The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-08-23
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
ETHE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S sun
DAY SERMON.
Subject: "Firesidc Musing."

burned. Psalm xxx, 8.
, Here is David, the psalmist, with the fore
finger of his right hand against his temple,
the door shut against the world, engaged in
contemplation. And it would be we'll for us
to take the same posture often, closing the
door against the world while we sit down in
sweet solitude to contemplate.
{; In a small island off the cosst once passed
ia Sabbath in delightful solitude, for I had
resolved that would have one day OF entire
quiet before entered upon autumnal work.
i thought to have spent the day in laying out
plans for Christian work, but instead OF that
It became day of tender reminiscence.
reviewed my pastorate. I shook hands with
AN old departed friend, whom I shall greet
again when the curtains OF life are lifted.
The days Of my boyhood came back, and
was 10 years Of ager and was 8. and was
6. There was but one house on the island.
land yet from Sabbath daybreak. when the
bird chant woke me, until the evening melted
into the bay, from shore to shore there were
"a, 600 memories, and the groves were a-num
with voices that had long ago ceased
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. backward.
People in midlife and on the apex look both
ways. II would be well for us, think, how
ever. to spend more time in reminiscence.
by the constitution Of our nature we spend
most OF the time looking forward. And the
vast majority Of people live not 80 much In
khe present as In the future. I find that you
mean to make a reputation. You mean to
establish yourself, and the advantages that
you expect to achieve absorb great deal
of your time. But see no harm In this II
X does not make you discontended with the
present or disqualify you fer existing duties.
( It Is q useful thing sometimes to look back
and to see the dangers we have escaped, and
10 soc the sorrows we have suffered, and the
trials and wanderings OF our earthly pill
grimage, and to sum up our enjoyments. 1
mean to-day, so far as God may help me, to
stir up your memory OF the past, SO that In
the review you may be encouraged and num-
bled and urged to pray.
There is q chapel in Florence with fresco
by Guido. It was covered up with two
inches OF stucco until our American and
European artists went there and after long
toll removed the covering and retraced the
hresco. And I am aware that the memory OF
the past. with many Of you, Is all covered up
with 10, 900 deliberations, and propose this
morning, go far as the Lord may help me, to
take away the covering, that the old picture
may shine out again.
Iwant to bind In one shesf all your past
advantages, and I want to bind In another
'sheaf all your past adversities. 1t is prec-
,ious harvest, and must be cautious how I
swing the scythe.
Among the greatest advantages OF your
past life was an early home and It's surround
lngs. 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 that Byron's heart was q
concentration of sin when we hear that his
mother was abandoned and that she made
sport Of his inHrmity and often called him
,s'the lame brat" He who has vicious parents
has to fight every inch Of his way II he
would maintain his integrity and at last
reach the home Of the good in heaven.
Perhaps your early home was in the city.
IT may have been in the days when Canal
street, New York, was far up town. 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
tn that plain house, in that small houss, than
there is in q granite mansion or turreted
icathedral Looking back this morning., you
see it as though 1t were yesterday-the sit
ting room, where the loved ones sat by the
plain lampnght. the mother at the evening
stand, the brothers and sisters, perhaps long
ago gathered into the skies, then plotting
mischief on the floor or undert the table your
father with firm voice commanding silence,
chat lasted half minute.
Oh, those were good days! II you had
your foot hurt, your mother always had a
Soothing salve to heal it. II you were
twroneed in the street, your father was always
ready to protect you. The yesr was one
hound of frolic and mirth. Your greatest
trouble was an April shower, more sunshine
than shower. The heart had not been ram
sacked by troubles, nor had sickness broken
tt, and no lamb had \ warmer sheepfold
than the home in which your childhood
nestled.
Perhaps you were brought up in the coun-
try. You stand now to-day In memory under
the old tree. You clubbed 1t for fruit that
was not quite ripe because you could not
wait any longer. You hear the brook rumb-
ling along over the pebbles. You step again
into the furrow where your father in his
shirt sleeves shouted to the lazy oxen. You
brighten the swallows from the rafters OF the
barn and take just one egg and silence your
conscience by saying they will not miss it.
You take drink again out OF the very bucket
that the old we'll fetched up. You so for the
COWS ct night and find them wagging their
heads through the bars. Outlines in the
dusty and busy streets you wish you were
home again on that cool grass or in the hall
of the farmhouse. through which there was
the breath Of new mown hay or the blossom
of buckwheat.
You may have in your window now beauti-
full plants and flowers brought from across
the seas, but not one Of them st;rs in your
soul 80 much charm and memory as the old
Ivy and the yellow sunfower that stood
sentinel along the garden walk and the for
getmenots playing hide and seek mid the
long grass. The father, who used to come
in sunburned from the fields and sit down on
the doo-sill and wipe the sweat from his
brow, may have gone to his everlasting rest.
The mother who used to sit at the door a
little bent over, cap and spectacles on, her
face mellowing with the viciSstudeS Of many
years. may have put down her gray head on
the pillow in the valley, but forget that home
you never will.
Have you thanked God for it? Have you
rehearsed all these blessed "reminiscences!
iOh, thank God for Christian father. Thank
God for Christian mother. Thank God for
an early Christian altar at which you were
taught to kneel. Thank God for an early
Christian home.
bring to mind another passage in the his
tory OF your life. The day came when you
set up your OWE houshold. The days passed
along in quiet biessedness. Your twain sat at
the table morning and night and talked over
your plans for the future. The most signif-
teant affair in your life became the subject ol
mutual consultation and advissment. You
were so happy you felt you never could be
any happier.
, :, ,O2e day dark cloud lowered over your
dwelling. and 1t got darker and darker. But
out OF that cloud the shining messenger OF
God descended to incarnats an immortal
spirit. Two little feet started on an eternal
tourney, and you were to lead them. A gem
to flash in heavens coronet, and you to
polish ii. Eternal ages Of Light and dark
ness watching the starting out OF newly
created being.
You rejoiced aad you trsnS!sd at the re.
sponsibility that in your possession an i'm
mortal treasure was placed. You prayed and
raioirad and want md wondered and Drayed