Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-05-15
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE, DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

Cn1cagO, May LIN tnlS sermon inc
Rcv. Frank De Witt Talmagc paints n
picture which will be recognized as IA
miliar in many homes throughout the
land. His text was Luke XIV, 10, 1.-THE
younger son gathered all together and
took his journey into a far country"
The old homestead is turned upside
down. One of the two boys. the youn-
ger, is about to leave the parental roof.
The eaglet Is tired of being warmed by
the protecting breasts of the old birds.
With rulIied feathers he stands upon
the edge of the eyrie ready 10 fly or.
Sad is the disruption of n home. When
the children say "Goodby," the fami-
lies talk and laugh and joke. But they
are only laughing to sustain their cour-
age. The wedding bells weep as well as
sing. At the marriage the guests may
congratulate the parents of the bride
upon having gained a son. But the
daughter is never the same after the
wedding. on that day the bride goes
forth to make her own home, build her
own nest, rear her own young and live
her own life. Instead of belonging to
the parent she becomes another's. In
Is second
Some years ago l attended the we'd
ding of very dear friend. The slipper
had been thrown. the rice tossed, the
farewels shouted. | followed the old
gray haired father down to the gardei.
gate. While we stood there in the
moonlight he turned to ME and said:
Prank, know she has married good
man. | do hope she will be happy. But
1t is hard, awfuly hard. to give her up.
She was my baby girl. She is my
Youngest. 1t breaks the heart. 1t
breaks the heart" Children are born.
They pass boyhood and girlhood days
under the parental roof. They grow up
into manhood and womanhood. They
begin to scatter. Death knocks at the
front door and summons some. Love
hovers among the spring flowers and
breatDes through the orange blossoms
md wooes others. Business and profess
sional duties beckon to others. At last
the old nursery is vacant. Father and
mother sit again alone at the dining
table as they once did when they them
selves were bride and groom. The old
homestead is deserted save by the old
folks The text is tragedy.
The mother did not sleep much last
hight. Though she tries to look cheer
full, her eyes are red from weeping.
Every little while she disappears into
the pantry or goes up stairs. She
makes an excuse as though she was
looking for something. We know she
leaves the room for one purpose. She
wants TO have good cry.
Into Far Country.
The father is giving his last instruc,
tons. He is handing the young tray
elcr some letters of introduction 20 4
prominent merchant with whom the
son viii lodge in the next town. y
noise is at the gate. Servants are
bringing out the horses and strnpping
the baggage upon the pack mules
They talk in subdued whispers. Even
they feel sorry The young master
was happy, jolly go lucky boy. He
1lways had kind word for the hos
tiers. The only happy creature this
barks about, expecting to follow the
sportsmen for weeks hunt. His III
larty is stopped. Some one SHES &
stone at the brute and shouts. &C
back 10 the barn" Slowly the dog
turns. His lowered head and tail arc
the canine signs of abjcct woe. He
stops now and then, expecting to heal
the familiar huntsman's halloo. Per
haps he realizes for the first time he
is taking last look of farewell. I al
ways did think that a bright dog was
smarter than a stupid man.
The farewell words are now bcini
said. The father gives his bcnodic
ton. We must turn our heads away
The mother is having her Inst convul
sive clasp. These are the swapping Of
the heartstrings. A mother rarely re
allies that the baby she once rocked
in a cradle can grow into a man. HI
is always her boy. Suddenly the youni
man breaks away. He leaps into tn,
saddle. The spurs cut deep. Parents
and friends shout their farewell to tn,
Cavalcadc. Then they wave and throw
kisses. The old father wipes his fac,
vigorously with n handkerchief. IL
scOlds the servants lie bids them L
be off. lie does not want them to Sc,
him cry. The mother has no sucl
pride. AS the horses disappear owe
the last hill the aged wife buries he
head upon her husbands breast. Sin
kobs as though her heart would breal;
The husband tcnderly puts his arm
about the sad heart. He draws he
toward the house.
Slowly they walk up the tree archie,
path. They stop moment on the porcl
to glance down the road. Slowly tn
signing father opens the front door
The men go back to the fields, tn
female servants to the kitchen. TIL
domestic machinery Is started TIL
nelghbors, returning to their homes
say, as it not too bad that the younge
Son should gather all together an
take his journey into far country?"
The Land of SIN.
The far country Of my text IS tn
land of sin. Where 1t is we do nc
geographically know The far countr
may be in the rural regions, among tn
farmhouses. People make grea
mistake in supposing that the onl
place in which sin thrives is n larg
city. Sin loves to smell the wild flow