Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-07-21
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT = Image, DID,,
Pastor of JET lrscn Park Presby-
terrain G 4urch, Chicago

OuICuSO, July gu mere are scent
of the pines and an atmosphere of the
country In this sermon by Rev. Frank
De Witt Talmage from the text Mark
vi, 81, Come We yourselves apart into
a desert place and rest awhile"
A desert place! What does that
mean? Is Christ bidding his disciples
follow him over a great sea of sand?
Does he want his companions to lose
themselves among the endless dunes
and live where neither beast nor bird
nor fish nor insect can live? Does he
desire them to be terror stricken at the
meanings of the simooms or to be
smothered in one of those awful desert
lost as the merciless ocean can swallow
down a shipwrecked crew and leave
no trace where tie watery jaws have
opened and shut? No. Christ is not
here abiding to II MesopOtamian or a
Persian or n Schara desert of sand.
Christ Is practically saying to his dis
ciples. who are physically and mentally
worn out from too much work: Come,
let us go OFT into the country where we
hills where we shall be separated from
these tErougs o. people who are con-
tinually following us to be physically
healed and spiritually fed. Let us go
off alone, where we shall hear only the
rustling OF the leaves and the singing of
the birds and the ripping of tie brooks.
Let us HE away into natures haunts,
where. we can see the deer playing in
the valleys and where we can stumble
through the wild vines growing ut our
feet. Let us go away to the place
where the shepherd leads his focks
among the fresh green pasture lands"
Every human Lody needs the re-
cuperation of physical rest. When Dan
iel Webster made his last visit to John
Adams. the aged eX-president said: II
Rm as well as any man Of nearly nine
~ years could expect to be. l find l
am afflicted with an incurable disease
called old age. My spirit is occupying
a very shaky tenement. and, as far as
i can make out. sir. the Landlord does
not intend to make any more repairs"
That statement of John Adams was
figuratively right and yet literally
wrong. The human body, which was
once created out of dust is being re-
created up to the very brink of the
grave. We eat and drink and rest in
order to give nourishment and strength
to the bones, the muscles and the flesh.
And rest is just as essential for the
physical recreation as are food and
water and light.
why n Rest Is Needed.
The purpose of this sermon is to
show that every Woodworking Chris
tan. ut least once a year. should go
out into the country and take Il vaca-
ton. u prayerful rest, the same as
Jesus disciples. who left their work
10 take rest. 1t is every Christians
duty ut least once Il year to leave the
home, the store, the factory and have
u couplete Cn1uge of scene and food
When Phoebe Cary came to die, loo.i-
ing up at her physician. she said:
Decor. you can do nothing for re.
The rt,son / AIN dying is because for
years 1 would never take Il rest. Even
when l went off into the country
always took my books and pen and
worked" Thousands and tens of thou
sands of the best brains and hearts CT
the pulpit, the bar, the medical office
and of all the Christian departments
of life have simply killed themsei ,cs
in their young manhood and woman
hood becaCse they would not o.ey
Christ's command and take rest.
Satan is Il great strategist. He rare
ly attacks his enemies in the places
where he thinks they are invulnerable.
He is always trying new schemes and
plans. When Sa,an finds true Chris
tfan who is consecrated to Gods serv-
ice. he Immediately calls together his
demoniac lieutenants and says: That
man must be stopped in his career of
good works. Those lips of his must he
closed. That hand must be made help.
less. That pure heart must be struck
by some poisonous arrow. That foot
of his must he led along the stony
path of sim" No vision of earth car
arouse Satan into such Il frenzied pas
sion as the sight of good man con
secrating his years to good works. 81
Satan. when he sees u good man con
secrating his life to good deeds. i'm
mediatcly dispatches his angels Of
temptation. First. Satan offers to tina
good man all the allurements of popu
lar applause and worldly pleasures
The spirit of temptation does not come
like wrinkled old hag. with her bon!
hands changed into the shape of III
eagles claw, which can be used to xii
as well as tear away the quiverin:
flesh. But the spirit of temptation
comes in the form of the evil spiri
like that which the artist once painted
He drew the spirit of temptation as
beautiful angel Her lips were wreath
ed in smiles. Her hair had hidden Il
it the brilliant colors of the settin
sun. Her lap was full of flowers. He
couch was the rim of cloud. Will
under the shadow of her flowing robe
erouchad tha 1amOuiaf. form Of dp.ttl