Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-21
Calrnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt ralmase. d. ID.

we story or an Ubiquitous bargain and
ihe use to which the tainted money
earned by 1t was put the preacher in
this sermon draws lessons of the evils
that come from avarice and cupidity.
The text Is Matthew xvii. s, 'where-
fore that field was called the field of
blood
A gEewsome fascination hovers about
the bricks, and the stones, and the
boards and the grounds where lived
and wrought some Of the worlds evil
workers. Island OF Blennerhassetl
Wonderful name, rich In historical as
sociaticnsi see the boats every spring
and summer and fall filed with sight
seers almost daily pushing out upon
the Ohio river to seek this little island
near Marietta. Why? Is il a summer
playground? Is 1t an Isle of Wight? Is
It's center mansion? Are its banks
terraced? Are its trees filed with
sweetest OF sorgsters as they were once
In the halycon days when it's owner,
Hartman Blennerhasset, took his bride
there and changed this island into an
Edenic garden, as Nebuchadnezzar,
who had courted Princess Amytis
among the hills Of Ecbatana, to humor
the whims OF his queen, had lifted high
for the wonderment of the world the
famous hanging gardens of Babylon?'
Oh, no. Blennerhasset island today is
or Little intrinsic value. A few scrub
trees, few rocks, perhaps a few how
els such az can be seen in scores of is
lands In the middle of this Ohio river,
are all the aesthetic beauties IL has to
offer to the landscape artist. But to the
historian Biennerhasset has the same
fascination as have the broken walls
OF henilworth castle. Blennerhnsset Is
immortal on account Of the infamous
history OF Aaron Burr. That is where
the ex-vice president stopped on his
way to establish a monarchy In the
great southwest. 1t has an evil fame
as the rendezvous OF the traitorous con-
spiratorp OF that day, just as Is that
house IN a side street OF Washington
In which Mary Z. Surratt welcomed
the thugs OF the later time who were
plotting the assassination Of Abraham
Lincoln.
The people in swarms used to 70 TO
an old fashioned New England house
where was kept a bloody shirt. the
relic OF dastardly deed OF the Revolu-
uonary war. As remember the story,
an American officer was surrounded
by the enemy while eating dinner in
this very house. When called upon TO
surrender he handed over his sword.
hiit first, to one of his captors. In
stead OF the British soldier receiving it
aud placing his captive under guard.
he took the sword and plunged IL
through the heart OF his helpless vic
him. The rent in the shire showed
where the sword had pierced its way
into the bleeding flesh. or course such
n eowardly act as this was condemned
10y the British army as we'll as by the
American. But the condemnation of
the murderer has not anything to do
with my thought. The one fact I want
10 impress upon you is this: Scores and
hundreds OF people naturally seek In
fascinated awe the places where n
great crime has been committed. The
star In the floor or the Pennsylvania
depot, where Garfield was shot. for
years had its thousands OF sIehtseers.
The scene OF the Chicago Haymarket
riot the place where Edward Stokes
shoe James Fisk, the sausage VAT
where Leutgert dlsintegratcd the BODY
OK bis murdered wife. all have had
their morbid sightseers even as the
room In which George Washington
preathed his last has its daily visitors.
'"The Field of Biood.v
crowds OF sightseers I'm Jerusalem
Tor years after the crucihxion went TO
the scene OF my text out of n morbid
curiosity. as the multitude seek the
island OF Blennerhasset. Indeed. had
they not gone out OF q morbid curIos-
ity they never would have gone Mt all.
Aceldama-that is TO say, the field OF
biood"-is net rs some people might
suppose. an Esdraelon plain where n
mighty battle was fought. 1T was IN
old potter's field. filed with clay. IL
was too poor ground to be used for
agricultural purposes. 1t had been
turned into a paupers' cemetery. Yet
this paupers' burial ground had for
years hosts OF sightseers. Why? Per
maps the best way TO answer you Is to
tell yeu what some OF the slghtseers
are now saying. Eyes, this Is ground"
says some one, "that was bought by
the priests with the thirty pieces of
silver Judas received for betraylng
Christ" "Aceldama-that is, the field
or biood"--says another; cit is well
named" Could we have a better sub-
Ject TO preach upon on the Sabbath
Good Friday than this not
ter's field, which became n paupers'
burying ground. bought with the money
Judas received for betraying Christ?
Aceldama, In the first place. teaches
as that there is no honor among thieves.
When man becomes n Satanic hire
ling he is not likely to be true to his
partners In infanly. A murderer in
order to save bis own neck, as a rule.
VIII turn states evidence against his
IN crime. A pickpocket
Will be Just as willing TO empty the
purse OF an associate as he IS to snatch |
the watch OF a bank president. 1t is
often Wanted that there Is honor |
among thieves, but experience proves
mat 1t Is vain boast. The thief has |
no honor. The evil spirit who seeks |
10 lead You into temptation Is the evil |
spirit who will desert you as soon as
you nave been caught In q fatal trap |
or are noundering in the quicksands of
shame.
No Loyalty TO kin.
A sly fox has no loyalty to her kin.
She has but one desire-to save her
own skin This characteristic is es.
true OF the Satanic devotees.
All that you have to do to prove this
premise is to study how this Acelda.
ma was purchased. For weeks and
months the priests were trying to de.
stroy Christ. They knew net how
hey might capture him, for they fear
"a the people. AT last one OF their
'pies came and said: "Ah, Ia, have
'oived the probleml One OF Christ's
lposties can be bribed. We will find
'nt where Christ is in hiding at night.
Then we will take some soldiers and
20 and arrest him and summon the
anhedrin and try him and convict
Inn and cruelty him before his friends
an come to the rescue. Here is my
nan at hand. What say you, Judas?