The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-05-12
RECALLS THE PAST.
DR.. Talmage's Sermon Is Largely
Reminiscent.
Draws Helpful Lessons from the Ex-
periences and Nicissitudes of
Life-NemOrIes of
Home.
Copyright. 1899, by Louis Klopsch. wash
irutou. Nav Z


Copyright, 1899, by Louis Klopsch. wash
ington, May Z
This sermon of DR.. Talmage calls the |
roll of many stirring memories and in
terprets the meaning of life's vicissi-
tudes. The text is Psalms xxx, 3:
"While was musing the fire burned
Here is David. the psalmist, with the
forehnger of his right hand against his
temple and the door shut against the
world. engaged in contemplation. And
It would be well for us to take the same
posture often while we sit down in
sweet solitude TO contemplate.
In small island off the coast of Nova
Scotia | once passed Sabbath in de-
lightful solitude, for had resolved that
| would have one day of entire quiet be-
fore I entered upon autumnnl work.
thought to have spent the day in laying
out plans for Christian work, but in
stead of that it became day OF tender
"Reminiscences. reviewed my pastorate;
I 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 | 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 album with voices that had
long ago ceased.
Youth is apt too much to spend all its
time in looking forward. Old age is apt
too much TO spend all its time in look
ing backward. People in midlfe and on
the apex look both ways. 1t would be
well for us, | think. however, TO spend
more time in "reminiscences. by the con-
sti'ution of our nature we spend most
of the time looking forward. And the
vast majority of people live not so much
in the present as in the future. ma
that YOU mean to make reputation,
YOU mean to establish yourself, ard the
advantages that you expect to achieve
absorb Il great deal of your time. But
| see no harm in this, If IL does not make
YOU disconnected with the present or
disqualify you for existing duties. IL
is a useful thing sometimes TO look
back and TO see the dangers we have es-
capped and to see the sorrows we have
suffered and the trials and wanderings
Of our earthly pilgrimage and to sum
up our enioyments. | mean, so far as
God may help me, to stir up your mem
DRY of the past, so that in the review you
may be encouraged and humbled and
urged to pray.
There is chapel in Florence with a
fresco by 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 oblitera
tions, and ! now propose, so far as the
Lord may help me, TO take away the
covering, that the old picture may shine
out again. ! want to bind in one shea
all your past advantages, and | want tt
bind in another sheaf all your past adj
vcrsitics. 1t is precious harvest, ant
must be cautious how | swing the
scythe.
Among the greatest advantages Of
your past life were an early home ant
it's surroundings. The bad men of the
day, for the most part, dip their heated
passions out of the boiling spring O
an unhappy home. We are not sur
prised to find that Byron's heart was {
concentration of sin when we hear his
mother was abandoned and that sh'
made sport of his infirmity and offer
called him "the lame brat He whC
has vicious parents has to fight ever,
inch of his way if he would maintain
his integrity and at last reach the hom'
of the good in Heaven. Perhaps YOU
early home was in city. 1t may have
been when Pennsylvania avenue, Wash
ington, was residential, as now it i
commercial, and Canal street, New
York, was far up town. That old hous
in the city may have been demolished
or changed into stores, and it seemed
like sacrilege to you, for there wa
more meaning in that small house thai
there is in n granite mansion or tur
reted cathedral. Looking back, you Sc
It as though it were yesterday-th
sitting-room, where the loved one sa
by the plain lamp light the mothe
at the evening stand, the brothers ant
sisters, perhaps long ago gathered int
the skies, then plotting mischief OF
the floor or under the table, your ia
Their with a firm voice commanding
silence that lasted half a minute.
Oh, those were good days! If yol
had your foot hurt, your mother al
ways had soothing salye to heal il
If you were wronged in the street, you
father was always ready to protec
you. The year was one round of froli
and mirth. Your greatest trouble wa
an April shower, more sunshine tina
shower. The heart had not been ran
sacked by trouble, nor had sickness
broken it, and no lamb had warme
sheepfold than the home in which you
childhood nestled.
Perhaps you were brought up in tn
country. You stand now to-day in men