Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-06-28
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WASHINGTON, June 23.-From a pas
sage OF Scripture unobserved by most
readers DR.. Talmage in this discourse
shows the Importance of prompt action
In anything we have 10 DO for ourselves
or others; text, Eccleslastes KID "He
that obseryeth the wind shall not sow"
What do you find in this packed SEN
tence OF Solosnon's monologue? 1 find
in IL a farmer at his front door examin-
Ing the weather. IL Is seedtime. His
fields have been plowed and narrowed.
The wheat is In the barn In sacks,
ready 20 be taken afield and scattered
Now is the time to SOW. But the wind
lis not favorable Ii may blow up
storm before night. and lie may get
wet If be starts out for the sowing.
Or ii may be long storm that will
wash out the seed from the soil. Or
there may have been a long drought,
and the wind may continue TO blow
dry weather. The parched fields may
not take in the grain. and the birds
may pick Ii up. and the labor us well
as the seed may be wasted. So he
gives up tic work for that day and
gees back into the house aud waits to
see what IL will be on the morrow. On
the morrow the wind is still I'm the
wrong direction. and for whole week.
and for Il month. Did you ever see
such long spell OF bad weather? The
iethargic and oycrcautious and tlila-
tory agriculturist allows the season to
pass without sowing, and no sowing. of
coarse no harvest. That is what Solo
mon means when he says in my text
HE that obServeth the wind shall not
SOW"
AS much in our time rs in Solomonic
times there is abroad 4 fatal hesitancy
"A disposition TO let little things stop
ns--a ruinous adjournment. We ell
want TO do some good in the world. but
how easily We are halted In our en-.
deavors. Perhaps we are solicitors for
some great charity. There is good
man who has large means, and he is
accustomed TO give literally TO asy.
lums, TO hospitals. 30 reform organiza-
lions, 10 schools, TO churches. TO com
munities desolated with flood, or dev.
astated with fires. But that good man.
like many Il good man. is mercurial i'm
his temperament. lie Is depressed by
atmospheric changes. He is always
or that reason you postpone the char.
table solicitation. Meanwhile the suf.
fering that you wish to alleviate does
Its awful work. aud the opportunity for
relief is past. IL the wind bad been from
the west or northwest. you would have
entered the philanthropist's counting
room and sought the gift. but the wind
was blowing from the east or northeast
and you did not make the attempt, aud
you thoroughly illustrated my text.
He that observetb the wind shall not
sow"
Lost Opportunity.
There comes dark Sabbath morn.
Ing. The pastor looks out OF the win.
dow aud sees the clouds gather and
then discharge their burdens OF rain
Instead or full church il will be a
handful or people with wet feet and
The dripping umbrella ut the doorway
or In the end OF the pew. The pastor
mas prepared one of his best sermons
1t has cost him great research. and he
has been much I'm prayer while prepar
ing IL. He puts the sermon aside for
a clear day aud talks piatitudes and
goes home quite depressed, but NJ the
same time feeling that ne has done his
duty. He did not realize that I'm that
small audience there were at least two
persons who ought 10 have had better
treatment One OF those hearers WAS
n man In crisis OF struggle with evil
appetite. A carefully prepared dis
course under the divine blessing would
have been 10 him complete victory
The fires OF sin would have been extin.
haI l.
mind would have been consecratcd 10
the gospel ministry, and he would have
been mighty evangel. and tens OF
thousands OF souls would have under
the spell OF his Christian eloaucncc
given up sin and started now life.
and throughout all the heavens there
would have been conSratulation and
hosanna. and after many ages OF cter-
nifty had passed there would be cclebrs.
ton among the ransomcd OF what was
accomplished one stormy Sunday In
church on earth under n mighty gospel
sermon delivered to IL or 20 people
but the crisis speak or was not prom
eriy met The man In struggle with
evil habit heard that stormy day no
word that moved him. He went out
In the rain uninvited and unhelped
back 10 his evil way and down TO his
overthrow. Had IL been sunshIny
Sabbath he would have heard some
thing worth hearing. But the wind
blew from stormy direction that Sab.
bath day. That gospel husbandman
noticed 1t and acted upon it's sugges-
ton and may discover some day his
great mistake. He had sackfuI of
Of hs.
held Ii. and some day he will find.
when the whole story is told. that he
was vivid illustration OF the truth OF
10y text. "He that observeth the wind
shall not SOW"
Not Worth Sowing.
There was another pcrSon In that
stormy Sunday audience that deserved
something better from that pastor than
extempor!Zed nothingncss. Ii was a
mother who was half awakened to q
sense OF responsibility In regard 10 her
household. She had begun TO question
herself as TO whether il would not be
better TO Introduce into her home a re-
i'Sion That would decide Alright the des-
tiny OF her sons and daughters Her
home had so far been controlled only |
by worldly principles. She had dared |
the riot CT the elements that morning |
and had found her way to church, hop
ing TO hear something that would help
her to decide the domestic question
which was to her solicitude. A good.
strong sermon under the divine bless
Ing would have led her into the king
dom OF God and afterward her whole
ramiiy. The children, whether they be-
came farmers or mechanics or mar.
Chants or artists or men OF learned pro-
Yession or women at the head of house
holds. would have done their work In n |
Christian way and after lives of useful.
ness on earth would have taken thrones
m heaven. 1t would have been a whole
family saved for time and saved for
eternity. But the pastor had adionrn.