Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-09-01
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

mage on the text Isaiah xxxviii, 1,
''Set thine house in order, for thou
shalt die"
l am going to stay aboard this planet
as long as can. When the time comes
for me to die. believe sufficient grace
will be given to me with which to die.
But I have never felt less like dying
than at the present time. My home
was never SO happy, my friends never
more kind, my work never more alb
sorbing. Present earthly life is mex
pressibly sweet to me. l feel in refer
ence to 1t n great deal as did Christie
pher North. the physical and literary
athlete. who. with his friends and chill
dren, used to race over the heather of
old Scotland. his yellow curls a-hying
in the winds. singing and shouting as
he ran, because he was bubbling over
with joy and animal spirits. l am in
love with the world because | like the
people who are in it.
But. though earthly life may be q
priceless boon to some people as well
as to myself. yet there must come to
all time when we shall have to die.
Perhaps. like Hezekiah of my text,
who besought God by prayer to in
crease his earthly day, we may be able
TO prOlong our existence ten, fifteen or
even twenty years by rigidly obeying
the well tested physical laws of health.
Dio Lewis. the great lecturer upon n.y.
giene. once declared that every normal
healthy child born into the world
ought to live to be at least 100 years
old. He asserted that nearly all the
members of the human race do not
live out half their earthly life be-
cause they DO not eat the right kind of
food. wear the proper clothing and
take the proper amount of exercise.
But though the longevity of the hui
man race might be increased to 100 or
even 200 years. though the present gen
Grafton might be able to reach the two
hundredth and fiftieth milestone which
marks the highway of life's journey
instead of only the twentieth or fif-
tieth or seventeen milestone, yet for
every man and woman there must
come at last an end to earthly exist
ence. The Bible distinctly and en-
phatically states it. All history proves
it Though bio Lewis himself rigidly
practlced the laws of health which his
keen and far reaching intellect framed;
though he only ate just enough food to
replenish the amount of waste tissue;
though he wore the proper clothing
and daily took the proper amount of
physical exercise. yet Do Lewis him
self had to die. So the same words
Of o,.r,f, xt-l,s flo fn1,
brought to the sick ruler in the ancient
Jerusalem palace bring to you. They
are Just as pertinent for the present
generation as they were to the Hebrew
king who lived nearly 1900 years ago.
The First Steps Necessary.
In anticipating his earthly demise a
common sense man should in the first
place set his temporal house in order.
That means he should, if necessary,
get his life insured. He should make
out his last will and testament. He
should appoint the executors of his es-
tate, and the future guardian of his
children. He should explain the de-
tails of his business and invest his
moneys in such Il manner as that his
executors can easily carry out his
plans. He should train up his chill
dren or his lieutenants so that they
may carry on his work after he is
dead. He should, if desirable buy
his family plot and make all arrange
ments for the last resting place of him
self and his loved ones. We have con-
tempt for the man who has so little
interest in tie temporal welfare Of
his wife and children that he will not
make a last win and testament
But. Mr.. Talmage." answers some
one, Il would Go as you say. but l am
very superstiticus about this matter of
making a will. | intend to make will
and fix up my temporal affairs when
feel that my life is drawing to an
earthly close. but not now. have al
ways superstitiously felt that when a
man makes his last will and testament
he will certainly die before the year is
out. Therefore | want TO postpone
making my will as long as possible"
Although am. comparatively speak
ing. young man. yet have had &
great deal Of experience in sickroomS
and by deathbeds. and, my brother.
want to warn you as friend that il
all probability when you come to di,
you will rot have any time to fix III
your estate and make an intelligent
VIII ana laSf testament. In all proba
bility you viii be in such physical anC
mental weakness that you will no
have enough strength to do anythn:
else bet lie In your bed and murmur
Few words of farewell until you arr
gone. Therefore, my brother. wha
you want TO do in reference to settin,
your temporal house in order through
the Influence OF your last will and ties
tameEt you hid better do right away
When death comes. your brain may b
too feeble to plan and your fingers to
trembling to hold n pen.
Furthermore. my friend. that state
ment of yours about being superst