Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-10-02
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park PresSy-
terrain Church. Chicago

Chicago, Sept. 81. Amid the dis
fractions and temptations OF modern
life this sermon utters warning cry,
q timely call for n return to the simple
ways and upright. honorable, Chris
tan lives. The text is jeremiah vi.
10. ASK for the old paths"
Most simple is the texts figure. Its
simplicity gives it a homely beauty. 1t
has In IL the aroma or the woods. II
Ii one OF those simple SMILES OF coun-
try LIE that bring back to the weary
city dweller, whose feet have been long
accustomed to the hard paving stones
or the city sidewalks. the memory Of
the feotpaths over turf covered hills
AND the marrow lanes between the
banks bejeweled with sweet wild dow.
srs that he used to walk In his child
hood days. The old paths-we can
never forget them. 1t will do us good
we think Of them this morning and
see IL there are any moral lessons we
can learn from them. Sometimes the
commonest incidents Of everyday life
have voice for those who will hear.
Jean Francois Millet is everywhere
RANKED among the most famous artists.
He taught. however, his greatest leg
Bon By painting two ordinary every
Day French peasants bending over
their hoes I'm the center OF a country
"a nsld In an attitude OF prayer The
"Angelus.v immortalized by Millet, was
rung from a village church spire His
woFshipers were those who once lived
IN ahrmbfe poor mans home.
ttooert Burns wes the sweetest bard
old Sootand ever Graded among the
wed dswess OF Ayr and lullabied to
sleep BY the murmuring waters OF the
Bonnie Doom" Yet, with the hand
OF, . master, he played upon the silver
choras OF the grand old instrument of
konen love by singing one OF his
sweetest songs about q mouse's nest.
In the death OF four legged dumb
brute Burns ioosened the silent tongues
or many a songster and songstress who
have blended their voices in a chorus
or praise at the sacred affairs OF domes-
tie. happiness. jeremiah, among the
greatest OF the prophets, lamentinR
that his countrymen had deserted their
God and disobeyed his laws, pleads
with them to avert the impending pun
ishment by returning to him, and be
employs this simple figure to portray
their condition. He describes them as
travellers lost upon the mountains OF
sin. hunting for path which will lead
them out OF their moral difficulties. He
represents God as telling them to task
Tor the old paths, which is the good
way, and walk therein, and ye shall
md rest for your souls. But they said,
we will not walk therein" Jeremiah
pointe the right path leading TO the
throne OF God by using the homely
sinile OF the ordinary country paths
~ rough roadways I'm common use at
tho 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 well
cone, they have sought the home fire.
aides for Physical refreshmcnt and for
pleased sleep.
TAs Pathway 20 the Crcs..
Like jeremiah, 1 would today carry
your thoughts back TO the reminiscent
ces or the country and from the sweet.
frssh flowers OF the village hedgerows
pluck blossoms which will remind YOU
The sreatest OF horticulturists is not
: the gardener who fashions his beds In
the many coiors" OF Joseph's coat or
n grcndmother's crazy quilt. 1t is he
who makes his floral designs simple
very simple. One bed looks as though
IL were bit OF Alpine lake flung
among the crowded regiments OF DOW
sra. IL Is planted entirely with violets.
II looks as simple and yet as beautiful
o. the June heavens co,ored In blue.
Another bed looks like n great coifec-
uon OF leaping flames. II is planted
only IN roses IL is very simple. II Is
% ample In co}ors as a cardinals robe.
1t 10 a. simple In coiors as the setting
sun. Another bed has the taundiced
sook OF Mnlay's skin 1t Is only
planted In golden glows. Another will
be IN axalea bed, another n dahlia, an
other planted I'm white lilies, another In
ssraniums. The horticulturistic genius
thrfvss best In the simplicity OF colors.
From this sermonic bed would pluck
only the sweet forgetmepots of tender
memories. Like jeremiah the prophet
would try TO lead you over some OF |
the old paths which ysur feet have
trodden in the past, and In the leading |
i would lead you TO the foot OF the !
cress.
The old path which wound its way
toward the old homestead is the hrst |
'ens would bid you 10 seek. That
path by the side OF which was once
puilded your fathers and mothers
nursery Is today In all probability COW
cred up with upderbrush. Here II is
blocked by the rotting trunk OF tree
which has fallen sideways. There II |
has been scooped out by q freshet and |
yondsr covered up with a landslide. Il |
looks q 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 |
20 your mothers nursery. 1t has long
been untrodden by any human foot.
Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty yearsl
,WhatY Whatf Have your mother and /
father been dead as long as that? Nj.
ny. how time does go! No wonder
Sou have forgotten a great deal about
your mother and her ways
Clear Away the Rubbish.
but, come, let us take our axes to-
Gay and clear away some of that rub
bash. Let us explore the old path
which once led up to the old home
stead. When the first settlers entered
tne Michigan woods they used to
blaze" the trees. That means that with
their axes they would chop a notch
out or this tree and that and the other
tree as they went along. Thus, if they
could not find the right place to settle
In one direction, they would retrace
their steps by these notches and start
ous In the woods from another direc-
ton Well, these old paths which once
led up to the homes of our childhood