Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-05-12
LOOKING BACKWARD.
DR.. TALMAGE SAYS 1T is WELL TIC
REVIEW THE PAST.
He Would Arouse the Soul to Remi-
niscence of Dangers Escaped and
SORROWS Suffered - Old Memories
Have a Purifying influence.
Copyright, Louis Klopsch. 1899.

Have a Purifying Influence.
Copyright, Louis klopsch. 1899
WASHINGTON, May This sermon
of DR.. Talmage calls the roll of many
stirring memories and interprets the
meaning Of life's vicissitudes. The text
is Psalms xxx, 3, While l was mus
ing the fire burned -
Here is David, the psalmist. with the
foreInger Of his right hand against his
temple and the door shut against the
world, engaged III contemplation And
il would be well for us TO take the same
posture often, while We sit down il
sweet solitude to contemplate.
In a small island off the coast OF
Nova Scotia | once passed Sabbath in
delightful solitude, for had resolved
that | would have one day of entire
quiet before | entered upon autumnal
work | thought to have spent the day
in laying out plans for Christian work,
tender reminiscence. | reviewed my
pastorate; l shook hands with an old
departed friend, whom | shall greet
again when the curtains of life are
lifted. The days of my boyhood came
back, and l was 10 years of age, and ]
was s, and / was j There was but one
house on the island and Yet from Sab.
bath daybreak when the bird chant
woke me, until the evening melted into
the bay Of Fundy, from shore to shore
there were ten thousand memories, and
the groves We're a-hula with voices that
had long ago ceased.
Youth is apt too much TO spend all It's
time in looking forward. Old age is apt
too much to spend all its time in look
ing backward. People in midlife and or
the apex look both ways. 1t would be
we'll for Us, | think. however, TO spend
more time in reminiscence. By the con-
stitution of our nature we spend most
of the time looking forward. And the
vast ajority of people live not SC
much in the present as in the future
find that You mean 10 make reputa
tion, You mean to establish yourself
and the advantages that you expect &c
achieve absorb a great deal of Your time
But | see no harm i'll this if it does not
make you discontented with the pres
ent or disqualify You for existing du-
ties 1t is Useful thing sometimes to
look back, and TO see the dangers We
have escaped, and to see the sorrows we
have suffered, and the trials and wan
derings Of cur earthly pilgrimage, and
TO sum up cur enjoyments. mean, sc
far as God may help me 10 sta up your
memory of the past, so that in the re-
view you may he encouraged and hum
bled and urged 10 pray
4 Precious Harvest.
There is chapel in Florence with a
fresco ty Guido 1t 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 fresco. And
am aware that the memory of the past,
with many of you, Is all covered up
with deliberations, and | now propose,
so far as the Lord may help me. To take
away the covering that the old picture
may shine ont again. | want 10 bind in
one sheaf all four past advantages, and
want TO bind i'll another slIeif all YOUR
past adversities. 1t is precious har
vest, and | must be cautious how l
swing the scythe.
Among the greatest advantages of
your past life We're an early home and
its surroundings The bad men of the
day, for the most part, dip their heated
passions ont of the boiling spring Of an
unhappy home. We are not surprised
10 find that Byron heart was con
centration Of sin when we hear his
mother was abandoned and that she
made sport of his infirmity and often
called him "the lame brat. He who
has vicious parents has to fight every
inch Of his way if he would maintain
his integrity and at last reach the home
OF the good in heaven Perhaps your
early home was in city. 1t may have
been when Pennsylvania avenue Wash
ington, was residential as now it is