Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-07-26
TAL>NlAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor of Jefferson Park Presby-
terian Church, Chicago

Chicago, July 2O.-There are a 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"
\ desert place. What does that
mean? Is Christ bidding his disciples
follow him over a great sea of sands
Docs 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
smOthercd In one of those awful desert
windstorms and be there as completely
lost as the merciless ocean can swallow
down a shipwrecked crew and leave
no trace where the watery jaws have
opened and shut? No. Christ is not
here alluding to a Mesopotamian or
Persian or Sahara 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 80 out into the country where we
can be alone. Let us go among the
hills where we shall be separated from
these thrOngs of 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 the 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 at our
feet. Let us go away to the place
where the shepherd leads his focks
among the fresh green pasture lands"
Every human body needs the re
of physical rest. When Dan
iel Webster made his last visit to John
Adams, the aged eX-president said: II
am as well as any man of nearly nine
ty years could expect to be. | find
am afflicted with an incurable disease
called old age My spirit is occupying
a very shaky tenement, and, as far os
! 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 Rest Is Needed.
The purpose of this sermon is to
show that every Woodworking Chris
tian, at least once year, should go
out into the country and take vaca
ton, a prayerful rest, the same as
Jesus disciples, who left their work
10 take a rest. 1t is every Christians
luty at least once year to leave the
home, the store, the factory and have
4 complete change of scene and food. |
When Phoebe Cary came to die, look
ng up at her physician, she said:
Doctor, you can do nothing for me. |
The reason | am dying is because for
years | would never take a rest. Even
when | 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 Of |
he pulpit, the bar, the medical office
md of all the Christian departments |
If life have simply killed themselves
II their young manhood and woman
loOd because they would not obey
Ihrists command and take a rest.
Satan is great strategist He rare
Y attacks his enemies in the places
where he thinks they are invulnerable.
lie is always trying new schemes and
)lans. When Satan finds a true Chris
ian who is cOnsecrated to Gods sery
ce, he Immediately calls together his
nan must be stopped in his career Of
,OOd works Those lips of his must be
'lOsed. That hand must be made help
eSS. That pure heart must be struck
~ some poisonous arrow That foot
II his must be led along the stony
)ath of sin" No vision of earth can
lrouse Satan into such Il frenzied pas
ion as the sight of Il good man con-
ecrating his years to good works. SO
satan, when he sees a good man con
ecrating his life TO good deeds, i'm
nediately dispatches his angels of
First, Satan offers to that
rood man all the allurements Of pOpu
ar applause and worldly pleasures.
The spirit of temptation does not come
ike a wrinkled old hag, with her bony
lands changed into the shape Of an
agle's claw, which can be used to kill
IS well as tear away the quivering
lesh. But the spirit of temptation
ONES in the form of the evil spirit
ike that which the artist once painted.
lie drew the spirit of temptation as a
'eautiful angel. Her lips were wreath
d in smiles. Her hair had hidden in
t the brilliant colOrs of the setting
un. Her lap was full Of flowers. Her
ouch was the rim of a cloud, while
nder the shadow of her flowing robes
rouched the demoniac form of death.
10 Satan tries to destroy the good man
y adulation, by applause. BY his
cry successes Satan tries to turn his
tumble heart of love into a vain heart
f sin.
Then if Satan finds that worldly ap-
lause and the wine cup and the mid
light carousal do not stop the career
f the good man who has consecratCd
is life to good deeds he tries another
node. He says: Il will unkennCl anc
nleash all the bloOdhounds of perse-