Connecticut western news., 1902-09-04
TALMAGE
 SERMON
1y Rev. FRANK DE WITT TALAGAGE, DID,. Pastor of Jefferson Park Prssby- torian Church, Chicago

ln this sermon by Rev. F. De Witt Tal- mage on the text Isaiah xxxviii, 1, ''Set thine house in order, for thou ehalt die"
 F I 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 ab- sorbing. Present earthly life is mex pressibly sweet to me. I feel in refer ence to 1t a great deal as did Christo- pher North, the physical and literary athlete, who, with his friends and chil- 0ren, used to race over the heather of old Scotland, his yellow curls a-flying fin the winds, singing and shouting as he ran, because he was bubbling over with joy and animal spirits. I am in love with the world because like the people who are in 1t.
 But, though earthly life may be priceless boon to some people as well as to myself, yet there must come to all a 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 we'll tested physical laws of health. bio Lewis, the great lecturer upon hy- 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 hu- man race might be increased to 100 or even POO years, though the present gen. eration 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 seventieth milestone, yet for every man and woman there must come at last an end to earthly exist .ence. The Bible distinctly and em- phatically states it. All history proves ht Though bio Lewis himself rigidly practiced 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 bio Lewis him. self had to die. So the same words of warning which the prophet Isaiah 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 aO00 years ago VI TAe rirst steps Necessary.
 | In anticipating his earthly demise a cOmmOn oense man should in the first place ret his temporal house in order. That means hes should, if necessary, get hiB life insured, He should make out his last will and testament He ohould 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 a manner as that his executors can easily carry out his plans. He should train up his chil- 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 self and his loved ones. We have con- tempt for the man who has so little interest in the temporal welfare of his wife and children that he will not make Inst will and testament.
 But, Mir. Talmage," answers some one, "I would do as you say, but am very superstitious about this matter of making a will intend to make a will and fix up my temporal affairs when I feel that my life Is drawing to an earthly close, but not now. I have al ways superstitiously felt that when a man makes his last will and testament out. Therefore I want to postpone making my will as long as possible"
 Although I am, comparatively speak ing. a young man, yet 1 have had a great deal of experience in sickrooms and by deathbeds, and, my brother, want to warn you as friend that in all probability when you come to die you will not have any time to fix up your estate and make an intelligent will and last testament. In all proba- bility you will be in such physical and mental weakness that you will not have enough strength to do anything else but lie in your bed and murmur a few words of farewell until you are gone. Therefore, my brother, what you want to do in reference to setting your temporal house in order through the influence of your last will and tes- lament you had better do right away. When death comes, your brain may be too feeble to plan and your fingers too trembling to hold pen.
 Furthermore, my friend, that state ment of yours about being supersti- tious in reference to making a will Is very foolish. It is as foolish as the su- perstition some people have about sitting one of thirteen at a table or looking at the new moon over the wrong shoulder or carrying a new born babe downstairs before he is car ried upstairs. It is so foolish that l am surprised 1t should be anywhere entertained among intelligent people. You will not die because you make your last will and testament, but you ought to make your last will and testa- ment in reference to your temporal af- fairs because your death Is inevitable. ''Set thine house in order."
 A Question Answered.
 But, Mir. Talmage," says some oth- CT, what Is the good of making a last will and testament? have nothing to leave except the few clothes in my wardrobe, and there are not many of them. I am a clerk on a comparative ly small salary. I live up to the last cent of my income, and I cannot af- ford to insure my life for the benefit of my children"
 My brother, that is very brave and frank statement to make. You say it is useless for you to make last will