The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-05-23
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
The Weekly Disooursss Of tie Great
BROOKLYN Preacher.
subject; "Oths Dnys Lived
Overs

Deu,eruhomy VIII, :.
Before entering on my subject l wish
to say that some newspaper correspondents,
referring TO recent sermon in which | well
coined foreign nationalities TO this country,
have said that | advocated as a desirable
thing the intcrmarriage OF the white and
black races, never said so, never thought
so, and any one who SO misrepresents that
sermon is either q villain or fool, perhaps
both.
But to open this mornings subject have
to say God in the text advises the people to
look back upon their past history II win do
us all good to rohearse the scenes between this
May morning and our cradle, whether 1t was
rocked in country or in town. A few days
ago, with my sister and brother, visited the
place OF my boyhood. II was ono of the
most emotional and absorbing days of my
lfo. There stands the old house, and as
l went through the rooms l said; II could
lind my way hero with my eyes shut,
although have not been here in forty years
There was the sitting room where q largo
family group every evening gathered, tho most
OF them now in n better world. There was the
old barn where we hunted for Easter eggs, and
the place where the horses stood. There is
where tho orchard was, only three or four
trees now left of all the grove that once bore
apples, and such apples too. There is the
brook down which we rode to tho water
ropc halter, We also visited the cemetery
where many of our kindred are waiting for
the resurrection the old people side by side,
inter journey together of sixty years, only
about three years between the time of their
going, There also sleep the dear old neigh
bors who used to tie their horses under the
shed of the country meeting house and
SIT at the end of the pew, singing
Duke Street. and "Balerma,n and
antioch" Oh, they were glorious
race of men and women who did their work
well, raised splendid lot of boys and girls,
and are now rs TO their bodies in silent neigh
borhood on earth, but as to their souls in iubi.
liant ne,ghborhood before the throne of God.
:! feel that my journey and visit last week
did me good and it would do you all good IL
not IN person then in thought, TO revisit the
scenes of boyhood or girlhood. "Thou shalt
remember all the way which the Lord thy God
led thee"
Youth is apt too much to spend all its time
in looking forward. Old age is apt too
much to spend ell its time in looking back
ward, People in mid-life and on the apex
look both ways. 1t would be well for us,
think, however, to spend more time in
"reminiscences By tho constitution of our
nature we spend most of the time looking
forward, and the vast majority of this audi
ence live not so much in the present as in the
future. l find that you mean to make
q reputation, you mean to establish your
sell, and the advantages that you expect to
achieve absorb great deal of your time But
see no harm in this if it does not make YOU
discontented with the present or disqualify
you for existing duties.
1t is a useful thing sometimes to look back.
and to see the dangers we have escaped, and
70 see the sorrows we have suffered, and the
trials and wanderings of our earthly pilgrim
agc aii>. to sum up our enjoymentS. Imean
this morning, so far as God may help me, to
sur up your memory of the past, so that In
the review you may be encouraged, and
humbled, and urged to pray.
There is chapel in Florence with a fresco
by Gmdo. 1t was covered up with two
inches of stucco until our American and Eu-
ropean artists went there, and after long toll
removed the covering and retraced the
treSco. And am aware that the memory
OF the past, with many of you, is oil covered
up with ten thousand deliberations, and /
propose this morning, SO far as the Lord
may help mo, to take away the covering, that
the old picture may shine out again.
"a want to bind in one sheaf all your past
advantages, and want to bind in another
sheaf all your past universities. 1t lisa precious
harvest and must be cautious how swing
the scythe
Among the greatest advantages Of your
past life was an early home and its surround
ings The bad men of the day,
for the most part, dip their heated
passions out of the boiling spring of
an unhappy home, We,are not surprised to
OF sin, when we hear his mother was aban.
doned, ard that she made sport of his in
trinity. and often called him 'the lame
brat" He who has vicious parents has to
fghtlevery inch of his way if he would MAN.
tam his integrity, and at last reach the home
OF the good in heaven.
Perhaps your early home was in the city.
1t may have been in the days when Canal
Street, New York, was far UP town and the
site OF this present church was an excursion
| into the country. That old house in the city
| may have been demolished or changed into
stores, and it seemed like sacrilege to
you, for there was more meaning in
that plain house. in that small house,
than there is in granite mansion or tur-
reted cathedral. Looking back this morning
you see it as though it were yesterday-the
sitting room, where the loved ones sat by the
] plain lamplight, the mother at the evening
stand, the brothers and sisters, perhaps long
ago gathered into the skies, then plotting
mischief on the floor or under the table your
father with affirm voice commanding a silence
that lasted half minute.
tsf huT y6 g2pd mddS Ss always ahd
soothing salve to heal it. If you wer'
wronged in the street, your father wa
always ready to protect you. The year wa.
one round of frolic and mirth Your creates
trouble was like an April shower, more sun
shine than shower. The heart had not beer
ransacked by troubles, nor had sickness
broken it, and no lamb had warmer sheep
fold than the home in which your CHILDHOOD
| nestled.
Perhaps you were brought up in thu
country. You stand now to-day in memory
under the old tree You dubbed it fol
fruit that was not quite ripe because 20,
couidnt wait any longer You hear tn
brook rumbling along over the pebbles
You step again into the furrow where you
father in his shirt sleeves shouted to the lazy
oxen. You frighten the swallows from
the rafters of the barn, and take jus
one egg, and silence your conscienc
by saying they won't miss it, Yo,
take q drink again out of the very buckle
that the old well fetched up You go for tn
COWS at night, and find them wagging thei
heads through tho bars. Oftimes in the dust,
and busy surcets You wish you were hom
again on that cool grass, OF in the rssg car
peted hall Of tho farmhouse, through Shicl
there was tho breath Of he " mown hay ca tn
blossom Of buckwheat
You may have in your windows now beau
tiful plants and flowers brought from :.aeos
the seas, but not one OF them stirs in y7ul
soul so much charm and memory as tbs sat
Ivy and the yellow suniower that stoo.. san
tinel along tho garden wall, and the fos est
me-nots playing hide-aEd-seek mid the ION,
grass. The father. who used to come il. ttIn
burnt from the fields and sit down, on tn
doorsill and wipe the sweat from his brow
may have gone to his everlasting rest
The mother, who used 10 sit at tn
door little bent over cap and spectacle
on, her face mellowing with tho vicssitude
OF many years, may havc put down her gra,
head on the pillow In the valley, but forge
that home you never will. Have you Thanked
God for itS Have you rehearsed all thes
blessed "reminiscences Oh thank God for
Christian father; thank God for a Christian
mother; thank God for an early Christiai
altar at which you were taught to ltneel
thank God for an early Christian home.
bring to mind another passage in the his
tory Of your life. The day came when 70,
Get up your own household. The days pnsse,
along in quiet blessedness. You twain sat O
the table morning and night and talked owe
your plans for the future. Tho most insign
cant affair in your life became the subject Q
mutual consultation and advisoment. Yo
were SO happy you felt you never coul
be any. happier. Ono day dark c1ou
hovered over your dwelling and it &c
darker and darker, but out of that cloud lib
shining messenger of God descended TO il,
carnate an immortal spirit. Two little foe
started Oh All eternal Journey, aud you wer
to lead them-a gem TO flash IN heaven