Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1902-09-27
TALMAGE
y SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor Of jefferson Park Presby-
\ terian Church, Chicago

mon by keY. rank l)c w lbt lulluaSe,
ON the text Eccleslastes xii, 3. THE
grasshopper shull be burden"
A unique text, capable OF many dlf'
ferent interpretations. Some suppose
the Solomonic burden" Of the grass
hopper, or, more strictly speaking, OF
the eastern locust, refers to the nag
ging pains OF the chronic dyspeptic.
The locusts, properly cooked, were edi-
BILE. They constituted one Of the most
delicate Of foods. They were often
served to lnvalds and to those whose
weak stomachs were unable to nsslml-
late any other kind OF diet. Thus
some commentators assert that the hg-
ure Of the text Is that OF an old man
cOntorted with pain because his dlges-
tive organs have given out The din
ner OF locusts which he has eaten In
stead OF being transformed into blood
and bone and nerve and muscle Is
lying like a lump OF lead within him.
Others assert that the text IL the figure
of an aged man whose emaciated body,
with its shrlveled limbs and curved
backbone, has taken upon itself the
form Of a lean grasshopper. Thus
Tithonus in his old age was supposed
TO have been changed into this chirp-
ing Insect because the Greek gods who
had promised him Immortality upon
earth had refused to endow him with
eternal youth.
But, though many interpretations are
offered to explain the meaning or my
text, there is one simple Interpretation
which, believe. will appeal to the
eommon sense OF all. Solomon used
the figure OF the chirplng grasshoppel
To illustrate the fact that II we d(
not have the grace OF God in our hearts
there will come a time when the nttl'
lannoyances Of life will tease and tanta
lllze and trouble us, even as the buzzlni
4 of an insect can destroy the slumber'
Of a sleeping invalid or as the slam
ming OF door makes a nervously pros
trated patient start up In fright an'
bedews his cold forehead with clamm.
sweat The wlsest OF all men seems 4
saw to you and me. THE religion OF tn
Lord Jesus Christ is just as essentia
for the little troubles as for the DIE
for the inscctile trials as for the noun
, famous Affections" The purpose o
this sermon Is to discuss some or tn
little annoyances Of life and to stat
how. by the grace Of God. we ma
combat them. | want to present tnl
{ theme to those whose physical an
lmental frames have been prematurel
weakened by the strenuous. hardwori
ing lives they have been compelled
lead as well as to those whose ono
strong bodies are bordering upon ner'
GUS collapse on account or the natur'
: approach Of old age.
I Petty Annoynnces.
, The kitchen and bedroom and nur
cry and parlor of the average home r
\ veal many OF the so called petty a.
novauces which can render morbid an
unhappy the minds and the hearts
the inmates. especially OF the wlV'
0 and mothers. 1t IL the annoyance
: trying to build fire early in the NOR
q ing. when the damper will not wor
4 that exemplines how the grasshopp
NAV become a burden. 1t Is the tro
BILE Of getting the children Off to scho
u at the right time, when the tired mot
y or finds that her boy has worn no
in one of his stockings and there
not another clean pair to put on. IL
the annoyance OF hunting up pair
scissors which your little girl lost witt
she took them to make dolls dresss
II is the annoyance or having
- butcher and the grOceryman fal
hiring home the vegetables ana [
meats in time to be cooked for Dime
And then there Is the annoyance TO [
wife Of having her husband compia
because his meals are not served
time. It Is the nagging annoyance ID
comes every little while to all SO
housekeepers Of having a lot or peoI
dron In for dinner at the last nome
;e when you are not expecting them u
when you have nothing suitable In |
lorder to cook for them. 1t Is |
same kind OF annoyance that Martl
in the little village OF Bethany, e4pe
anced when her brother LaZar
brought Christ and some OF the uls
Mos TO the home. Or II Is the ann'
ance Of having company call when
children have been playing hide a
sock I'm the parlor and have turned
furniture upside down as though
ta cIone had struck ii, or the annoyal
NJ heing seen on the stairs by so
particular friend when your hsir
unkempt and your dress Is disorder
70 from working In .he storeroom OF IT
hacking or from putting up lace c
. to,ns or from canning peaches or IN
I ing currant jelies for the next wlh''
supply. w
THE bousekeeper's little annoyan
would not amount to much IL ID
wore only a few Of them and II ID
annoyances came but seldom. but
trouble with the burden Of the gr'
hoppers is that this insect always u
. ola in multitudes. They advance
u. swarms, by hundreds. by thousal
by millions. They travel In sucn g
Ad- AZ numbers that they make tne u
civ monsters in the African forest'
ors, and fee in wild terror for their IL
" Thev will destroy every harvest
their tracks and eat bare every
nt branch. Their advent is curse
their departure nearly always 'e'
complete desolation. In the hle ol
. Thomas Graham. the great hnsn
- who built the Royal Exchange OF
don we read that he was LEFT Io'
r. ling in a country field. Hls 1o
- vas vas a Door woman, who deserted
Sir Thomas, as baby, was discoV'
in that field and his life was 50
through the chirping Of a grassh0p
, which attracted a boy to the p
where the child was lying. But thl
the only instance In all history W
D. u,o rornamhpr where q life was 81