Milford chronicle., 1906-03-23
Calnaqe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank be Witt Talmase. D. D.


The influence we may exercise to brinl
others into the kingdom are illustrates
in the familiar story of Rahab. Th
text is Joshua vi, 25: "And JOshu'
saved Rahab the harlot alive and hel
fathers household and all that she
had"
Rahab's History.
Now. you know the history Of Ra-
nab. As Rahab has always been taken
rs the symbol of the sinner saved by
grace. l want to describe to you Ra-
hab's reward and how this reward can
apply in a spiritual and in temporal
sense to our own lives. Rahab, on ac-
count of her faith in God. had her ma
aerial reward. Not only was she per-
sOnally saved, but the lives Of her IA
fher and mother and sisters and broth
ars were also saved. You may remem-
Der the story of the siege of Weinsberg.
Emperor Konrad III. laid siege to this
famous German castle Week after
week his army lay encamped before
those impregnable walls until Mt last
the garrison was starved into submis-
Rion. Then the commander of Veins
berg made an agreement with Kon-
rad that the fortress and all 1t contain
ed should be surrendered, with the ex-
celftQn of the women and what each
woman could carry away upon her
back. KOnrad agreed. On the day OF
the capitulation a wonderful sight was
seen. When the city gates were thrown
bpen each woman came forth carrying
upon her back her greatest treasure.
This treasure was not a bag of gold,
but was the body of her father or hus'
band or son or brother. Emperor KOn-
rad was so touched at their devotion
and love that he allowed these women
with their burdens to go free. Cen
turtles later In the year Of 1920 Queen
Charlotte Of Wurttemberg built upon
this same hill where once stood the |
castle of Weinsberg a ''hOme" or ire !
treat for the women Of the present
day who have been distinguished for |
self sacrifice for their loved ones. But I
though the women of Welnsberg each
saved a husband, a father, a brother
br a son, / want to tell you that Ra-
hab of Jericho did far more than that.
Through her faith in God she was the
means of saving the lives Of her IA
fher and mother and brothers and sis
fers. She carried forth out Of that
destroyed city not one, but many,
dear ones. She saved the lives Of her
whole family.
Nonsense" says some one to me;
nonsense. II was not through the
help of God that Rahab saved the fam
aly. They were saved on account Of the
bargain she made with Joshua's spies,
After she had hidden these two spies in
her home and saved their necks from
the pursuers she made them take an
oath to save her and her fathers house
hold, They had to do 1t, being bound
by their sacred oaths. Then. in order
10 make her rescue more certain, the
two spies said, place a scarlet rope in
your window and our soldiers will not
hurt you when they enter the town to
search it.. Rahab did this, and she
was saved. God had nothing to do
With it. That is just the way with you
Christians. If a man is sick and you
pray over him, then you say God makes
the invalid well. The simple fact is
the man would get well, whether you
prayed over him or no."
Yes, my friend, know that it is the
common idea. You are exactly in the
same position as a prominent professor
Of one of our large state universities
who, short time ago, said to his class:
''YOung gentlemen, prayer has abso-
lutely nothing to do with the outcome
Of the natural world. When the condi-
tions are right for it to rain, the rain
comes. When the medicines are taken
and the fever has run its course, the
patient gets well, and 1t makes but
little difference whether the sick man is
a Mohammedan or Christian. When
the tornado has blown itself out, the
storm ceases, and not before. Prayer
may have its influence on the spiritual
world, but 1t has absolutely no infu-
ence in the material" Now, take
issue with those who hold such ideas.
God does rule the material. And God
does ClauBe Lne outcome Ol tue udle-
rial. This ancient story Of preservation
of RaAab in the destruction of Jericho
Is a symbol Of what has taken place
many times in history and of events in
your career and in mine.
How Rahab Was Saved.
You say Rahab was saved by Josh
mas army? She was saved by the pro-
tecting hand Of God alone. Did you
ever stop to consider where Rahab's !
house was built? The Bible distinctly |
tells this in Joshua ii, 10: For her
house was upon the town wall, and she
dwelt upon the wall" Now, as this
house was built upon the wall, what
when the besieging army
In? why, that part Of the
wall where Rahabs house was and
where she gathered her father and |
mother and brothers and sisters was (
left standing. God did not allow that
part Of the city wall to totter and fall,