Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-09-17
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Prcsby-
terrain Church, Chicago

thc predCueT emphasizes inc llupOl-
lance Of definite aim at the outset of
a career and points out the folly of
1.-THE wrong start" which must end in
ultimate disappointment or ruin. The
text is II Samuel xviii. %, wherefore
wilt thou run, my son2' .
Every great movement inevitably
ends its crystalizatio in the personal
ity Of one or more leaders. Soon aft
er Oliver Cromwell died the Iron
sides melted away. The monarchical
throne was again established. The son
Of a decapitated ruler was crowned
In Westminster abbey as Charles H.
When Harold, the last Of the Saxon
kings, fell at Hastings, william the
Conqueror became the undisputcd
claimant of the English throne, and
the Norman dynasty was established.
When Robespterre and Marat and Dan
ton died, the reign of terror" ceased.
"Mob anarchy" had to bend the knee
Mt the shrine Of established law"
When Prince Absalom, brilliant men
tally and handsome physically but de-
PRAYED morally the interruptions lead
er Of all the insurrectionists of David's
kingdom, died. at once his followers
were scattered, and the national up
heavai which threatened to demoish
his fathers throne was stlled.
No sooner was this ira gedy over than
General Joab. the commander of the
royal forces, wished to send the news
to the anxious king. He wanted to do
as other generals have done before and
since his time. Commodore Perry, aft
Or his great victory on Lake Erie, sent
to the president this significant mes
sage I'VE have met the enemy, and
they are ours" William r. sherman
in 1868 telegraphed to Abraham Lin
coin the news that his journey from
Atlanta to the sea had been accom-
plished. So General Joab turned 10
one of his young men, Cushi by name,
and in tones of authority said: go tell
the king what thou hast seen. And
Cushi bowed himself unto Joab and
ram"
The Race of Life.
Hardly was this command given and
the messenger on bis way when a stall
general. He was a physical athlete.
His chest was broad and deep, his
eye clear and quick The muscles Of
his sinewy limbs were moving in per-
feet action under the covering of his
skin. His name was Ahimaaz. He
was the son of Zadok He was n
young fellow Of intense energy. He
first saluted the commander IN military
fashion, and then said, Let me- pray
thee, run after Cushi." General Joab
looked at the young man in surprise.
He then asked this pertinent question:
Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, see
ing thou hast no tidings to bear? Why,
Cushi will tell the king all he wants to
know. All that you can do is to get
ont Of breath, and run and run and
run and run, and yet accomplish moth
Ing" But the young man would listen
to no reason. He again begged the
commander to let him run. Then, Gen
eral Joab, impatient to get rid of the
persistent suppliant, sharply replied
Run" And Ahimaaz ran. His race
was foolish, because 1t was without an
object, unless he wanted to outstrip
Cushi, the authorized messenger, as
the bearer of evil tidings. In such a
race there could be no prize worth the
winning no goal but disappointment
no recognition Of the tremendous eX
penditure Of energy. He ran as thou
sands of young men do who, leaving
their proper post Of duty, come in
eager haste to our large cities, neither
knowing nor caring for what purpose
they are entering the race of life.
AhimaaZes of the twentieth century
clear eyed and broad chested, it is very
important that you get the right start
The stronger you are mentally ant
physically the more important is i
that you direct your energies Alright
The swifter the locomotives velocity
the more essential Is it that it be unde,
the charge Of skillful engineer, for /
to have q good straight track and to b.
equipped with n safety brake. Tn
longer the carrying range of a rife TIL
greater the necessity of having the bar
rel aimed straight before the marks
man places his forehnger upon tn
hair trigger. Therefore the object o
this discourse is to tell young men no
only how they are to start, but ais
how they may have an overriding prov
idence to guide them when they start
A Pioneer Journey.
Lfe, in the first place, can be aptl.
compared to pioneers journey acros
the American continent where n
white mans foot ever trod before
It will be such n journey as John {
Fremont took in 1912, or as Davi
Crockett took in 1910, or as Sam Hous
ton took when, on account of domeS
tic sorrow, he resigned the gubernG
torial chair of Tennessee. in 1929 an
plunged into the dark forests of tn
west, or as Lewis and Clark took whe
they explored the northwest in 1901 OF
It will be Pathfinder's journey, BIZ
cause there will always be strange an
Unknown mountains to climb an
freshets to cross and deserts to pas
over and quicksands to avoid an
dark continents" to explore. Althoug
millions and billions of human being
have lived, there Is not one of all thos
multitudes who has had just the san
dangers to SAGE as have You and
Each man as an individual must b.
come free thinking and free acting. II
must decide his own course. No oth'
can place himself in exactly his pos