XI
SERMON:—THE STONE CUT OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN
(Text, Daniel 2:45.)
This rugged specimen of historical eloquence constituted the sermon delivered on Sunday afternoon, July 20, 1884. Jasper mounted the pulpit with the dash of an athlete and tripped around the platform during the preliminaries with the air of a racer. A sense of strength imparted to his face the triumphant glow. A smile parted his lips, and told the secret of an animated and aggressive courage.
“I stan’s befo’ you to-day on legs of iron and nun kin stay me from preachin’ de Gospil uv de Lord Gord. I know well nuff dat de ole devul is mad as a tempest ’bout my bein’ here; he knows dat my call ter preach kums frum Gord, and dat’s wat meks ’im so mad wen he sees Jasper ’scend de pulpit, fur he knows dat de people is gwine ter hear a messige straight frum heaven. I don’t git my sermuns out uv grammars an’ reterricks, but de Sperrit uv de Lord puts ’em in my mind an’ meks ’em burn in my soul.”
His manner was radiant, courageous, defiant, and was prophetic of one of his greatest discourses.
“It hev always bin one uv de ways uv Gord ter set up men as rulers uv de people. Yer know dat Gord ordains kings and rulers an’,—wat kinder bodders sum uv us,—He don’t always mek it a p’int ter put up good men. Yer know dat our Lord giv Judis a place ’mong de twelve, an’ he turn’d out ter be one uv de grandes’ raskils under de sun.
“Jes’ so Nebukidnezzur was pinted uv de Lord ter be king uv Babylon,—dat same robbur dat tuk de vessuls out uv de temple at Jerusalem an’ lugged ’em away ter his own country. Dat man had wun uv de powerfullest kingdums evur known on dis flat earth. He ruled over many countries and many smaller kingdums, an’ even had under his hands de servunts on de plantashun an’ de beasts uv de feil’. He was one uv dese unlimertid monnuks. He axed nobody no odds, an’ did jes’ wat he wanted ter do, an’ I kinnot stop ter tell yer wid wat a strong hand an’ outstretched arm he ruled de people wid an irun rod. It kum ter pass dat one time dis king dat did not fear Gord (tho’ Gord had sot him up), had a dream. Dreams iz awfully curus things. Dey used ter frighten folks out’n dere senses an’ I tell yer dey sometimes frighten folks now. I’ve had many dreams in my day dat got mity close ter me. Dey gravuled inter de very cords uv my soul, an’ made me feel lik de groun’ under my feet wuz libul ter giv way any time, an’ I don’t dout dat hundreds uv yer dat hear me now hev bin frightened an’ cud not eat nor sleep nor wuk wid any peace ’caus’ yer done hev strange dreams. Yer better watch dem dreams. In de anshient days de Lord spoke ter folks in dreams. He warned dem, an’ I don’t dout dat He duz dat way sometimes now.
“Neberkidnezzur’s dream stirred him powerful. He rolled all night an’ did not sleep a wink. So he sent out an’ got de magishuns an’ de strolgurs an’ de sorserers an’ de Kaldeuns, an’ dey wuz brought unter him. He tell ’em dat he had dreamed a dream dat had trubbled his sperrit. An’ de Kaldeuns axed him wat de dream wuz. De king say dat de dream done gone clear out’n him, an’ he can’t cotch de straight uv it ter save his soul. He tell ’em, moreovur, dat dey got ter dig up de dream an’ work up de meanin’ too, an’ dat ef dey don’t dat he gwine ter have ’em cut all ter pieces an’ turn dere houses inter a dunghill, an’ den he tell ’em dat ef dey will git de dream back fur him an’ give de explernashun he gwine ter give ’em nice gifs an’ put gret honurs on ’em. It waz too much fer de Kaldeuns. Dey cudn’t dream de king’s dream fer ’im, an’ dey kum squar out an’ tell Nebukidnezzur dat no man on de earth cud show sich a matter ter de king, an’ dat in dere erpinyun dar is no king on de earth dat wud ax fer sich a thing frum proffit or magishun.
“Den Nebukidnezzur got high. He went on a tare an’ yer know wen a king gits mad yer better git out er his way. He is got de power; an’ so he up an’ sent out a decree through all de regiuns uv de kingdom dat all de wise men everywhar shud be slain. Jes’ see wat a mad man will do wen he git furius mad. Dey got no mo’ sens dan a mad tiger or a roarin’ lion. Jes’ befo’ de slaughter uv de wise men kum on, Daniel hear ’bout it, an’ he axed de king’s captin wat it wuz all ’bout an’ why de king wuz so hasty, an’ de captin tol’ Dan’l all ’bout it. Dan’l brushed hissef up quick and struck out to see de king an’ ax him ter hol’ up de exercushun uv his bloody profesy, an’ he’d promise to splain his dream ter him. Den Dan’l goes off an’ gits all his Godly frien’s togedder an’ ax ’em ter pray ter de Gord uv heaven dat he an’ his frien’s shud not perish in de slaughter uv de tricksters uv dat country. One thing de Lord can’t do;—He can’t refuse ter answer de cries uv His people; an’ wen all dat prayin’ wuz gwine on Gord appeared to Dan’l in de nite an’ revealed ter him de secret uv de king,—an’ wat yer reckin? Wen de Lord giv Dan’l dat dream an’ de hinterpertashun dar of, Dan’l raised a gret shout an’ giv thanks to Gord for wat de Lord had done fer him. But he didn’t shout long, fer he had important bisnis ter attend ter; an’ very soon he went ter de king an’ kerried wid him de secrit dat de king had demandid at de han’s uv de erstrolgers an’ magishuns. He told de king rite ter his face de thing dat he had dreamed, an’ wat Gord meant by it. Truly Dan’l did behave hissef befo’ de king in a very pretty an’ becomin’ manner. He tel de king he did not hav no mo sens dan udder people, an’ dat he wuz not perpar’d to do things dat udder men cud do, but dat it wuz by de power uv Gord dat all dis matter had bin made known ter him. He tol’ de king dat wat he saw wuz a gret imige; dat de imige wuz brite an’ splendid an’ de form uv it wuz terrerbul; dat de hed wuz uv fine gold, his brest and arms uv silvur, his belly an’ thize uv brass, an’ his legs uv irun and his feet part uv irun an’ part uv clay. An’ he tel de king fudder dat he saw er stone dat wuz cut widout han’s out’n de mountin an’ dat de stone smote de imige erpun his feet an’ broke ’em in pieces, an’ dat de stone dat brok de imige became a gret mountin an’ filled all de wurl’. Den Dan’l,—dat brave an’ feerles bruther, dat nevur quailed befo’ de mitiest ruler uv de earth,—faced de king an’ tel ’im an orful an’ a warnin’ troof. He say ter ’im, ‘Yer is a gret king now. Yer hav er mity country an’ all power, an’ thy glory civers de groun’. Man an’ beas’ an’ foul obey yer. Yer iz de hed uv gold, but arter yer will kum anudder kingdum dat shall not be lik yourn, but still it shal be big an’ dar shall kum anudder kingdum and dar shall be a fo’th kingdum strong as irun, an’ dis kingdum shall brooz an’ smash all de udder kingdums.’
“An’ den Dan’l gits ter de big pint. He tels de king dat de Lord is gwine ter set up er kingdum an’ dat in de times ter kum dat kingdum shall crush an’ cornsume all de udder kingdums. Dat shall be de kingdum uv Gord on de earth, an’ dat kingdum shall stan’ fer evur an’ evur. You knows how yer saw de stone dat wuz cut out’n de mountin an’ how dat broke in pieces de irun, de bras, de clay, de silvur, an’ de gold, an’ my Gord hev made known ter you, O king, wat shall tek place in de gret herearter, and dis is de dream an’ de hinterpertashun dar of.
“Dat wuz a mity sermon dat Dan’l preached ter Nebukidnezzur. It ort ter hev saved ’im, but it look lik it med ’im wuss. De debbul got ’im fer dat time an’ he turn rite agin de Lord Gord an’ sot at nort His stashutes an’ countid His ways onholy.
“Yer know ’bout dat imige. It wuz med uv gold, an’ wuz threescore cubits high and six cubits wide, an’ twuz sot up in de plain uv Durer, not fer frum Bablun. Yer know er cubit is about eighteen inchis, an’ ef yer multerply dat by threescore cubits yer git 1080 inches, wich mean dat de imige wuz ninety foot high an’ nine feet broad. So yer see Nebukidnezzur got ter be a Gord-makur, an’ wen he got dis gret imige bilt he sont out ter git all de princis an’ guvnurs an’ all de res’ uv de swell folks ter kum an’ bow down an’ wurshep dat gret imige dat he had sot up. Now dis wuz de gret folly an’ shame uv de king. By dat deed he defied de Lord Gord an’ de raff uv de Lord wuz stirr’d agin ’im.
“An’ now, my brudderin, yer member Dan’l tol’ de king dat de imige dat he saw in his dream wuz ’imsef rulin’ over all de udder kingdums. He tol’ ’im also dat dat stone dat wuz cut out uv de mountin an’ kum rollin’ down de craggy sides an’ broke in pieces de irun, de brass and de clay, dat dat wuz de kingdum uv de Lord Jesus Christ. An’ he tel ’im, fuddermo, dat de kummin’ uv de stone ter be a great mountin means de growth uv de kingdum uv our Lord tel it shall fil dis wurl’ an’ shall triumf over all de udder kingdums. Dan’l tel de king dat his kingdum wuz gwine ter be taken frum him, ’caus’ he had not feared de Gord uv heaven, an’ in his folly an’ crimes he turned away frum dat Gord dat rules in de heaven an’ hols de nashuns uv de earth in de pams uv His han’s. He tol’ ’im dat de kingdum uv Satun, dat arch ennimy uv Gord, wuz gwine ter tumbul flat, ’caus’ dat stone cut out uv de mountin wud roll over Satun’s derminyuns an’ crush it in ter flinders.
“Glory ter Gord in de highis’; dat stone cut out uv de mountin is a mity roller. Nuthin kin stay its terribul progris! Dey dat fite erginst Jerhover had bettur look out,—dat stone is still rollin’ an’ de fust thing dey know it will crush down erpon ’em an’ dey will sink ter rise no mo’. Our Gord is er cornsumin’ fire, an’ He will overturn an’ overturn tel de foundashuns uv sin iz brokin’ up. Yer jes’ wait er little. De time is fas’ rollin’ on. Evun now I hear my Saviour sayin’ ter His Father, ‘Father, I kin stay here no longer; I mus’ git up dis mornin’; I am gwine out ter call My people frum de feil’; dey hav ben abused and laughed at an’ bin med a scoffin’ long nuff fer My name’s sake. I kin stay no longer. My soul cries fer My chillun. Gabrul, git down yer trumpit dis mornin’; I want yer ter do some blowin’. Blow gently an’ easy at fust, but let My people hear your goldin notes. Dey will kum wen I call.’
“Ah, my brutherin, you an’ I wil be dar wen dat trumpit soun’s. I don’ think I shall be erlarm’d, ’caus’ I shall know it iz my king marshallin’ His people home. It won’t frighten you my sisters; it will hev de sweetnis uv Jesus vois ter yer; an’, oh, how it will ring out dat happy mornin’ wen our king shall kum to gather de ransomed uv de Lord ter ’imsef. Den yer shall hev a new an’ holy body, an’ wid it your glorified sperrit shall be united, an’ on dat day we shall go in ter see de Father an’ He shall smile an’ say: ‘Dese iz My chillun; dey hav washed dere robes and made dem white in de blood uv de Lamb; dey hav kum out uv gret tribberlashun an’ dey shall be wid Me for ever an’ ever.’ I speck ter be dar.
“‘Well, Jasper,’ yer say, ‘why yer spec ter be dar. How yer know?’ Yer read de foteenth chapter uv John, will yer? ‘I go ter prepar er place fer yer,’ an’ dat word is ter rule; an’ so yer will see ole John Jasper rite dar, an’ King Jesus shall kum out ter meet us an’ tek us in an’ sho’ us de manshuns dat He hav prepared fer us.
“O Lusifer how thou hav fallin! You proud ones will find den dat your days iz over, an’ ye dat hav despised de chillun uv my Gord wil sink down inter hell, jes’ as low es it is posserbul ter git. Yer needn’t tel ’im dat yer hev preached in His name, an’ in His name done many wonderful works. Yer can’t fool Him! He’ll frown down at yer an’ say: I don’t know yer, an’ I don’t wan’ ter know yer, an’ I don’ wan’ ter see yer. Git out uv My site forever, an’ go ter your place ermong de lost.
“Ah, truly, it is a mity stone, bin rollin’ all dese senshuriz, rollin’ to-day. May it roll through the kingdum uv darknis and crush de enemis uv Gord. Dat stone done got so big dat it is higher dan heav’n, broader dan de earth, and deeper dan hell hitsef. But don’t be deceived. Don’t think dat I don’ let yer off. I got somethin’ more fer yer yit.
“Yer member Dan’l and Shadrick, Meeshick an’ Erbedniggo. Dey all stubbonly fused to bow down ter Nebukidnezzur’s golden imige. Dey stood straight up. Dey wudn’t bend a knee nor cruk a toe, an’ dem Kaldeeuns wuz waatchin’ um. Dat’s de way hit always iz; de debbul’s folks iz always er watchin’ us an’ tryin’ ter git sumthin’ on us an’ ter git us inter trubbul an’ wid too many uv us dey succeed. Dey saw dat Dan’l an’ his friens wud not git down lik dey dun, an’ up dey jumped an’ away dey cut an’ kum ter de king.
“Oh, king, liv ferevur,’ dey say. ‘Yer know, O king, wat yer sed,—dat dercree dat yer made, dat at de soun’ uv de kornit, de flute, de harp, de sackbut, de saltry an’ de dulsermur an’ orl kines uv musik, dat ev’ry body shud fall down an’ wurshep de goldin imige, an’ dat dose dat duz not fall down an’ worshep shud be put in de furnis; an’ now, oh, king, dey say dat a lot uv dose men dun refews. Dey doan regard yer. Dey hate yer Gods an’ spize de imige dat yer sot up.’
“Coarse de ole king got mad agin an’ in his fury dey brought dese three befo’ him. He axed um ef wat he had heerd ’bout um wuz so,—’bout dere not worsheppin’ de goldin imige. ‘Mayby yer med a mistake,’ de king say, ‘but we gwine ter hev it ovur agin, an’ ef wen de ban’ strikes up nex’ time yer will git down an’ worshep it’ll go eezy wid yer, an’ ef yer doant de fires in de furnis will be startid quick es litenin’ an’ inter it ev’ry one uv yer shall go.’
“Dese wuz yung men, but, ah, I tel yer, dey wuz uv de loyul stock. Dey wuz jes’ es kam es sunrise in de mornin’. Dey sed: ‘Oh, king, we ain’ keerful ter anser ’bout dis mattur. Ef yer lik ter cas’ us inter de furnis, our Gord dat we surv iz abul ter git us out. We ain’ gwine ter bow, an’ we nevur will bow ter your Gord, an’ yer jes’ es well understan’.’
“Rite den de men went ter heet up de furnis. Dey wuz tol’ ter heet it up sevun times hottur dan wuz de ginrul rule an’ dey hed sum jiunts ter tie Shedrak, Meeshik, an’ Erbedniggo, an’ dey tuk de yung men away inter de furnis. De heet wuz so terribul dat de flames shot out an’ sot fire ter de men dat had put de Hebru chillun in an’ de po’ retchiz wuz burn’d up, but not a hair uv de three yung men wuz sing’d, an’ dey kum out er smilin’ an’ not a blistur on um frum hed ter fut. Dey did not evun hev any smell uv fire ’bout dere pussuns, an’ dey luk jes’ lik dey jes’ kum out uv dressin’ rums.
“Neberkidnezzur wuz dar, an’ he say: ‘Luk in dat furnis dar. We didn’t put but three pussons in dar, did we?’ an’ dey tol’ ’im dat wuz so. Den he tun pale an’ luk skeered lik he gwine ter die an’ he say:
“‘Luk dar; I see fo’ men inside an’ walkin’ through de fire, an’ de form uv de fourth is lik de Son uv Gord,’ an’ it luk lik de king got kunvurtid dat day, fur he lif’ up his vois an’ shout de praiz uv de Gord uv Shedrak, Meeshik an’ Erbedniggo.
“Ah, gret iz dis story; dey dat trus’ in Gord shall nevur be put ter kornfushun. De righteous alwaz kums out konkerurs an’ more dan konkerurs. Kings may hate yer, frien’s spize yer, an’ cowurds bakbite yer, but Gord iz yer durlivrur.
“But I dun forgit. Dis ole time rerlijun iz not gud nuff fer sum folks in dese las’ days. Sum call dis kine uv talk foolishnis, but hif dat be troo den de Bibul, an’ hevun, an’ dese Christun’s hearts, iz ful uv dat kine uv foolishnis. Ef dis be ole fogy rerlijun, den I want my church crowdid wid ole fogiz.
“Wat did John see ober dar in Patmos? He say he saw de fo’ an’ twenty eldurs seatid roun’ de throne uv Gord an’ castin’ dere glittrin’ crowns uv gold at de feet uv King Jesus, an’ he say dat out uv de throne kum lightnin’ an’ thundurs an’ voicis an’ de sevun lamps burnin’ befo’ de throne uv Gord. An’ dar befo’ de throne wuz de sea uv glass, an’ roun’ ’bout de throne wuz de fo’ livin’ creaturs ful uv eyes befo’ an’ behine, an’ dey nevur ceas cryin’: ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, iz de Lord Gord almity dat died ter tek away de sins uv de wurl’!’
“Yer call dat ole fogy. Jes’ luk away ober yondur in de future. Duz yer see dat sea uv glass an’ de saints uv Gord dat wuz all bruised an’ mangul’d by de fi’ry darts uv de wickid. I hear um singin’! Wat iz dere song? Oh, how it rolls! an’ de korus iz: ‘Redeemed, redeemed, wash’d in de blud uv de Lam’. Call dem ole fogiz, do yer? Wel yer may, fer dey iz bin doin’ dat way frum de time dat Abel, de fust man, a saved soul told de news uv salvashun ter de anjuls.
“‘Wel, Jasper, hev yer got any rerlijun ter giv way?’
“I’se free ter say dat I ain’t got es much es I want. Fur forty-five years I bin beggin’ fur mo’, an’ I ax fur mo’ in dis tryin’ hour. But, bless Gord, I’s got rerlijun ter giv way. De Lord hev fil’d my hands wid de Gorspil, an’ I stan’ here ter offur free salvashun ter any dat wil kum. Ef in dis big crowd dar iz one lost sinnur dat hev not felt de klinsin’ tech uv my Saviur’s blud, I ax ’im ter kum terday an’ he shall nevur die.”