Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-12
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE, DID,,
Pastor Of jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

picture which Will be recognized as IA
miliar In many homes throughout the
land. His text was Luke XIV, 13, "The
younger son gathered all together and
took his journey into far country"
The old homestead is turned upside
down. One of the two boys. the youn-
ger, Is about to leave the parental roof
The eaglet is tired of being warmed by
the protecting breasts of the old birds
With ruffled feathers he stands upon
the edge of the eyrie ready to fly off.
Sad Is the disruption of q home. When
the children say 'Goodby." the fami-
lies talk and laugh and joke. But they
are only laughing to sustain their cour-
age. The wedding bells weep as well as
sing. At the marriage the guests may
congratulate the parents of the bride
upon having gained a son. But the
daughter is never the same after the
wedding. On that day the bride goes
forth to make her own home, build her
own nest, rear her own young and live
her own life. Instead of belonging to
the parent she becomes another's. In
stead of the mother being first now she
is second.
Some years ago attended the we'd
ding of very dear friend. The slipper
had been thrown, the rice tossed, the
farewells shouted. | followed the old
gray haired father down to the garden
gate. While we stood there in the
moonlight he turned to me and said:
"Frank, know she has married a good
man. do hope she will be happy. But
1t is hard, awfully hard, to give her up.
She was my baby girl. She is my
youngest. 1t breaks the heart. 1t
breaks the heart" Children are born.
They pass boyhood and girlhood days
under the parental roof. They grow up
into manhood and womanhood. They
begin to scatter. Death knocks at the
front door and summons some. Love
hovers among the spring flowers and
breathes through the orange blossoms
and wooes others. Business and profess
sional duties beckon to others. At last
the old nursery is vacant. Father and
mother sit again alone at the dining
table as they once did when they them
selves were bride and groom. The old
homestead is deserted save by the old
folks. The text is a tragedy.
The mother did not sleep much last
night. Though she tries to look cheer
full, her eyes are red from weeping
Every little while she disappears into
the pantry or goes up stairs She
makes an excuse as though she was
looking for something. We know she
leaves the room for one purpose. She
wants to have good cry.
2 Into a Far Country.
The father is giving his last instruc-
tons. He is handing the young trav-
eler some letters of Introduction to
prominent merchant with whom the
son will lodge in the next town. A
noise is at the gate. Servants are
bringing out the horses and strapping
the baggage upon the pack mules.
They talk in subdued whispers. Even
they feel sorry. The young master"
was happy, jolly go lucky boy. He
always had a kind word for the hos
tiers. The only happy creature this
morning is the dog. He frisks and
barks about. expecting to follow the
sportsmen for weeks hunt. His hi
larity is stopped. Some one SHES
stone at the brute and shouts. go
back to the barn." Slowly the dog
turns. His lowered head and tail are
the canine signs of abject woe. He
stops now and then, expecting to hear
the familiar huntsman's halloo. Per-
haps he realizes for the first time he
is taking a last look of farewell. l al
ways did think that a bright dog was
smarter than a stupid man.
Tho farewell words now bpiDO
said. The father gives his benedic-
ton. We must turn our heads away.
The mother is having her last convul-
sive clasp. These are the swapping of
the heartstrinGs. A mother rarely re-
allies that the baby she once rocked
In a cradle can grow into a man. He
is always her boy. Suddenly the young
man breaks away. He leaps into the
saddle. The spurs cut deep. Parents
and friends shout their farewell to the
cavalcade. Then they wave and throw
kisses. The old father wipes his face
vigorously with a handkerchief. He
scods the servants. He bids them to
be off. He does not want them to see
him cry. The mother has no such
pride. AS the horses disappear over
the last hill the aged wife buries hel
head upon her husbands breast. She
sobs as though her heart would break
The husband tenderly puts his arm
about the sad heart. He draws hel
toward the house.
Slowly they walk up the tree arche(
path. They stop moment on the porcl
to glance down the road. Slowly thu
signing father opens the front door
The men go back to the fields, tn
female servants to the kitchen. TIL
domestic machinery is started. TIL
neighbors. returning to their homes
say. lis it MOI too bad that the younge
son should gather all together an
take his journey into far country"
The Iand of Sin.