Milford chronicle., 1904-04-08
Talmage

BY ReO.
Frank De 6Oiff
TGIm age. D. D.

AOS Angeles, Gal. April 5,-ln this
sermon the Easter story receives &
new and beautiful setting. which ap
peals equally to the simple and the
learned. The text is Luke xiv, 81
"And their eyes were opened, and they
knew him, and he vanished out of
their sight"
Familiar truths become impressive
when presented in an unfamiliar way.
1t is therefore necessary for the
preacher to find new setting for the
gospel camera. whenever I wish
some lesson to be clearly remembered,
would wing it," once said Thomas
Guthrie, the great Edinburgh pulpiteer.
by gratifying the legitimate play of
the Imagination salient truth finds its
way more readily to the heart and
makes deeper impression on the
memory. The suggestive illustration,
like a float, keeps it from sinking; like
a nail, fastens it in the mind; like the
feathers Of an arrow, makes it strike,
and, like the bark, makes it stick"
"WindOws For Sermons" is the pointed
caption of book of sermonic illustra-
ton. Yes; we all need new windows
as well as clear windows through
which we can learn the great lessons
of gospel truth.
This is Easter day. The lessons with |
which the anniversary is fraught are !
at the very foundation of our faith. |
They are so momentous that the i'm
agination is overwhelmed by their i'm
port The facts are few, but how vital,
how significant they are! Let US try
to look at them from a different stand
point from that to which we are accus-
toned. Transporting ourselves in
thought to the city Of Jerusalem on
that eventful day we hear rumors
about the sitting of the sanhedrin, at
which the humble Nazarene was con-
demned, but we pay no attention to
them. l listen not to the excited re-
ports flying everywhere that the high
priest and his hirelings and the Off
GERS Of the law, led by the ApOstate
Judas. had captured Christ in the gar
den of Gethsemane. l ningle not with
the multitudes that are crOwdng the
courtroom, in which PLATE is the judge ,,
and Jesus the prisoner. l gaze not at
the awful scene when Christ hung
upon the cross and his dying lips part
ed in their last agony. l go not with :,
Mary down among the lilies to the :
tomb on the first Easter morn. But :
when the sunglow of Easter afternoon :,
las bathed the Judpan hills in great :
waves of light 1 would point you to a =
couple of pedestrians vending their !,
way from the Jerusalem capital to- =
ward the little village of Emmaus. As +
heSe two ordinarily dressed men walk a
n see them accOsted by third traV- -
Ter, who appeared over the hills. And ~
ow, as these three come nigh to the
illage l would see them enter hum
lie home. Then, while they are at
upper, l would show you why the ~
tranger revealed himself to these two "
isciples as the risen Christ. \,
Easter's Revelation. n
Easter afternoons revelation, in the N,
rst place, comes as a welcome en- i+
to all those who are ear ~,
estly andprayerfully trying to increase So
leir faith by reaching out for more IN
ght. 1t comes as a divine demonstra- tb
on that the prayer of broken heart NJ.
father once made to Christ, Lord. a,
believe; help thou mine unbelief," is 70
le of the most beautiful and yet hum do
e prayers Of earnest beseechment. 1t 90
a holy inspiration that though we N,
metimes in spiritual life have to f,,
ak as blind man feels his way ov
ong' step by step, yet if we go on mi
ustfully and prayerfully and hope or
ly Christ, after awhile will reveal NTs
nself to us in all his glory. tbl
Why do 1 entertain this hope? I find tio
ound for it in the fact that one Of bo,
e earliest appearances of Christ on 1op
Is first Easter day was to the two mn
IN who had doubted the fact Of his T.
'urrection. Christ, when upon earth, Oh,
alt with men as we deal in our loves co..,
tn our kill and kin. Supposing that +bo
vas young man and had gone of vs
a four years war. Supposing after orc.
long series of adventures 1 should | cho
ne back 10 my native town. Who | Ru,
uiu NC tuS HrSL person SlOulQ Sto
mt to see? Would l wish to go and tod,
first upon my school friends or and
IN merchant in whose store used r..
work as a clerk? Would care first can
see lay old society friends and the ,va
s with whom l used to play base VII
in the village lots? oh. no! If 1 tba
young man the person whom l ,.be
nd honor first with a visit would chill,
my mother and then my father and are
sisters. If l was a married man otbe
first person 1 would honor after a W
return home would be my Wife fuI
then my children. When the tele- ovor
n was handed to Abraham Lincoln "Cb,
flying him of his nomination for un.c
presidency by the Republican ma llste
convention assembled in Chicago YES.
first move Abraham Lincoln made Cbri
to put on his tall hat and say: erno
III. boys, there is a little woman up nigh