Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-08-08


sen, Rev DIR. Talmagc, who is still absent
on his midsummer preaching and lecturinG
tour, has chosen as the subject of his SER
mon for Aoday, MAN Overheard the text
being Jonah i, 81 $50 the shipmastor came
to him, and said unto him: What Incancst
thou, o sleeper? Arise call upon thy God
If SO be that God will think upon us, that
we perish not
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh on an
unpleasant errand. He would not GO He
thought to get away from his duty by put
ting to sea With pack under his arm, l
find him on his way to .Joppn, seaport.
He goes down among the shipping, and
says to the men lying around on the rocks,
(Which of these vessels sails today Tho
sailors answer, "Yonder is n vessel going
to Tarshish. / think, If you hurry, you
may get on board her" Jonah steps on
board the rough craft, asks how much the
fare Is, and pays it. Anchor is weighed,
sails are hoisted and the rigging begins to
rattle in the strong breeze of the Mediter
rnnean. Joppa is an exposed harbor, and
It does not take long for the vessel to get
out on the broad sea. The sailors like what
they call spanking breeze, and tho
plunge of tie vessel from the crest OF a tail
wave Is celebrating to those at home on
the deep. But the strong breeze becomes
gale, the gale hurricane. Tho atfrighted
passengers ask the captain if he ever saw
anything like this before.
"Oh, yes, =" he says; "this is nothing"
Mariners are slow to admit danger to
landsmen. But after awhile crash goes
the mast, and the vessel pitches so far
"abeam S end" there is fear she will not
be righted Tho captain answers few
questions and orders the throwing out of
boxes and bundles and of so much of the
cargo rs they con get at The captain at
last confesses there is but little hope and
tolls the passengers that they had better
20 to praying. 1t is seldom that a cap
tain is an atheist. He knows that there is
God, for he has seen him at every point
OF latitude between Sandy Hook and
Queenstown. Captain Moody command
ing the Cuba of the Cunard line, at Sun
day service led the music and sang like
Methodist. Tho captain of this Meditor-
ranean craft, having set the passengers to
prayng, goes around examining the YES
sci at every point. He descends into the
cabin to see whether In the strong wres-
thing of the waves the vessel had sprung a
leak, and ne finds Jonah asleep. Jonah
had had wcarisomo tramp and had spent
many sleepless nights about questions of
duty, and he is so sound asleep that all
the thunder of the storm and the scream
Ing of the passengers does not disturb him.
The captain lays hold of him and begins
to shake him out Of his Inconsistencies
with the cry: Don't you see that we are
all going to the bottom? Wake up and go
to praying, if you have any God to go to.
What meanest thou, 0 sleeper? Arise, call
upon thy God, if so be that God will think
upon us, that we perish not" The rest of
the story will not rehearse, for you know
it we'll. To appease the sea they threw
Jonah overheard.
The Devils Dupes.
Learn that the devil takes mans mon
ey and then sets him down in a poor land
ing place. The Bible says he paid his fare
to Tarshish. But see him get ont. The
sailors bring him to the side Of the ship
lift him over ''the guards, - and let him
drop with loud splash into the waves
He paid his fare all the way to Tarshish
but did not get the worth of his money
Neither does any ono who turns his back
on his duty and does that which is not
right
There is young man who, during the
past year, has spent large part of his sal.
airy in csrousal What has he gained by itt
dissipated look, petulant temper "a dis.
turbed conscience, The manacles of one
or two bad habits that are pressing tighte,
and tighter will keep on until they veal
to the bono. You paid your fare to Tar
shish, but you have been set down in the
midst of a sea of disquietude and perpleX
ty.
One hundred dollars for Sunday horse
hire
One hundred dollars for wine suppers!
One hundred dollars for cigars
Ono hundred dollars for frolics that
shall be nameless
Making s400 for his damnation
Instead of being in Tershish now, he Is
IN the middle Of the Mediterranean.
Here is a literary man, tired of the faith
of his fathers, who resolves to launch out
into what is called free thinking. He buys
Theodore Parkers works for sl2, Rcnan s
Life Of Christ" for $3.50, Andrew Jack
son Davis works for $50. Goes to hear
infdels talk at the clubs and to see spirit
ualism at the table rapping. Talks glibly
OF David, the psalmist. as an old libortne,
of Paul as u wild enthusiast and of Christ
as a decent kind of mana little weak
in some respects, but almosJ as good as
himself. Talks smilingly of Sunday as a
good day to put littlo extra backing on
ones boots. and of Christians as for tho
most part, hypocrites ayld of eternity as
the great to be, the everlasting now, "
or the infinite what is it" Some day he
gets his feet very wet and finds himself
that night chilly. The next morning has
hot mouth and is headachy Sends word
over to the store that he will not be there
today. Battles his feet, has mustard plas-
tors, calls the doctor. The medical man
says aside, This is going to be bad case
of congestion of the lungs" Voice fails.
Children must be kept down stairs or sent
to the neighbors to keep the house quiet.
You say, send for the minister" But
no; he does not believe in ministers You
say Read the Bible to him." No; he does
not believe in the Bible. A lawyer comes
in, and sitting by his bedside writes doc
ument that begins: Tn the name of God.
Amen. /, being of sound mind, do make
this my last will and testament" 1t i.
certain where the sick mans body will be
IN less than II week, 1t is quito certain
who will get his property. But what will
become OF his soul? 1t will go into "thC
great to be, =" or 'the everlasting now" OF
"the infinite what is it," His soul is in
deep waters, and the wind is blowing
great guns" Death cries, Overheard
with the unbeliever!" A splash He goes
20 the bottom. He paid S. for his ticket
to Tarshsh when he bought the inilde
books. He landed in perdition!
Every farthing you spend in sin satan
will swindle you out Of. He promises you
ahaM buye 40 nor cont or N trreot