The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-05-24
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
IRVINE.

Subject: "Looking Backward"-It Is Well
to Review the Past and Arouse the
Soul to "reminiscences of Dangers Es-
capped and Sorrows Suffered.
TEXT: "whIle I was musfng, the fire
burned" d."-Psalms xxx. 8.
Here .is David, the psalmist, with the
forefnger OF his right hand against his
temple and the door shut against the world,
engaged In contemplation. And 1t would
be we'll for us to take tue same posture
often, while We cit down in sweet solitude
to contemplate.
In small island of the coast Of Nova
Scotia once passed Sabbath in delight
full solitude, for had resolved that I would
have one day OF entire quiet before en-
tered upon autumnal work. I thought to
have spent the day in laying out plans for
Christian work, but instead Of that 1t be-
came day of tender reminiscence. re-
viewed my pastorate; shook hands with
an old departed friend, whom I 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
I was five. There WIS but one house on
the island, and yet from Sabbath daybreak,
when the bird chant woke me, until the
evening melted into the Bay OF Fundy, from
memories, and the groves were a-hum 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 looking
backward. People in midlife and on the
apex look both ways. It would be we'll for
us, think, however, to spend more time
in "Reminiscences. BY the constitution OF
our nature We spend most OF the time look
ing forward. And the vast maj jority OF peo-
pie live not so much In the present as In the
future. I find that you mean to make a
reputation, you mean to establish yourself,
anil the advantages that you expect to
achieve absorb great deal of your time.
But see no harm in this II 1t does not make
you dlscontented with the present or dis
qualify you for existing duties. 1t Is use
tul 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 wanderings Of our earthly pilgrimage,
and to sum up our enioyments. I mean, 80
far as God may help me, to stir up your
memory OF the past, so that in tho review
YOU may be encouraged and hunbled and
urged to pray.
Among the greatest advantages OF your
past life were an early home and Its sur
roundiDgs. The bad men Of the day, for
out OF the boiling speing OF an unhappy
home. We are not surprised to find that
Byron's heart was concentration OF sin
when We hear bis mother was abandoned
and that she made sport OF his inlrmity
and often called him "the lame brat" He
who has vicious parents has to fight every
inch q his way II 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, Washington, was
residential as now It is commercial, and
Canal street, New York, was far up town.
demolished or changed into stores, and 1t
seemed like sacrilege to you--for there was
more meaning in that small house than
there Is in q granite mansion or O turreted
cathedral. Looking back, you see 1t as
though 1t were yesterday-the sitting
room, where the loved one sat by the plain
lamp light, the mother at the evening
staud, the brothers and sisters perhaps
long ago gathered into the skies, then
plotting mischief on the floor or under the
table; your father with firm voice COM
manding silence that lasted half O minute.
Perhaps you were brought up in the
country. You stand now to-day in men
oryunder the old tree. You dubbed it for
fruit that was not quite ripe, because you
couldn't wait any longer. You hear the
brook rumbling along over the pebbles.
You step again into the furrow where your
father In his shirt sleeves shouted to the
lazy oxen. You frishten the swallows from
the rafters Of the burn and take just one
egg and silence your conscience by saying
they will not miss it. You take a drink
again out OF the very bucket that the old
we'll fetched up. You 20 for the cows at
>In.l,k o,I lad I'M
through the bars. Outlines In the dusty
and busy streets you wish you were
home again on that cool grass, or In the
rag carpeted hall ofthe farmhouse, through
which there came the breath OF new mown
hay or the blossom Of buckwheat.
You may have in your windows now
beautiful plants and flowers brought from
across the sens, but not one OF them stirs
in your soul so much charm and memory
as the old ivy and the yellow sunfiower
that stood sentinel along the garden walk
and the forget-me-nots playing hide and
seek mid the long grass. The father who
used to come In sunburned from the field
and sit down on the doorsill and wipe the
sweat from his brow may have gone to his
everlasting rest. The mother who used to
sit at the door little bent over, cap and
spectacles on her face mellowipg with the
vicissitudes OF many years, may have put
down her gray head on the pillow In the
valley, but forget that home you never
will. Have you thanked God for it? Have
you rehearsed all these blessed reminis-
cences? Oh, thank God for Christian
father! Thank God for Christian moth
er! Thank God for an early Christian altar
at which you were taught to kneel! Thank
God for an early Christian home!
I bring to mind another passage in the
history of yourlife. The day came when
you set up your own household. The days
passed along In quiet biessedness. You
twain sat at the taule morning and night
and talked over your plans for the future.
The most Insignificant affair in your life
became the subject OF mutual consultation
aud advertisement. You were 80 happy
you felt you never could be any happier.
One day dark cloud lowered over your
dwelling. and 1t got darker and darker,
ger OF God descended to incarnate an i'm
mortal sp rlt. Two little feet started on
an eternal journey, and you we're to lead
them, a gem to flash In heavens coronet,
and you to polish it; eternal ages OF light
and darkness watching the starting out OF
q newly created creature. You rejoiced
and you trembled at the responsibility that
in your Possession an immortal treasure
was placed. You prayed and rejoiced and
wept and wondered; you were earnest In
supplication that you might lead 1t through
life into the kingdom Of God. There was
tremor in your earnestness. There was
double interest about that home. There
was an additional interest why you should
stay there and be faithful, and when In
few months your house was filled with the
music OF the child's laughter you were
struck through with the fact that you had
stupendous mission.
Have you kept that vow? Have you
neglected any of these duties? Is your
home as much to you as 1t used to be-?
Have those anticipations been grasifled?
God holm vou in vonr solama reminis.