The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-07-26
THE VACATION REST.
Seasonable Sermon by the high
way and Byway" Preacher.
How Jesus Provided a Needful Out
ing for HIS Disciples, and Help
full Lessons Drawn
TherefrOm.

Copyright, 1902. by A. N. Kellogg News
Chicago. July %. 1902.
Text: And He said unto them: Come We
yourselves apart into desert place, and
rest awhile.-Mark 6:3l.
Vacation Rest.--Scripture records
at least one instance where our Lord
called His disciples aside from the
busy activity of the world for Pc
riod of rest. The words of our text
reveal to us the tender solicitude
with which Christ regarded the phys
ical as well as spiritual needs OF His
followers. Doubtless there were
other occasions during the three
years of the active ministry Of Christ
when He and His disciples withdrew
themselves for the recreation OF the
weary and exhausted bodies, as well
as the renewing of their spiritual
strength. Certainly the circum-,
stances which gave rise to the words
of our text afford us ample warrant
in making them the basis OF n vaca-
tion-time sermon. As we study the
words, and the incidents surround
ing them, and dig beneath the sur
face for light as to the Divine mind
regarding summertime rest and re-
creation, we shall spend helpful
and blessed half-hour together.
The mistake is very often made in
supposing that God is a hard task
master, and that He views with dis
approval vacation time and vacation
rest. With this thought consciously
or unconsciously burdening the heart,
many dear and weary child of God
steals Off half guiltily, to his vacation
rest, almost feeling that he has left
his Lord behind to follow him with
sad and disappointed look. And in
SO doing half the joy and blessing OF
the vacation is lost. All, IL we would
draw close to the Saviour's side when
the burdens of life press hard and
the summers heat saps our vitality
we would hear Him say again, as He
did of yore: "Come ye yourselves
apart into a desert place, and rest
awhile" And instead of leaving Him
behind, we would find the Lord pres
ent at our side, making glad every
moment and opening up new avenues
of refreshing service for Him. Yes
He who draws the shades OF night
ut the close of the busy day, and Outs
the world to rest; He who rested
Himself on the Sabbath day anu bids
the world to rest with Him, Is not
unmindful of the further needs OF
His children. The call, "Come unto
Me, all We that labor and are heavy
laden, and l will give you rest
sounds with alluring tenderness from
the shaded nook and ripping water
side sometimes, and as we draw our
selves apart for awhile we find thu
Lord there awaiting us to soothe oul
weary bodies and aching brains bacl
to normal vigor again.
If the declaration, 1.-THE devil neve
takes vacation" is not Of hellt
own coinage, it is often used by tn
devil and his minions to put tn
mark Of disapproval upon the vaca
ton excursion of one whom the Lor'
is calling apart for season OF need
full rest. It may be true that tn
prince of this world never does TAX
a vacation. II so, 1t Is only anothe
instance of his hellish excess whic
ia self-destructive. He cannot an
will not hear God speak. but yot
dear friend, have that privilege.
II you will read the entire sixt
chapter of Marks Gospel. fror
which our text is taken, you will fin
that the disciples have been journey
, ing in bands of two, preaching tn
Gospel Of repentance, casting on
devils and healing the sick. They r.
turn and relate their experiences t
Jesus, while the people of CapernauI
, eagerly crowd around in their unres
and need. Surely here is opportuI
: ity of further and greater work rigf
r at hand. All, il many a struggiin
, disciple of Christ to-day had bee
!, there. how he would have groane
: and exhausted his energies unde
I that seeming urgent call to duty
: But Jesus knew that rest was In
perative, and turning from Tn
crowds for a season He leads II
r Disciples out into the uninhabited b,
: fragrant fields and sloping hillside
a To the northeast of the Lake OF Ga
iIce. How vain it would have bee
I for any of the disciples to tarry b.
a hind, when Jesus had planned r
0 freshing lake trip and run In tn
!. meadows. And, behold, while fres
I lake breezes kiss the color back I'M
\ their faces and the fragrance OF tt
!. odding flowers bring new message
a Ct Gods love and care to their soui'
; while the tuneful birds sing Nature
hymn Of praise and restful harmon
Z and they feel their tagging spiri
9 reviving; behold. new channels
n service open up and their brief outir
: is turned into vast picnic, at whi'
the hungry multitudcs partake
a the Lords bounty, and the discipl
!. become the renewed channe
through which the Divine power CT
W be poured. Here Is vacation re
N worthy the name. Vacation re
Il does not mean listless idleness
reckless abandon. Vacation re
"a which would supply the needs OF t
q body at the sacrifice of the soul Is
r perversion and an iniquity. Such
n really not vacation rest at all, b
vacation unrest.
Vacation Unrest.--And for fe
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