Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1902-09-10
THE HOMECOMING.
Rally Day Sermon by the high
way and Byway" Preacher.
How Paul and BarnRbas Successfully
Inaugurated such n Reunion i'm
the Early Church mt
Antioch.
Copyright. 1902. by 4 n. kellogg News
paper Col

Acts ll.Z1.
The Home Coming How good IL
seems after being away from home
10 get back again amidst the old ia
miliar scenes and faces; to fill our
accustomed niche in the household
activity, and TO mingle again with the
circle of acquaintanccs and 20 share
with those given place therein the
experiences met with while soiouru-
ing elsewhere. What new attractions
the home has, and how we settle
back N the coy corner or the den"
the home-li<e sitting-room or the Sc
clusion of "our very own room" and
enjoy new sense of comfort and
satisfaction in them, after the hustle
and hustle of the journey; after the
new scenes and surroundings and the
strange faces, have passed in kalei-
doscopic variety before our vision.
Old Farmer John of my boyhood
school reader expresses the thought
exactly when he eNclaims: The
best part of going away is get
ting home again" He has been off
TO the city encased in the boiled
shirt ana stiff collar. the Sunday suit
and the new shoes which have not
been broken to easy comfort as yet.
As soon as he is in the house, he
quickly crawls out of the irksome APP
parel and stretching his stiffencd
muscles he gets into his easv-fitting
work-a-day clothes The bark of the
dog. the neigh Of the horse, the busy
cluck C the chickens all greet him
rs he passes through the barn ward
pnd he is recognized in his familiar
attire. The dog. which before had
sedately borne himself in the august
presence of the Sunday clothes, now
leaps and bounds upon his master,
who sensing the changed demeanor
OF the animal, declares: with nv
new clothes off and my old clothes
on, now / am myself" said Farmer
John.
II is indeed good 10 60 away, but
there is n joy and satisfaction in get
ting home again which makes it the
best part of the experience. The
summer is nearly ended. The vaca-
ton season is about over. Many
have been away from the home circle,
from the church activities. from the
business and social life, and have re-
turned again to take up the real and
earnest side of life. Those who have
not been away and yet who have re-
Taxed into summertime ease, and
have taken rest in lightened duties
in the home, the business, the social
and religious spheres, are beginning
20 tighten their grip on things and
prepare for the larger activity of the
fall and winter days. So that the
thought and spirit met with on every
hand is one of quickening activities
and renewed zeal The Homecoming
to the family circle is marked by the
glad welcome back to the roof tree.
the resumptive of active associations
with he loved ones and the taking
up of ones share OF the burdens of
the home.
The homecoming in the church
life is n these days being more than
ever before accentuated by special
recognition of the return Of the alb
sent ones. of the ending of the vaca.
tion season and the taking up again
of the work with renewed vigor along
all lines. Rally day, with it's special
exercises and roll call. is becoming
more general in the churches and
Sunday schools Of the land, and not
only is it instrumental in bringing in
many absentees-thosc who have
drifted away-but it draws together
in closer bonds of Christian love and
fellowship the school and the church.
1t places the church and the Sunday
school in better working condition,
and emphasizes and advertises the
school and church as an aggressive
working force.
Rally Day at Antioch text
introduces MS TO the great Rally Dav
inaugurated by Paul and Barnabos
upon their return from the first mis-.
sionary journey. You remember that
Paul and Barnabas, after laboring
for year or more at Antioch. were
sent out by the church for a work to
which the Lord had called them
After an absence OF nearly wear
during which time they have had
some wonderful and blessed experi-
ences. they return. and having gath.
cred the church together. tbev re-.
hcarscd all that God had done with
them. We do not know that the
work i'm the church at Antioch had
langmShed while they were CARVING
the Gospel message TO other parts Of
the world, but we do know from opr
text that these two faithful servapts
Of the Lord busted themselves imroe.
diatelv upon their return i'm gather.
ing the church together I'm order t1,ot
they might rehearse unto them tbo
remarkable experiences throuot
which they had passed and thus slim
ulate The home church to greater ac-
tivity What a thrilling and interest
ing reel al that must have been. How
81 must have stirred the hearts Of
those .n the meeting TO hear of real
live experiences under the LEADING
and protection OF the Lord. No sleepy.
nodding heads i'm that assembly. No