The Yale expositor., 1902-01-03
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
THE BLESSINGS or HUMILITY SHOWN
IN THIS DISCOURSE.
In Eloquent words II Told How
Throaghout che Ages Arrogance Has
Keen Reinked 80 Evening of Life
frightened by tho Love of God.

frightened by tho Love of God
Copyright. 1901. by Louis TIiopsch. ~. "
Washington, Dec. 29.-While this
discourse OF. DIR. Talmago rebukes ar
rogance, IL encourages humanity end
shows how the evening OF life may be
frightened. The text is Kings Xxx,
II, Let not him that girdeth on his
harness boast himself as he that put
teth Il on
The text makes comparison be-
tween a man enllsting for some war
and a veteran returning. the one put
ting on the armor and tho other put
ting Il of.
Benhadad. the king OF Syria. thought
he could easily overcome the king OF
Israel. Indeed. the Syrian was so sure
OF the victory that he spread an ante
bellum banquet. There were In all
thirty three kings at the carousal. and
their condition Is described in the
Bible not as convivial or stimulated
exaltation. but drunk. Benhadad sends
officers over To the king OF Israel de-
handing the surrender OF the city. say
ing. Thou shalt deliver me thy sill
yer and thy gold and thy wives and
thy children" and aftorward sends
other officers. saying that the palace
OF the king will be searched and ev-
erything Bcnhadad wants he will take
without asking. Then the king OF Is
rael called a council OF war. and word
Is sent back 90 Benhadad that his I'M
reasonable demand will be resisted
Then Benhadad sends another message
20 tho king of Israel, a message full
OF arrogance and bravado Then the
king OF Israel replied 90 Benkadad.
practically saying; Let me see you
do what you say. You huzza too soon.
Let not him that girdeth on his har-
ness boast himself as be that putteth Il
on"
An avalanche Of courage and right
eousness. tho hraelitish army came
down on Bcnhalad and his host II
was hand TO hand fight. each Israel
ite hewing down n Syrian. Benhadad.
on horseback. gets away with some of
the cavalry, but IS only saved FOR a
worse defeat. In which 100000 Syrian
infantry were slaughtered In one day.
Now we see the sarcasm and the cpl
grammatic power OF the message OF
my text sent by the king OF Israel 20
Benhadad. Let not him that girdeth
on his harness boast himself as he that
putteth IL off.
All up and down history we see such
too early boasting II will be my OBJ
feet. among other lessons. 20 show that
he who puts OF the armor. having I'm
ished the battle. IS more 20 be con
graduated than he who begins.
First find encouragement in this
subject for the aged who have got
through the work and struggle Of
earthly life. With more or less furti.
tudo You passed through the crises OF
pain and sadness and disappointment
and fatigue and SIN live 10 recount
the divine help that sustained you. st
twenty or thirty years Of your age nj
the tap OF the drum you put on the
harness. Now. az sixty or seventy or
eighty. you are peacefully putting II
OF. You would not want 20 try the
battle OF life over again. So let ell OF
the aged In peace with God. through
the blessed Christ, cultivate content
ment and thank the Lord their Sedan
has been fought and the war Is over
/ let not him that girdeth on his har-
ness boast himself as he that putteth
/ Il on"
There are old farmers who cannot do
one more days work. What harvests
| they raised In 1870! What droughts
what freshets. what insectile invasion
they remember! To clothe and feed
and educate the household they went
through tolls and self sacrifices that
the world knew but little about. Rest
aged man. Let the boys do the shov.
cling and thrashing and cutting and
sweating. You have put The harncs,
on. and do no: try 10 put IL on again
There arc old mechanics that can nc
moro shove the plane or pound with
the hammer or bore with the bit OF
run Up the ladder 10 the scaffolding
You have right To quit. You have
finished your task. BE thankful that
your work Is done.
Then there are aged physicians
What tragedies OF pain and accident
they have witnessed! How much sui
fering they have assuaged. How
many brave battles they have fought
with lancet and cataciysm, How many
fovors they cooled, How many broker
bones they set. God comfort and bles,
the old doctors. allopathic. homco
pathio hydropathic and eclectic. ant
make them willing "a DO out of prac
tioei Before long they will hear th,
benodiction OF him who said. Il wa
slck. and ye visited me"
And there are the old ministers
Once they were foremost IN gene al az
semblics and conferences and assocla
lions. Now they have stopped preach
Ing. for thcir breath Is short. or thei
nerves are a-jangie. or they lose thei
thread Of discourse or suffer from con
fusion OF ideas. Cheer up. aged dom
lnics and doctors, The Bible says Co
g,r,.fu rur aims thart ~, ..,.... .