The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-17

DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON


stfoyed. The wife said Father. l have something l would like to tell thee The iinsl answered, say on. Father, you say my husband will go to hell if he con- tihues to go to the Waldensian church. want to tell you what our home was oelore ne went there and found Christ wy huspand was a drunkard. He used to work long enough to make q little Inohey. Then it would all go for drink. We mad not home, except a hoveL Then as would come to that hove when he ] was trunk and beat me and knock me down. Often, both by night and by day, nave heard my children crying with | hunger, and l had no bread. But since l my husband found Christ in the Walden sian church we do not live in a hovel, but ] In house. We have a carpet upon the l hoor We have enough food to eat h. stead of my children running around half naked they now have clothes and can go | to school. Every morning he kisses me soodpy before he goes to work. When the ! twilight sets in he always comes home to greet me with a smile and to pet the children. When Saturday night comes he brings me home his wages and throws the money into my lap as he says, There, Wife, are enough funds for rent and cloth Ing and meat for the coming week Then the wife. with tears streaming down her cheeks, said. Now, father, if finding Christ in the Waldensian church means all that to our home do you not believe 1 had better let my dear husband go and find 1 Christ there a little longer?"
 Emancipation From Sin.
 "Ah, yes,' l said to myself when I heard that story true gospel eonseera- tlon means more than spiritual salvation beyond the grave. True gospel conseera- | ton means emancipation from sin, and eiaaneipation from sin means dresses for our babies and food for our dining rooms and books for our library shelves and car pets for slrK floors and beds in which to sleep When Joseph gave himself in loyal service to God he got all these. And, my friends, if you consecrate your life to Jesus Christ you will get all these also. DO not talk to me about Christianity be- Ing financial failure. The most expen- slve altar at which man ever wor- shipper is the altar of sin. May God help us, In Christ's name, to be His true and faithful servants, sincerely deslrous of doing His will in all circumstances, and 1 then we shall be blessed, whether we are in diversity or financially prosperous, as was Joseph.
 step further in the analysis of "a pros- porous life' we find Joseph not only rich | enough to meet his financial obligations 1 but we also find him enormously rich in the affections of his friends. He never | seems to come near to any one but at once l His employer loves him. His fellow ser wants love him. His old father does on ] nm. Even his jealous brothers, who at first did everything to destroy him; are lead to reverence him. And though you today may praise Joseph, the interpreter the dreams; Joseph, the farslghted states | man; Joseph, the wonderful manager of IsPotiphar's household, I praise Joseph, the | loVable friend, for without the love of l the associates with whom we are sur rounded every worldly success is "as sounding brass or tinlxling cymbal" Love Is the center, the circumference the nadlr and the zenith of all true peace and happiness Love is the miraculous magician which can change the deserts of trouble into oases of joy and make even 'the dying bed feel soft as downy pillows are The story is told that during our CIVIL war soldier boy was dying. He was only a boy of fifteen. oh" said the land, ''I am going to die, and there Is no one here to love mel If l only had my dear ones here" The nurse said: My boy, l love you. Let me take your loved 1 ones place.. Then she stopped over and | kissed him, An" said the boy, that feels | like lovei Kiss me again" Then he looked at another nurse as he said: Wont you kiss me too? do not think 1t would be so hard to die if l could feel that you both love me?" No, 1t is not very hard to bear the burdens of life if we feel that those who are near at hand love lis and are syrnpathlzng with us. Dou you not read between the lines how Josephs loved ones clung to him because he was always true to them.
 A Sad Story.
 It is only by loving others that others learn to love us Some years ago a | steamer was wrecked on Lake Pontchar- | train. Among the passengers was a fam | ilty al rfx hi I tI,~ mother. The father was a powerful swim l mer First he took his wife in his arms and swarm toward shore. Then he came | back five different times and took off a | child each time. But now his strength was almost gone. Only one child mained. Only one. and yet the question was, Could he save him? The father swan out to the ship and called to his youngest boy: Jimmie jump. It Is papa, | Jump! The boy jumped into the sea. All | that the father then could do was to clasp his last child in his arms and both sank together into watery grave. You say "a sad tsory." Yes, but to me a beauti- ful story. It is the story of family devo- tion. It is the story of father loving his | way into the hearts of his children and children giving back their love to the father. Such is Josephs life to me. Wher- ever I turn he seems to be loving his way into the hearts of his associates His heart | Stthis lo Dt sp ulS that IL chH loISlNe every enemy and love every one. and al- most every one ways compelled to love him. My friends are you like Joseph, rich in the worlds affections Do you love people? Do people love you?
 But Joseph was rich also in his oppor- tunities of doing good to others. When a child he dreamed strange dreams He had his brothers sheaves lowing down to worship his sheaf and his brothers stars doing obediance to his star. When he became a man those dreams were liter ally fulfilled. What happened when he became prosperous? Did he strut around the room and say: Think of what I have accomplished Think of how men are cringing the knee to me.' Nay. He prac- tically made the same prayer of thanks giving which Jenny Lind, the Swedish nightingale, made when she first found out she had a throat filled with golden notes of perfect musical haromines. He said "Oh God I thank thee for the prosperity with which thou hast blessed me With my talents may I honor thee by serving my fellow men," And did he not honor God by noble, self sacrificing service?
 Picture him down in Egypt as prime minister of Pharaoh. He could have made millions upon millions of dollars for him self during the seven years of plenty. Did he do It? Nay He gathered together the corn. He stacked 1t up in graneries Then when the seven years of want came and the starving people began to cry, Bread
 bread, Give us bread!' Joseph opened the granaries and said: Here friends.