The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-07-14
RECALLS THE PAST.
DR.. Talmage's Sermon Is Largely
Reminiscent.
Draws Helpful Lessons from the Ex-
perienccs and Nicissitudes of
Life-MemOries Of
Home.


This sermon of DIR. Talmage calls the
roll OF many stirring memories and in
tcrprets the meaning Of lifc's yicissi-
tudes. The text is Psalms NNNix. B.:
"While ! was musing the fire burned" ."
Here is David. the psalmist. with the
forefnger of his right hand against his
temple and the door shut against the
world. engaged i'm contemplation. And
it would be well for us to take the same
posture often while we sit down in
sweet solitude TO contemplate.
I'm a small island Off the coast of Nova
Scotia ] once passed a Sabbath i'm de-
lightful solitude. for had resolved that
would have one day of entire quiet be-
fore ! entered upon autumnal work.
thought TO have spent the day in laying
out plans for Christian work. but in
stead of that il became a day of tender
rcminiscence. reviewed my pastorate;
] shook hands with an old departed
friend. whom | shall greet again when
/ the curtains Of life are Fitted. The days
/ Of my boyhood came back. and ! was
ten years of age. and / was eight. and
was FIVE There was but one house on
the island. and yet from Sabbath day
break. 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 were a-hum with voices that had
long ago ceased.
Youth is apt too much TO spend all IFS
time i'm looking forward Old age is apt
too much TO spend all its time i'm look
ING backward People i'm midlife and on
the apex look both ways. 1t would be
well for us. think however. TO spend
more time i'm reminiscence. BY the con-
sttution of our nature we spend most
of the time looking forward. And the
vast majority Of people live not so much
i'm the present as in the future. ! find
that YOU mean TO make a reputation.
YOU mean TO establish yourself. and the
advantages that YOU expect TO achieve
absorb a great deal Of your time. But
see no harm i'm this. ifit does not make
YOU discontented with the present or
disquolify YOU for existing duties. 1t
is a useful thing sometimes to look
back and TO see the dangers we have es-
capcd and 10 see the sorrows we have
suffered and the trials and wanderings
of our earthly pilgrimage and to sum
mp our eniovments. ! mean. so far as /
God may help me- TO stir up your MEM /
ory of the past so that in the review You /
may be encouraged and humbled and /
urged TO pray.
There is "a chapel in Florence with
frcsco by Guido. II 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 Won. is all covered up with oblitera-
tions. 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
,l your past advantages. and want 10
bind i'm another sheaf all your past adj
vcrsities. II is precious harvest, and
/ must he cautious how | swing the
scythe.
Among the greatest advantages Of
your past life were an early home and
its surroundings. The bad men Of the
day. for the most part. dip their heated
passions out Of the boiling spring of
mn unhappy home. We Are not sur
Drsed to find that Byron's heart was
of sin when we hear his
mother was abandoned and that she
made sport Of his infrmity and often
.allcd him "the lame brat" He who
las vicious parents has TO fight every
nch of his way if he would maintain
his integrity and at last reach the home
If the good i'm Heaven. Perhaps your
,arly home was in a city. II may have
,een when PENNSYLVANIA avenue. Wash
ngton. was residential. as now il is
and Canal street. New
FORK. was far up town. That old house
n the city may have been demolished
,r changed into stores, and it seemed
Ike sacrilcge TO you. for there was
more meaning i'm that small house than
here is in a granite mansion or tur-
eted cathedral. Looking back. you see
{ as though il were yesterday-the
where the loved one sat ,
" the plain lamp light, the mother
{ the evening stand. the brothers and :
listers. perhaps long ago gathered into {
ne skies. then plotting mischief on d
he floor or under the table. your ia !
her with firm voice commanding a s
Hence that lasted half a minute. /
Oh. those were good days. If you G
adj your foot hurt. your mother al S
avs had a soothing salye to heal it.
+ YOU were wronged in the street, your a
lther was always ready to protect (
ou The year was one round Of frolic v
nd mirth. Your greatest trouble was v
b April shower. more sunshine than 4
hover. The heart had not been ran $
icked by trouble. nor had sickness b
roken il. and no lamb had warmer n
leepfold than the home in which your T.
nestled. Il
Perhaps YOU were brought up in the a
1untry. You stand now to-day i'm MEM II
~ under the old tree. You clubbed il I,
,r fruit that was not quite ripe. be- II
luse you couldn't wait any longer. You v,
ear the brook rumbling along over N
.e pebbles. You step again into the II
irrow where your father in his shirt 81
ceves shouted 10 the lazy oxen. You b
tighten the swallows from the raft u.
IS of the barn and take just one egg n