Milford chronicle., 1902-05-16
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor of jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago


Pastor of jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago /
Chicago, May lin this sermon the
Rev. Frank De Witt Talmage paints &
picture which will be recognized as ia
miliar in many homes throughout the
land. His text was Luke XIV, Is. THE
younger son gathered all together anC !
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 ruffied feathers he stands upor
the edge Of the eyrie ready to fly off
Sad is the disruption Of Il home. Wher
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 rs
sing At the marriage the guests may
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 Il good
man. do hope she will be happy. But
it is hard, awfully hard. to give her up
She was my baby girl. She is my
youngest. 1t breaks the heart. II
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 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.
Into a Far Country.
The father is giving his last instruc.
tons. He IS handing the young trag-
eler some letters of Introduction to a
prominent merchant with whom the
son will lodge In the next town. A
noise is at the gate. Servants nre
bringing out the horses and strappins
the baggage upon the pack mules
They talk in subdued whispers Even
they feel sorry. The young master
was happy, jolly go lucky boy. lie
always had a kind word for the hos
tiers. The only happy creature this
morning is the dog. He frisks anC
banks about. expecting to follow the
| spOrtsmen for weeks hunt. His hi
larity is stopped. Some one SHES 1
stone at the brute and shouts, &c
back to the barn." Slowly the dos
turns. His lowered head and tail arr
the canine signs of abject woe. II,
stops now and then. expecting to hea
the familiar huntsmans hallOo. Per
laps be realizes for the first time h
is taking a last look of farewell. | al
ways did think that bright dog wa
smarter than stupid man.
The farewell words are now beini
} said. The father gives his benediC
ton. We must turn our heads away
The mother is having her last convu
: sive clasp. These are the swapping 0
the heAFtstPings. a mother rarely II
Allies that the baby she once rookie
in u cradle can grow into O man. II
is always her boy. Suddenly the youn
man breaks away. He leaps into til
saddle. The spurs cut deep. Parent
and friends shout their farewell to til
/. Cavalcade. Then they wave and thro'
: kisses. The old father wipes his fac
vigorously with a handkerchief. II
scolds the servants. He bids them t
be of. lie does not want them to Sc
him cry. The mother has no sue
pride. AS the horses disappear Owe
the last hill the aged wife buries hi
head upon her husbands breast 81
sobs as though her heart would brea
= The husband tenderly puts his ar
, about the sad heart. He draws b,
!. toward the house.
r Slowly they walk mp the tree archie
T path. They stop a moment on the pore
q to glance down the road Slowly Il
d. signing father opens the front doc
The men 80 back to the fields, Il
female servants to the kitchen. II
, domestic machinery is started. r.
neigbbOFs. returning to their home
say. lis il not too bad that the young
son should gather all together al
Y take his journey into far country p
The Land of Sin.
The far country of my text is t
= land of sin. Where it is we do Il
geographically know. The far count
el may be in the rural regions. among t
" farmhouses. People make gre
M mistake IN supposing that the OF
NJ place in which sin thrives is a lar
los city. Sin loves to smell the wild flo
=. rrs and lie down in the haymow
n we'll MS 10 tramp the strests of EU
ms metropolis. ] have preached in
country and know of what | spe
for There is loathsOme drunkenness il
Ills crossroad tavern as well as in a cor
nj saloon. Many young country
in has disgraced the family. FARM
:, boys and girls do not all attend
~ country revivals in order to hear
= preaching. The far country of sin
N be located in the city. Sin is not
portiOnally more prevalent in the
than in the village. but it is be
able to conceal its tracks in a will
ness of rock than in a country to
F Many q letter have 1 received wi
- went thus: II am a farmers wife
es, have a boy in the great, wicked
Of Chicago. fear he is not d.
right. You may be able TO save |
ltal He has written me that be has att
ed your church. Will you pray
himT' The far country of sin is SO