Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-08-07
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACC. DID,,
Pastor OF Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

SlShNc anu appreciation LOT people WHO
have passed lfcs meridian Is contain
Cd in this discourse by Rev. Frank De
Witt Talmagc on the text Psalm Xci,
ii, "They shall still bring forth fruit
In old age
Old age is a haunting spectcr. 1t has
tcrrorizcd the generations past more
than even the fear of death. The most
hated and feared of all the Grecian
philosophers was he who used to stand
upon the street corners of Athens
frightening the passersby with these
solemn words: You will be an old
man. You VIII be an old woman" He
frightened the passersby because most
people do not want TO become old.
They are afraid of coming to the time
when they will be burden to their
children and their friends. They are
AFRAID Of the time when their earning
capacity shall cease, for then, In the
race OF life, they will be jostlcd and
left far behind by the speed and the
strength of the younger generation.
They are afraid OF the years when
tlcy will have to walk with cane or
crutch or sit in an invalid chair wait
ing for the time when the coffin maker
viii finish their casBet and the under
t.ker will order their grave to be dug.
TO show how depressed some people
are over the fact of growing old l
would read n letter which ! received
some time ago from one of my people:
Dear Mr.. TalmaEe-Last night in your
sermon you stated that this is the age for
young men. You did not have time to
spenk one word In favor of tho useful
hess of the old people. 1 was sorry. l
knew of some sitting near to me who
would be heavy hearted on account of
their old age. This morning an aged
member of your church called upon me.
lie said he was so depressed over your
remarks last night that he could not
sleep. With tears in his eyes, he said
Il wonder If old people Will be wanted in
heaven" Now my dear pastor / would
like you, If possible to preach n sermon
upon the blessings of old age. l would
like you to preach a sermon to cheer up
those who have passed tho zenith OF their
earthly life and are sliding down the 9TH
side and nearing the landing place Of
eternity. You will. will you not?
1t is in answer TO the request IN this
letter that am going to speak this
morning to the old folks. l will gladly
try to refute the popular fallacy that
old age for the Christian is merely
n time for tears for physical and men
tai pains, and for depressing helpless
ness. 1t was true thing that an aged
minister said to Jacob A. Ris, the
New York rcformer my son, / am on
the sunshiny side of sixty, because l
am near to the glories of heaven"
The words OF my text do not state that
l,,,,,
upon earth is gloomy and sullen
sunset. They do emphatically imply
that the last days of an aged Chris
tian's earthly life should be among his
happicst and most useful days. Those
days should be compared to the time
when the orchards branches are bend
ing under the heavy load Of the rip
encd autumnal fruit.
Old Ages Testimony.
The aged Christian Is able from his
own experience to testify of the pro-
tecting care of a Divine Fathers love.
The difference between the testimony of
an old man and very young man is the
difference between knowledge and sup
position, between fact and surmse 1t
Is the difference between the words of
veteran who carries the scars, the
sword cuts and the bullet wounds of
many battlefelds and the words of the
ruddy faced youth who has not yet
won his shoulder straps or seen any
thing but the recruiting officers pa
pers. 1t is the difference between tho
experience of an old pilot of the Hugh
river, the most dangerous navigable
river in the world. who has for many
years guided the boats up to the
wharfs Of Calcutta, and the experience
of the cabin boy who has not yet
learned how to handle wheel. 1t Is
the difference between the diagnosis
of the old, gray haired physician who
has prescribed for hundreds of fever
patients and the diagnosis of the young
medical graduate who has Just re-
ceived his diploma. 1t IS the difference
between the words of the young states
man Just elected to congress and the
words OF the first president of the
United States when he was about to
leave the presidential chair for the
last time. When George Washington
delivered his farewell address at the
American people did not reverence his
words because he welded more
trenchant pen than Thomas jefferson
or because he was a more impnssioned
orator than Patrick Henry. They rev
erenced his words because he spoke
ms one having authority. lie spoke as
one who had led the American armies
during the darkest days OF the Revo-
lutionary war. He spoke as one who
had stood Mt the helm when the ship
Of state was just launched. He spoke
as one who had been willing to offer
his life as a sacrifice for his countrys
good The American people listened
to him in the same spirit with which
the French audience heard the aged
patriot Lafayette when the chairman
introduced him with these beautiful
words: "Fellow citizens, would have
you listen reYerentially to the speaker
of the day because sixty years of n
noble life are about to address you"
Gods Promise True.
My aged Christian friend, there may
be other brains just as keen as yours.
There may be other hearts just as
willing to make sacrifice for their Lord
and Master as yours, but no Christian
can as powerfully testify of the pro-
tecting care Of a Heavenly Father as