Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-10-01
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,,
Pastor of Jefferson Park Presby.
terrain Church, Chicago

b"'toho anu tcIlptdtlOllS Ol InOuern
life this sermon utters n warning cry,
n timely call for return to the simple
ways and upright, honorable, Chris.
tan lives. Tho text is jeremiah vi,
10, "Ask for the old paths"
Most simple is the texts figure. Its
simplicity gives it homely beauty. 1t
has in it the aroma of the woods. 1t
Is one of those simple SMILES of coun-
try life that bring back to the weary
city dweller, whose feet have been long
accustomed to the hard paving stones
Of the city sidewalks, the memory of
the footpaths over turf covered hills
and The narrow lanes between the
banks bejeweled with sweet wild flow
crs that he used to walk in his child
hood days. The old paths-we can
never forget them. 1t will do us good
If we think of them this morning and
see If there are any moral lessons we
can learn from them. Sometimes the
commoncst incidents of everyday life
have voice for those who will hear.
Jean Francois Millct is everywhere
ranked among the most famous artists.
He taught, however, his greatest les
son by painting two ordinary every
day French peasants bending over
their hoes in the center of Il country
field in an attitude of prayer. The
"Angclus." immortalized by Millet, WAS
runG from a village church spire. Ills
worshipcrs were those who once lived
III humble poor mans home.
Robert Burns was the sweetest bard
old Scotland ever Graded among the
wild flowers of Ayr ana lulabicd to
sleep by the murmurDg waters of the
Bonnie Doom Yet. with the hand
of master, he played upon the silver
chords of the grand old instrument OF
human love by singing one of his
sweetest songs about Il houses nest.
In the death of n four legged dumb
brute Burns loospnrd the silent tongues
of many a songstcr and songstress who
have blended their voices in a chorus
of praise at the sacred affairs of domcs-
tic happiness. jeremiah. among the
greatest of the prophets, lamcnting
that his count1ymon had deserted their
God and disobcyed his laws. pleads
with them 10 avert the impending pun
ishment by returning to him. and he
employs this simple figure to portray
their condition. He describes them as
travellers lost upon the mountains Of
sin, hunting for a path which will lead
them out of their moral difficulties. He
represents God as telling them to TASK
for the old paths, which is the good
way, and walk therein, and We shall
find rest for your souls. But they said,
I'VE will not walk therein jeremiah
points the right path leading to the
throne of God by using the homely
smile of the ordinary country paths
or rough roadways in common use at
the time. over which the eastern cara
vans have Travelled and the cows have
come home for the evening milking
and over which have passed tired men
and women when, with daily tasks we'll
done. they have sought the home fire
SIDES for Physical refreshment and for
blessed sleep.
me railway 10 inc trOsS.
Like jeremiah, | would today carry
your thoughts back to the reminiscent
ces of the country and from the sweet,
fresh flowers of the village hcdgcrowS
pluck blossoms which will remind YOU
of old time associations and resolves.
The greatest of hortlculturists is not
the gardener who fashions his beds in
the many colors" of Joseph's coat or
grandmother's crazy quilt. 1t is he
who makes his floral designs simple
very simple. one bed looks as though
it We're bit of Alpine lake flung
ers. 1t is planted entirely with violets.
1t looks as simple and yet as beautiful
as the June heavens colorcd in blue.
Another bed looks like Il great collec-
ton of lcaping flames. 1t is planted
only in roses. 1t is very simple. 1t is
as simple in colors rs a cardinals robe.
1t is as simple in coors as the setting
sun. Another bed has the jaundiced
look of II Malay's skin. 1t is only
planted in golden glows. Another will
be an a2alca bed another a dahlia, an
other planted in white lilies another in
gcranums. The horticulturistic genius
thrives best in the simplicity of colors.
From this sermonic bed ! would pluck
only the sweet forgetmenots of tender
memories. Like Jeremiah the prophet
| would try to lead you over some Of
the old paths which your feet have
trodden in the past, and in the leading
| would lead you to the foot Of the
cross.
The old path which wound its way
toward the old homestead is the first
one ! would bid you to seek. That
path by the side of which vas once
builded your fathers and mothers
nursery is today in all probability COW
cred up with underbrush. Here it is
blocked by the rottlng trunk of tree
which has fallen sideways. There it
has been scooped out by freshet and
yonder covered up with landslide. 1t
looks great deal like one of those old
deserted log roads which once wound
their way through the woods toward
the town. After the new highway or
pike was opened the farmers and the
farmers wives always went the other
way to market. The result is that the
small bushes and the weeds have be-
gun to grow over that path which led
to your mothers nursery. 1t has long
been untrodden by any human foot.
Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty years!
What? What? Have your mother and
father been dead as long as that? My,