Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-05-27
Calnnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmage. d. ID.

logical progression and elimination. is
today the theme of the preacher. The
text is Joshua vii. %, "And all Israel
stoned him with stones"
Few people have any adequate con-
ception OF the wealth and the luxury OF
the ancient peoples of the east. Ever
and anon In our own day the newspa-
pers contain accounts of the foolish ex-
travagances OF the scions of wealthy
families, who show even greater genius
in their ability to dissipate and scatter
their enormous fortunes than their an
cestors did in the accumulation OF their
wealth BY frequent repetition so pro-
sale and commonplace have these ac-
counts become that special trains, pri-
vate yachts and banQuets costing ten
and even twenty thousand dollars for
a few selected friends attract the read
ers of the many newspapers hardly
more than a passing notice. But even
the Widest eXtravagances of modern
times cannot equal those of the an
clients. Then not only did Stricca and
his friends move around their palaces
I'm slippers OF gold, but when out rid
ing they bestrode horses shod with sill
Yer. II perchance one of these silver
shoes should be wrenched from or a
horses hoof the supercilious and AFRO
CANT young Roman mobiles commanded
their servants to leave it lying in the
dirt rather than stop the cavalcade to
pick it up.
Extravagant were the ancients In the
matter OF personal apparel. Pliny the
elder makes mention of an instance
he knew Of bridal dress which was
made entirely OF the most precious
Kind of pearls. which were strung to-
gether, costing over 10000, 900 sestertii.
or about S1.T20.000 in American coin.
Among the famous collections of per-
sonal apparel exhumed from the buried
cities OF the east by Dr. Heinrich
Schliemann. the noted German archae-
ologist. we find that the ancient peo-
pies Of Troy and Mycenae once wore
Wristbands OF gold. necklaces OF gold
and tiaras of precious stones, which
glittered like the stars of midnight
Extrayagant were the ancient peo-
pie OF the east in their menu, as well
as In the adornments of their banquet
halls. Caius Suetonius TranQuillus,
the Roman historian and biographer.
makes mention OF one supper given I'm
honor of Nitellius, where there were
served up TO the guests at one sitting
1000 most delicate fishes and 1000
birds. while one immense dish, called
the shield" was composed entirely OF
the brains OF pcacocks and parrots.
Suetonius also records the fact that
fabulous sums were squandered each
year in the Roman capital and the
mobiles might banquet off the tongues
or nightingales. Like the Count OF
Monte-Christo. they had all the most
delicate tropical productions brought
TO their tables in midwinter as well rs
during the summer months.
Opulent but wicked Jericho.
The traveller in the far east as he
roams through the ruins OF ancient cit
les realizes how costly those ancient
palaces must have been, even as from
n broken column or the Alhambra you
can infer how beautiful must have
once been the palaces OF the Spanish
Moors. So in Imagination you may
picture the costly vases OF myrrhne,
the priceless robes OF silk. the heaps
OF Damascus rugs centuries old, the
sword hilts jeweled with diamonds and
other precious stones, the garments
woven out or thread OF gold and the
emptied treasure vaults. with their
countless prizes scattered about the
palace halls in untold profusion on the
day that Jericho fell. Jericho was al
ways noted among the ancients as n
city OF fabulous wealth. But, though
Herod the Great afterward erected his
palaces in this "City OF the Palm
Trees" and though il was for n time
The home OF Mark Antony and Cleo
patra, yet perhaps in all its history
Jericho was never more opulent than
on the day before its walls tottered be-
fore the blasts OF the priests rams
horns.
But though the wealth OF this cap
tured eastern capital was pgodigious,
vet not one atom Of gold, not one yard
OF silk, not one rug, not one diamond.
was to be taken by the Hebrew SOL
oilers for their own use. God told
Joshua he would give this city into his
soldiers hands. but all the spoils OF
war OF this city were to be Gods and
Gods alone. But the night after the
battle one Hebrew soldier. instead of
staying Ia his own company and doing
what he ought TO have done. allowed
his sinful curiosity to get the better OF
him. He went out among the ruins on
his own account and began to explore
Then. as he saw the piled up heap of
wealth, his heart began to covet what
was not his. but Gods. When he
thought no one was looking. he stole
beautiful Babylonish garment. 2oo
shekels OF silver and wedge of gold
and went and hid them in his tent.
After many days this theft was ex-
posed Swift condemnation followed
and "aii Israel stoned him with stones
What interest can that ancient crime
be 60 us or the twentieth century? II
concerns us as n type OF the sins OF
every age. Trace the progression OF
evil in Achan's time. and you will find
the four stages by which sin stiK
comes to elimination ia the lives al
the criminals OF our day. From Ia
inception to its tragic close 1t is ever
1he same. and. though In this world IL
sometimes escapes detection and pun
ishment. in the end it incurs the right
eous Judgment OF God.
The Lust OF the Eye.
The first stage in Achan's fatal course
was what the apostle describes as 1.-The
lust OF the eye" Achan's curiosity was
excited. He wanted 10 see the wonder
full treasures which were TO be conse-
Grated to the Lord. His first step in
the downward path which ended in his
destruction was taken when he rose
from among his sleeping comrades, and.
slipping past the guards, he wendell his
way among the shattered walls of the
captured city. 1t was one act for
Achan with sword and spear and shield
TO fight his way into that doomed CAP
ital, swarming with enemies, but il
was another act, after the battle was
won, for this brave soldier to arise az
night and crawl INST fha saDtinaIc aod