The herald., 1895-02-25
St Johns Eniscopal Church

The season of Lent begins next Wednes-
iay and yesterday morning Rev. B. w.
II. Tayer, rector of st. Johns Episcopal
Church, preached sermon on the proper
observance of Lent. His text was from
Numbers XXIV, /. "And when Bal aam
saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel,
le went not as at other times to seek for
,nchantments, but he set his face towards
he wilderness" The preacher prefaced
is sermon by brief investigation of the
lnique personality of the Gentle prophet,
3alaam, the dramatic incident of his
being called upon by Balak, King of
Moab, to curse Israel, and his uttering
blessings instead OF curses. 1t was also
shown how strong was the prophetic spirit
towards the wilderness. There seems to
be frequent mention in Holy Scripture
OF the close connection between the
greater works of Gods spirit and
the desert wilderness. St. John the Bap-
tist, st. John the Divine, and our Lord
after his baptism were cited as illustra-
tons. The lonely wilderness, far removed
from the haunts and habitations of men,
seem to offer greater opportunities for the
play OF the spirits divine breath, than
the hustle Of the market place, and the
ceaseless din of the street. 1t is in the
wilderness of the world, amid the waste
and desert places, that men and women
lave time and opportunity to think of
these things, which belong to their eternal
peace. 1t should be one of the greatest
comforts of churchmen that the church
has, in her divine wisdom, provided for
her faithful children desert a season or
cessation from life's pleasures, which is
known as the penitential season of Lent.
Weiare now on the fringe of that season,
and in a few days the Church of God, clad
n her garments of sorrow, will enter
within the Lenten shadows. She, with
l,.,.,. don, fIA
Of centuries to guide her, stands before
you as loving mother, and bids her chill
iren cease their play, and turn their
thoughts in seriousness TO prayer. He is
disobedient to her call, or oisIoyal to her
household who, like an ill-natured child,
frets and chafes under the restraint, or
sullenly refuses to heed the call which q
loving mother makes. She calls to her
own children as her Lord called to
His disciples, Come ye into a desert
place and rest awhile" 1t is only
frivolous and wretched spirit of modern
society, which hates to give up for one
brief season its interminable round of
pleasures and fancies; sets its face against
the church S order and custom. 1t is the
vacillating man and the weak woman,
who knowing what their church asks of
them, have not the honest Godfearing
courage to say: No, | cannot accept
yonr invitation to parties in Lent be-
cause it is against the express custom
and wish OF my church, and L must be
loyal to her.
Yet do not observe the solemn fast
simply because the church requires it.
Why does she require it? Is it simply to
set forth her authority? Is it merely to
call forth your obedience? Nay, it is
much more than this. 1t is to lead you
TO higher life. 1t is to check some in
their mad, dizzy career downward. 1t is
to replenish US with new thoughts and
new resolves. Without these to engage
the mind the Lenten fast is useless. The
Christ life is not lived by merely obscrv-
ing times and seasons. But the times and
seasons are given us as means and oppor-
tunties for developing the Christ life.