The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1894-09-07
TALMAGE's SERMON.
The Place Where All May Find
Everlasting Rest
The World hut the Kings Highway
Where All Must be MovIng-Peace
and Happiness at the End of
the Journey.

| following sermon Tor puDllcatiOn this
week. The subject is Everlasting
Rest" and the text:
Arise ye and depart. for this is not your rest.
Micah IL, 10.
This was the drum-beat of a prophet
who wanted to arouse his people from
their oppressed and sinful condition;
but it may just as properly be uttered
now as then Bells, by long exposure
and much ringing, lose their clearness
of tone; but the rousing bell of the
Gospel strikes in as clear a tone as
when it first rang on the air.
As far as 1 can see, your great want
and mine is rest. From the time we
enter life, great many vexations and
annoyances take after us. We may
have our holidays, and our seasons of
recreation and quiet. but where is the
man come to mid-life who has found
entire rest? The fact is that God did
not make this world to rest in. a ship
might as well go down off Cape Hat
teras TO find smooth water as a man in
this world to find quiet. From the
way that God has strewn the thorns,
and hung the clouds, and sharpened
the tusks; from the colds that distress
us, and the heats that smite us, and
the Pleurisies that stab us, and the
fevers that consume us, know that lie
did not make this world as a place to
loiter in. God does every thing sue
cessfully; and this world would be a
very different world if it were intended
for us TO lounge in. 1t does right wei:
for "A few hours. Indeed, il is mag
nifcent! Nothing but infinite wisdom
and goodness could have mixed this
beverage of water, or hung up these
brackets of stars. or trained these
voices of rill, and bird, and ocean-so
that God has but to lift his hand, and
the whole world breaks forth into
orchestra. But, afte1 all, it is only the
splendOrs of a kings highway, over
which we are to march on to eternal
conquests.
You and have seen men who tried
to rest here. They builded themselves
great stores. They gathered around
them the patronage of merchant
princes. The voice of their bid shook
the money markets. They had stock
in the most successful railroads, and
in safety deposits" great rolls of gov
eminent securities. They had en-
blazoned carriages, high-mettled
steeds, fOOtmen, places that confounded
lords and senators who sat at their
table, tapestry on which fioated the
richest designs of foreign looms, splen-
dor of canvas on the wall, exquisiteness
of music rising among pedestals of
bronze, and dropping, soft as light,
on snow of sculpture. Here let them
rest. Put back the embroidered curtain,
and shake up the pillow of down.
Turn out the lights! 1t is eleven o'clock
at midnight. Let slumber drop upon the
eyelids and the air float through the
half-opened lattice drowsy with mid
summer perfume. Stand back k, all care,
anxiety and troubled But no! they
will not stand back. They rattle the
lattice. They look under the canopy.
With rough touch they startle his pulse.
They cry out at twelve o'clock at night,
Awake, man! How can you sleep
when things are SO uncer-
tain? What about those stocks?
Hank to the tap of that fire bell; it is
your district! How if you should die
soon? Awake, man! Think of it! Who
will get your property when you are
gone? What viii they do with it?
Wake up! Riches sometimes take
wings How if you should get poor?
Wake up" Rising on one elbow the
man of fortune looks out into the dark
ness of the room and wipes the damp
ness from his forehead, and says:
"Alas! For all this scene of wealth
and magnificence-no rest.'
passed down a street of city with
a merchant. He knew all the finest
houses on the street. He said: There
is something the matter in all these
houses. In that one it is conjugal in
felicity. In that one, dissipated son.
In that. a dissolute father. In that, an
idiot child. In that, the prospect of
bankruptcy This worlds wealth can
give no permanent satisfaction. This
is not your rest
You and have seen men try in an
other direction. A man says: "If l
could only rise to such and such a place
of renown; if 1 could gain that Office;
If could only get the stand and have
my sentiments met with one good
round of hand-clapping applause; if 1
could only write book that would
live, or make a speech that would
thrill, or do an action that would re-
soundI" The tide turns in his favor.
His name is on ten thousand
lips. He is bowed to, and
sought after, and advanced. Men
drink his health at great dinners.
At his fiery words the multitudes
huzza! From galleries of beauty they
throw garlands. From housetops, as
he passes in long procession, they shake
out the national standards. Here let
him rest. 1t is eleven o'clock at night.
On pillow stuffed with nations praise
let him lie down. Hush! all disturbant
voices. In his dream let there be a
hoisted throne, and across it march
coronation. Hush! Hush. Wake
up.- says a rough voice. Political
sentiment is changing. How if
you should lose this place of
honor? Wake up! The morning
papers are to be full of denunciation.
Harl1en to the execrations of those who
once caressed you. BY tomorrow
night there will be multitudes sneer-
ing at the words which last night you
expected would be universally ad-
mired. How can you sleep when every
thing depends upon the next turn of
the tragedy? Up, man! OF of this
pillow" The man, with head yet hot
from his last grafton, starts up sud
denly, looks out upon the night, but
sees nothing except the flowers that
lie on his stand, or the scroll from
which he read his speech, or the books
from, which he cr,ofad his anfbOy-i+ -