The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-25
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON
BY TIE Rgv. FRANK DE WITT rAlMAeE. D. D.

built? The Bible distinctly tells this in Joshua if b: For her house was upon the town wall and she dwelt upon the wall" Now as this house was built upon the wall, what happened when the be- siegtng army marched in? Why, that part of the wall where Rahab's 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, for if 1t had with the tumbling of those mighty rocks Rahab and her fathers household surely would have been instant ly killed. You say, "Rahab and her house. hold were saved by the Hebrew soldiers or account of the scarlet thread placed in the window" Iris true; God does work through human agencies. But I say, Rahab was also saved because. God held up that wall, upon the top of which stood Rahab's nome. can you not see that God in answer to prayer cares for the physical well being of man as well as the spiritual?
 Do you feel that 1t is a silly or useless act to go and kneel by the little crib of your sick child and say, 70 God. make my baby well, If 1t be thy will?" Was not the life Of Hezekiah prolonged fifteen years through his praying to God? Do you thing it an absurdity when you are about to start on long voyage to kneel and say. 70 Lord, thou who dost govern the winds and dost hold the seas in the palms of thy hands guard us and care for us as we blow through the traekless deep?' Was not the Mayflower protect ed on her Journey to the American shore because John Robinson and his band of followers started the pilgrim fathers with the pleadings of prayer? In an old book I once saw picture called 'The Pray CTS for the Crusaders" There at the foot of the cross lnelt the wives, sisters, moth CTS and children. while off in the dis tance you could see the armies marching toward the eastern capital of David. An, yes: may every one of our homes be liv- Ing picture of "The Prayers for the Cru saders!" May we pray for the safety of our loved ones. May we pray for the restoration of health to the sick. May we pray that God shall guard the bodies of our dear ones. even as God was the Saviour of Rahab and her fathers house. held, upon the top of the heaving, rock ing, tumbling and shattered walls of Jeri- cho, at the mercy of an invading host.
 A Practical Application.
 But was this Rahad's only reward? Nay. God not only saved Rahab, but also all the property that she and her fathers household bad God saved Rahab s body. her clothes and her money and her jewels and her house and her food. In other words, by this rescue or Rahap God seems to come to us and say, TT you will only trust me and live for me, will look after your food and clothing and house rent and chldren's education and all that you need in Q temporal sense" Therefore. if God is to be our ten poral provder, we should never he willing to enter into any commercial or business dealings of life without first kneeling to ask his guidance and help. Now, some church leaders do not believe this. They seem to think that prayers to God are appropriate for the church all tar and for the home but not for the merchants office or the mechanic bench. They can understand how missionary, like Judson or Livingstone or Brainard. could kneel and ask Gods blessing upon the lands which they are to visit, but they think they have no right to ask God to help them select their wardrobe or the books they are to read or the food they are to eat. I remember some months ago reading an excoriating article in one Of our large religious weelxes. The writer vas denouncing the address of one Of our leading -evangelists, who spoke as follows "I never make move but l ask Gods blessing. When I go to meeting I say. o God, bless this meeting tonight for the salvation of many souls. And even when I go to a clothing store l all ways say, 70 God, help me to make right selection of my clothing.
 Now" said this newspaper, "the idea of any minister bringing this idea of prayer to such a ridiculous comparison as that" I am not using the exact worlds but merely conveying the thought of what that article expressed. But as l read that article I asked myself these ques- fc ,.fy1t ba oOcnaI gelist or the newspaper editor? If 1t is right to ask Gods blessing upon the great things of life, is it not important also to ask his blessing upon the little things? If we ask Gods blessing up- on the food we eat at the table, shall we not ask his guidance in the selec- ton of our wardrobe and In the house In which we shall live and the books we shall read?" An yes, Gods hand is to be seen in the saw ing of Rahabs property Gods hand should also be seen in the building of our business and in the growing of our harvests and in the pictures which adorn our walls I believe 1t is just as important for two men who are about to form a business partnership to kneel and ask Gods blessing upon their business as 1t is for a young man and woman at the marriage alter to kneel and ask Gods blessing upon their marital partner ship. And Joshua saved Rahab the har- lot alive and her fathers household and all that she had" Is not our financial prosperity due to Gods guidance as well as our spiritual affiliations?
 But l not only find Raham saved phy- sically and fnan eially. but also spiritual- ly We can prove this not only by the old Testament but also by the new. In the Old Testament we hear Ranab saying to the Hebrew spies, For the Lord your God. he Is God in heaven above and in earth beneath" while in the book of James we read these words: Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she received the messen gers and had them sent out another way?" I cannot go into detail to show how she was converted, but l can assert this conversation as a fact And l can also go further and say that when Rahab was saved spiritually her fathera house. hold was also saved spiritually. Let me take you out for little while upon the Jericho walls. Never was besieging host more ridiculed than the Hebrew army. When Joshua and his troops first came in sight the women ran to cover. The men in their mailed armor took thein positions upon the walls. The great stones were placed in piles, ready to be dropped upon the heads of the besiegers as they, with scaling ladders. might try to climb to the top. The swords were sharpened, the spears were glistening in the sun. But great was, the suprise of the garrison when they saw the besieging army form int line and follow few priests as they marched around the city, all keeping step
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