The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-12-20
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE IS ON OUR
JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE.
Text from Joshua: "Ye Have Not Passed
This Way Acknowledgment
Must Be Taken Advantage OF Now -
Necessity for Trust In God.

Copyright, 1901, by Louis Klopsch. N. ".
Washington, Dec. 15.-This dis
course Is a most unusual presentation
of things that take place in our lives.
and DR.. Talmage pleads for merciful
Interpretation of human behavior. The
text is Joshua iii, A, "Ye have not pass
ed this way heretofore"
In December, 1883, waded the riv-
er Jordan, and although the current
was strong. l was able to bear up
against it, but in the time Of spring
freshet when the SHOWS on Mount Le-
banon melt, nothing but miracle
would enable anyone to cross the
river. 1t was at the dangerous spring
time that Joshua and the officers OF
his army uttered the words Of my text
to the people who were in few hours
to cross the Jordan. About that cross
ing we say but little, because on a
previous occasion we discoursed con-
corning that piling up of the waters
into crystal barricade. We only speak
of the march to the brink of the river
No stranger thing has ever occurred
in all history.
What was truthfully said Of the an
Client Israelites may be truthfully said
of us. We are making our first and
last journey through this world. 1t
is possible, as some of my good friends
believe, that this world will be cor
rected and improved and purified and
foralized and unparalleled as to eli
mate and soil and character until 1t
shall become heaven for the ransom
ed, but do not think it. 1 have an
idea that heaven is already built some
where. Our departed friends could not
wait until this world is fixed up for
sanity and angelic residence. Having
once gone out of the world, do not
think we will come back, except as
ministering spirits to help those who
remain in the earthly struggle or per-
haps to look at the wondrous spectacle
of burning planet.
But, leaving that theory aside, we
are very sure that we are for the first
time walking the earthly pilgrimage.
I'VE have not passed this way before. !"
Other folks have gone over the same
road we are travelling, but it is our
first trip. New appearances, new
temptations, new sorrows, new joys
That Is the reason so many lose their
way They meet some one on the road
of life and ask for direction, and
wrong direction is given. We have all
been perplexed by misdirection after
asking the way to some place we wish
ed to visit. Some one said to us,
Take the first road to the right, and
having gone a mile on that road, take
the first road to the left, and you will
soon reach your destination" We took
the advice, but our informer forgot a
turn in the road, or forgot one of the
roads leading to the left, and we took
the wrong road and were lost in the
woods, and night came on, and we
were put to great irritation and
trouble.
ing lifetime mistakes. pity them in
stead of blaming them. There are so
many wrong roads, but only one right
one. You cannot in middle life draw
upon your youthful experiences for
wisdom, for middle life is SO entirely
different from youth. You cannot in
old age draw upon midlife experiences,
for the two stages of existence are SO
diverse. What is wisdom for one man
to do would be folly for another to I'M
dertake. A man of nerve and pluck
is not qualified to advise a man timid
and shrinking. An achievement that
would be easy for you might be i'm
possible for me. Human advice is
ordinarily of little value. Most of the
great mistakes that have been made
have been made under human advise
ment.
So, alas, it may be said to every ma
ton, Eye have not passed this way be-
fore" Our own republic is going
through novel experiences. Every
president, every congress, has new
crises to meet and new questions to
settle. So prophecies made about con-
ditions in this country fifty years from
now may turn out as far untrue as the
prophecies made fifty years ago by
the greatest Of American statesmen
when he declared on yonder Capitol
hill that it was unwise to think of civ
ilization or prosperity the other side
of the Rocky mountains, and accord
ing to his belief the Pacific coast
would be the perpetual abode Of bar
barians and mountain lions, and we
must not think of annexing those for
bidding regions.
Many prophecies in regard to our
nation failed and many prophecies
concerning its future will fail because
it is travelling a new road. The opin-
ion of Monroe or Jefferson in the
far past is not Of as much value as
the opinion of our wlsest men now.
How could men know in 1923 what it
would be best for this nation to do in
1901? In all other things the world
has advanced. Can it be that in states
it has gone back and that this
opening Of the twentieth century must