Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-09-05
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE. DID,.
Pastor OF Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

mage on the text Isaiah xNxyiil. I.
"Set thine house IN order, for thou
shalt die"
am going TO stay aboard this planet
ms long as ! can. When the time comes
for me to die. believe sufficient grace
Will be given 10 me with which TO die.
But have never felt less like dying
than II the present time. My home
was never so happy. my friends never
more kind. my work never more alb
sorbing. Present earthly life is mex
pressibly sweet to me. 1 feel In refer.
ence 10 1t great deal as did Christie.
pher North. the physical and literary
athlete. who. with his friends and chill
dren, used TO race over the heather OF
old Scotland. his yellow curls a-hying
in the winds, singing and shouting as
he ran. because he was bubbling over
with joy and animal spirits. am in
love with the world because like the
people who are In it.
But. though earthly life may be n
priceless boon to some people as well
as to myself, yet there must come to
oil a time when we shall have to die.
Perhaps, like Hezekiah of my text,
who besought God by prayer TO IN.
crease his earthly day. we may be able
TO prolong our existence ten, fifteen or
even twenty years by rigidly obeying
the well tested physical laws of health.
Dio Lewis. the great lecturer upon by.
Siene, once declared that every normal
healthy child born into the world
ought to live to be at least 100 years
old lie asserted that nearly all the
members of the human race do not
live out half their earthly life be-
cause they do not eat the right kind of
FOOD, wear the proper clothing and
take the proper amount of exercise.
But though the longevity of the hui
man race might be increased to 100 or
even ECO years. though the present gen.
GRAFTON might be able to reach the two
hundredth and fiftieth milestone which
marks the highway OF life's journey
instead Of only the twentieth or fif-
tieth or SEVENTEEN milestone. yet for
every man and woman there must
come at last an end to earthly exist
ence. The Bible distinctly and en-
phatically states it. All history proves
IT. Though Dio Lewis himself rigidly
practiced the laws of health which his
keen and far reaching intellect framed:
though he only ate just enough food to
replenish the amount of waste tissue:
though he wore the proper clothing
and daily took the proper amount OF
physical exercise, yet Dio Lewis him.
self had to die. So the same words
OF warning which the prophet Isaiah
brought to the sick ruler in the ancient
Jerusalem palace bring to you. They
are just as pertinent for the present
generation as they were TO the Hebrew
king who lived nearly 1900 years ago.
The First Steps Necessary.
In anticipating his earthly demise n
common sense man should in the first
place set his temporal house i'm order
That means he should, IL necessary.
get his life insured. He should make
out his last will and testament He
should appoint the executors OF his es-
tate, and the future guardian of his
children lie should explain the de-
tails OF his business and invest his
moneys in such n manner as that his
executors can easily carry out his
plans. He should train up his chill
dren or his licutenants so that they
may carry on his work after he is
dead. He should, IL desirable. buy
his family plot and make all arrange
ments for the last resting place of him.
self and his loved ones. We have con-
tempt for the man who has so little
interest in the temporal welfare OF
his wife and children that he will not
make last will and testament.
"but. Mr.. Talmage." answers some
one, Il would do as you say, but I am
very superstitious about this matter or
making will. 1 intend TO make a will
and fix up my temporal affairs when
feel that my life is drawing 10 an
earthly close. but not now. i have al
ways superstitiously felt that when
man makes his last will and testament
he will certainly die before the year IS
oct. Therefore / want TO postpone
making my will as long as possible"
Although ! am, comparatively speak
Ing. young man, yet l have had n
great deal OF experience I'm sickrooms
and by deathbeds. and, my brother,
want 10 warn you as a friend that in
all probability when you come to die
you viii not have any time to fix up
your estate and make an Intelligent
VIII and last testament. In all proba.
biiity you will be In such physical and
mental weakness that you will not
have enough strength to do ANYTHING
else but lie in your bed and murmur q
Few words OF farewell until you are
gone. Therefore. my brother. what
you want TO do in reference 10 setting
your temporal house in order through
the influence OF your last will and ties.
Tament you had better do right away.
when death comes. your brain may be
too feeble to plan and your fingers too
trembling TO hold pen.
Furthermore. my friend. that state
ment or yours about being supersti-
ltious in reference to making n will is
very foolish. 1t is as foolish as the SUI |
iperstition some people have about |
sitting one of thirteen at n table or |
looking at the new moon over the |
wrong shoulder or carrying a new |
born babe downstairs before he is car
iried upstairs 1t is So foolish that |
am surprised 1t should be anywhere |
'entertained among intelligent people. |
You Will not die because YOU make |
your iast Will anu testament, put you 1
ought TO make your last will and tesla /
menf In reference to your temporal af-
ialrs because your death is inevitable.
Set thine house in order"
Question Answered.
But. Mr.. Talmage" says some 9TH
er. what is the good of making a last /
VIII and testament? 1 have nothing to |
leave except the few clothes in my
wardrobe. and there are not many OF
them. am clerk on a comparative
~ small salary. l live up to the last
cent OF my income. and 1 cannot af-
ford to insure my life for the benefit
or my children"
My brother, that is a very brave and
frank statement to make. You say II
Is useless Tor you TO make last will
ana testament because you have moth
ing To leave and you cannot afford to
even get your life insured. IL you.
great, big. strong man, are having
huch hard time TO make living,
what will your physically weak wiz