Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1901-06-26

served by most readers, DIR. Talmage
In this discourse shows the impor-
lance of prompt action in anything
we have to do for ourselves or 9TH
ers; text, Ecclesiastes 11:4: He that
observeth the wind shall not sow"
What do you find in this packed
sentence of Solomon's monologue? !
find in it farmer at his front door
examining the weather. 1t is seed
time. His fields have been plowed
and narrowed. The wheat is in the
barn in sacks, ready to be taken
atield and scattered. Now is the time
TO SOW. But the wind is not favor
able. IT may blow up storm before
night, and he may get wet if he starts
out for the sowing; or it may be "A
long storm, that will wash out the
seed from the soil; or there may have
been long drought, and the wind
may continue TO blow dry weather.
The parched fields may not take in
the grain, ann the birds may pick il
up, and the labor as well as the seed
may be wasted. SO he gives up the
work for that day and goes into the
house and waits to see what it will
the wind is still in the wrong direc-
ton, and for whole week and for
month. Did you ever see such a long
spell of bad weather? The lethargic
and overcautious and dilatory agri-
culturist allows the season to pass
without sowing, and no sowing. of
course, no harvest That is what
Solomon means when he SAYS in his
text: He that observeth the wind
shall not sow"
As much in our time as in Solomon
ic times there is abroad a fatal hest
fancy, disposition to let little
things stop us, "a ruinous adjourn
ment. We ali want to do some good
in the world, but how easily we are
halted in our endeavors. Perhaps we
are solicitors for some great charity.
There is a good man who has large
means. and he is accustomed to give
literally to asylums, to hospitals. to
reform organizations. to schools. to
churches, TO communities desolatcd
with flood or devastated with fires
But that good man, like many a good
man, is mercurial in his temperament.
He is depressed by atmospheric
changes. He is always victimized bv
the east wind. For this or that rea-
son YOU postpone the charitable So
lcitation. Meanwhile the suffering
that you wish to alleviate does its
awful work, and the opportunity for
relief is past. If the wind had been
from the west or northwest, YOU
would have entered the philanthro-
i'm
gift, but the wind was blowing from
the east or northeast, and YOU did
not make the attempt. and YOU thor
oughly illustrated my text: He that
observeth the wind shall not sow"
There comes "a dark Sabbath morn
ing. The pastor looks out of the
window and sees the clouds gather
and then discharge their burdens Of
rain. Instead of full church il will
be handful of people with wet feet
and the dripping umbrella at the
doorway or in the end Of the pew.
The pastor has prepared one of his
best sermons. 1t has cost him great
research, and he has been much in
prayer while preparing it. He puts
the sermon aside for clear dav and
talks pIatitudes and goes home quite
depressed. but at the same time feel
ing that he has done his duty. lie
did not realize that in that small au-
dIence there were at least two persons
who ought to have had better treat
ment. One Of those hearers was q
man in crisis Of struggle with evil
appetite. a carefully prepared dis
course under the Divine bIcssin,,
would have been TO him complete vic
tory. The fires OF sin would have
peen distinguished, and his keen and
brilliant mind would have been CON
secrated 10 the Gospel ministry. and
he would have been mighty evanpeI
and tens Of thousands of souls yyould
have. under the spell Of his Christian
eloquence. given mp sin and started
new life, and throughout all the
heavens there would have been CON
graduation and hosanna. and after
many ages OF eternity had Dasscd
there would be celebration opon,,
the ransomed Of what was accom-
plished one stormy Sunday in q
church ON earth under a mipbtv Che
pei sermon delivered 10 - or 20 moo
pie. But the crisis speak of was r,t
properly met. The man in struggle
with evil habit heard that stormy dav
no word that moved him. lie went
out in The rain unlimited and nm
helped back 90 his evil way and down
o his overthrow. Had 10 been ID s.ir.
shiny Sabbath he would have heard
something worth hearing Tut Tho
wind blew from stormy direction
That Sabbath day That Go.pr. b.e-
bandman noticed b. and acted upon
IT'S suggestion. and may discover some
daF h.e great mistake.
There was another person .n that
stormy Sunday audience r.., d,
served somethinp better from tls+
pastor than cNtempal.lcd r..I..,,.
ness DO was moth,r who ,,.. I.If
awakened GO % sense Of resp .ns...I.f,.
90 regard 90 her Lous.no,a She had
begun 10 question herself o..