Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-08-13
1THE VACANT CHAIR. !"
DR.. TALMAGE breaches IN
LAKESIDE, OHIO.

AAubS1SU0e~ OOSDeE ~ hAcAT HE
Thrilling Sermon Taken from tho
Text-Thou Shalt ne Missed He.
GAUGE Thy Seat VIII be Empty.
LAKESIDE, O., July 19th-For many
years people have gathered in multi
tudes at this season of the year for a
great out-d Assembly. The grounds
are short sail from Sandusky. The
place is beautiful beyond description.
DR.. Talmage preached this morning in
this delightful place to vast multitude.
His subject was the Vacant Chair"
and his text, Samuel 90, Is: "Thou
shalt be missed, because thy seat will
be empty"
Set on the table the cutlery and the
chased silver-ware of the palace, for
King Saul will give n state dinner to-
day. A distinguished place is kept at
the table for his son-in-law, q cele-
brated warrior, David by name. The
guests, jeweled and plumed, come in
and take their places. When people
are invited to kings banquet, they
are very apt to go. But before the
covers are lifted from the feast, Saul
looks around and finds vacant seat at
the table He says within himself, per-
haps audibly, "What does this mean?
Where is my son-in-law? Where is
David, the great warrior? invited
him. expected him. What. a vacant
chair at the Kings banquet" The
fact was that David, the warrior,
time at his father In laws
table. The day before Jonathan had
coaxed David to 60 and occupy that
Nlooa ~ fhn 10 1o 10
the words of my text. Thou shalt be
missed, because thy seat will be
empty" The prediction was fulfilled.
David was missed. His seat was empty.
That one vacant chair spoke louder
than all the occupied chairs at the ban
quet.
But your fathers chair was sacred
place. The children used to climb up
on the rungs of it for a good night
kiss, and the longer he stayed
the better you liked it. But
that chair has been vacant
now for some time. The furniture
dealer would not give you fifty cents
for it, but it is a throne of influence in
your domestic circle. l saw in the
French palace, and in the throne room,
the chair that Napoleon used to oc-
cupy. 1t was a beautiful chair, but
the most significant part Of it was
the letter ''N' embroidered into the
back of the chair in purple and
gold. And your fathers old chair sits
in the throne room of your heart, and
your affections have embroidered into
the back of that chair in purple and
gold the letter "F." Have all the pray
ers of that old chair been answered?
Have all the counsels of that old chair
be IN practite1? Speak out. old arm
chair. History tells us of an old man
whose three sons We're victors
in the Olympic games, and when
they came back, these three
sons, with their garlands, put
them on the fathers brow, and the old /
nan was so rejoiced at the victories of
MS three children that he fell dead in
heir arms. And are you, oh man.
going TO bring a wreath of JOY and
christian usefulness and put it on your
ather's brow, or the vacant chair or
IN the memory of the one departed? |
speak out. old armchair. With refer
'nce to your father. the words of nv
ext have been fulfilled: Thou shalt
De missed, because thy seat will be
empty"
| go little further on in your house,
md l find the mothers chair. 1t is
cry apt to be roclling-chair She
lad SO many cares and troubles to
OOthe that it must have rockers
emember it well. 1t was an old chair,
nd the rockers were almost worn out, !
or l was the youngest, and the chair
lad rocked the whole family. 1t made
creaking noise as it moved;
mt there was music in the sound
that old chair has stopped rocking for
good many years. 1t may be set up
n the loft or the garnet, but it holds a
ueealy power yet. When at midnight
on went into that grog- shop to get the
intoxicating draught. did you not hear
voice that said: my son. why 90 in
here?" And louder than the bolster
us encore of the place of sinful amuse-
lent, a voice saying, MY son, what
o you do here?" And when y,u
'ent into the house of aban-
voice saying, "What would
our mother do if she knew you were
ere?" And you were provoked with
ourself, and you charged yourself
18th superstition ana fanatici,m and
our head got hot with your own
noughts, and you went home and YOU
'ent to bed, and no sooner had Won
ouched the bed than a voice said:
What a prayerless pillow? Man
hat is the matter? This: You are
% near your mothers roc1ing-chair,
"Oh, pshaw" you say. There's
Othing in that; I'm five hundred miles
# from where was born: I'm three
miles Off from tn, churcn
hose bell was the first music l ever
card" cannot help that: you are
% near your mother S rocking-chair,
Oh" you say, there can't be any.
aing in that; that chair has been va.
ant great while" l cannot help
nat; it is all the mightier for that; it is
that vacant mot ,er's
hair. 1t whispers; it speaks:
weeps; it carols; 1t pravs; it
aunders. A young man went off. and
rOke his mothers heart, and while he
as away from home his mother died.
nd the telegraph brought the son, and
. came into the room where she Law
nd looked upon her face, and he cried
ut: 'Oh, mother! mother! what your I
fe could not do your death shall {
feet. This moment give my heart
} God" And he kept his promise.
mother victory for vacant chair
18th reference to your mother, the
nrlc Of INV toy< vorn g., .