the dangerous springtime that Joshua
and the officers Of his army uttered the
words of my text TO the people who
were in few hours 10 cross the Jor-
dan. About that crossing We say but
little, because on a previous occasion
We discoursed concerning that piing
up Of the waters into crystal barricade-
We only speak of the march 10 the
brink OF the river. No stranger thing
has ever occurred in al 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.
II was five feet long aud three feet
wide. Poles were thrust through the
rings at the side, and by these pole the
ark was lifted. This splendid box was
TO be carried three-quarterS of mile.
ahead OF the hosts of Israel on the way
10 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-quartsrs OF mile away
They must watch that glittering box
and follow, otherwise they would lose
their way and not arrive al 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: "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 truthfuily said OF the an
cient Israelites may be truthfuily said
of US We are making our first and last
Journey through this world. 1t is pos
sibie. as some of my good friends be-
lieve. that this world will be corrected
and improved aud purified and floral
lied and emparadissd as 10 climate and
soil and character until il shall become
heaven for the ransomed. but do not
think it. / 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. do not think we will
come back, except as ministeriDg spir-
its 10 help those who remain in the
earthly struggle or perhaps to look al
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 new minute, every
hour . new hour, every esnfury Q psw
senfnEy, 0th<T folks have. sSHs asss