The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-08-21
THE VACATION REST.
Seasonable Sermon by the "High-
way and Byway" Preacher.

SSoSoAoOAS 0SA AVA Ny IAC h1Su
way and Byway" Preacher.
How Jesus Provided q NeedfuI Out.
ing for His Disciples, and Help
full Lessons Drawn
TherefrOm.
Copyright, 1902, by A. N. Kellogg News
paper Coz
chicago, 1902
Text: And He said unto them: Come ye
yourselves apart into a desert place, and
rest awhile.-Mark 6:31.
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 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 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
a sad and disappointed look. And in
SO doing half the joy and blessing of
the vacation is lost. All, if 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 We yourselves
apart into 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
at the close of the busy day, and puts
the world to rest; He who rested
Himself on the Sabbath day and bids
the world to rest with Him, is not
unmindful of the further needs of
His children. The call, "Come unto
Me, all ye that labor and are heavy
laden, and 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 the
Lord there awaiting us to soothe our
weary bodies and aching brains back
to normal vigor again.
If the declaration, 'sThe devil never
takes vacation" is not of hell's
own coinage, it is often used by the
devil and his minions to put the
mark of disapproval upon the vaca
tion excursion of one whom the Lord
is calling apart for season of need
full rest. It may be true that the
prince of this world never does take
q vacation. If so, it is only another
instance of his hellish excess which
is self-destructive. He cannot and
will not hear God speak, but you,
dear friend. have that privilege.
If you will read the entire sixth
chapter of Marks Gospel, from
which our text is taken, you will find
that the disciples have been journey
ing in bands of two, preaching the
Gospel of repentance, casting out
devils and healing the sick. They re-
turn and relate their experiences to
Jesus, while the people of Capernaum
eagerly crowd around in their unrest
and need. Surely here is opportun-
ity of further and greater work right
at hand. All, if many a struggling
disciple of Christ to-day had been
there, how he would. have groaned
and exhausted his energies under
that seeming urgent call to duty!
But Jesus knew that rest was i'm
perative, and turning from the
crowds for season He leads His
disciples out into the uninhabited but
fragrant fields and .sloping hill-sides
to the northeast of the Lake of Gal
flee. How vain it would have been
for any of the disciples to tarry be-
hind, when Jesus had planned re-
freshing lake trip and run in the
meadows. And, behold, while fresh
lake breezes kiss the color back into
their faces and the fragrance of the
nodding flowers bring new messages
of Gods love and care to their souls;
while the tuneful birds sing Natures
hymn of praise and restful harmony,
and they feel their tagging spirits
reviving; behold, new channels Of
service open up and their brief outing
is turned into vast picnic, at which