Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-06-26
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID,.
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby- q
tesien Church. Chicasc

moral bars during the summer vaca-
ton. Some OF the evils peculiar to so
called popular summer resorts are UNI
sparingly denounced. The text is
Numbers xxi. %, BE sure your sin
will find you out"
What arc you going to do this sum-
mer? take vacation" you answer.
'T am going away to the country.
There was once n time when I did not
believe In summer vacations. i thought
they were merely lazy mems excuses
for Sinking work. But now / know
that 1 was mistaken. I have been
gradually breaking down under the
ceaseless monotonies OF business.
want and need a change. / am going
out among the green hills or down by
the seashore. 1 will leave word that
all letters and kilograms at the store
as far as possible must remain unan-
swered until 1 get back. 1 am going
to rustcate. 1 shall turn myself out
to grass and let my mind run fallow."
Good resolve, thati 1 always did be-
lieve 1t better TO pay for fresh air
tonic and country sunlight than for
medicine chest. 1 always did believe
IL far better to associate with the farm
er, the fisherman and the country toll
gate keeper for a little while during
the summer than 1t Is to have the doc
tor and the trained nurse your con-
slant visitants during the winter. The
hammerings OF the woodpecker are
much more pleasant for one to hear
than the creakings OF rheumatic joints
The sunrise over the eastern hills in
the country after one has gone to bed
at o o'clock and slept through the
night Ia a far more enjoyable sight
20 see than a sunrise In the city which
one witnesses after an agonizing night
OF sleeplessness caused by that worst
OF all inquisitorlal fiends called insom-
MIA.
Beware OF Sabbath Dissertation.
But, my hearers before we separate
for the summer, as your pastor !
would like to ask you another ques-
ton: What do you expect to do when
you are in the country? How are you
going to spend that vacation? "well,"
you answer, 81 really do not know. /
am going to let things drift and not
make any plans. II L feel like fishing
will fish. IL want to take a drive
u
upon my bicycle. But the simple fact
Is am not an enthusiastic sportsman.
fear the time some days will drag
heavily. But go away to the country
Will. / know / need the trip" Yes.
my brother, your answer is that which
most men can give. You have been
working hard during your life. In one
sense you have destroyed your ability
to play Therefore when you go to the
country and do not know what to do
temptations will there nssail you
which would never tempt you when
You are at home and at work Now,
the purpose OF this sermon Is not to
talk TO libertines and loafers and dead
beats. 1t is not TO upbraid the social
cutcasts and the sinful vampires who
an human leeches try TO suck the life's
blood out Of their fellow men at the
summer watering places. That class Of
people are not those whom 1 want to
Talk to now. But would today, as a
pastor. earnestly and prayerfully give
few words OF practical advice to
hard working people who will spend
their vacations away from home
would try TO warn you against the
temptations which will confront you
and which, II successful, may destroy
your entire Christian character. The
ieprous germ absorbed into the spir-
ftual body In day may continue to
work its malformations clear on down
10 the grave and change your whole
eternal destiny.
Summer red light the first: Beware
OF Sabbath Dissertation. That means
beware that You do not unarmor your |
selves by one false move and leave
your beating hearts defenseless before |
the poisoned arrows OF the Satanic |
archers. Beware that you do not prac-
IDEALLY say TO the evil tempters: Here |
am i, on on my summer vacation. |
nave left my religion at home. / am
ready TO let you lead me where you |
WILL For two or three weeks, or one |
month at least will enter no church. |
listen TO no sermon, utter no public /
prayer and ask for no divine protec- \
non. Will take holiday from re-
aigfon as well rs from business, and as /
q beginning will disregard the Lords /
day"
How 90 start q Vacation.
What do you mean by such a warn
Ing as thatT' some one asks "Why do |
you place such emphasis upon Sabbath /
observancef" Because, my friend. the |
way you generally start your summer
vacation is the way you will end IT.
The Sabbath dissertation is the kew. /
note. an rule. or the forerunner, of q |
long series of spiritual backsliding.
How? In all probability your summer
vacation will start on a Saturday aft. |
ernoon. How will you spend your first |
m |
with prayer and conservation? VIII |
you do 1t by taking your children to the |
sunday school and joining the Chris |
dan workers OF that neighborhood in |
public worship within the four walls |
OF the little village church, or will |
you do Il by coming down in your fish |
ing toys or by waving your golf stick |
or with your baskets full of food for |
a roilicking time In the woods ON q |
Sunday picnic? Here are the two ex-
trenes- Which will you choose? The |
one heads toward spiritual renovation;
the other heads toward spiritual |
death. No man or woman ever lived |
who could successfully resist the temp |
tations or our summer resorts who |
started their vacations by breaking the
law OF Gods sacred Sabbath. Such a |
church member always comes back to
his church home moral cripple after
he has spent the Sabbath days of his
summer vacation In handling the tilIer
OF saiiboat or In hitting the little
white balls over the golf links or In
looking at the bobber floating at the
end OF line attached to fishing pole.
Start your vacation Alright for God and
1t will end right. Start 1t by praying
In the village pew for divine guidance.
Start 1t, If possible, by helping the
village choir sing in the choir loft.
Start 1t as you would start 1t IL the
FIRST Sabbath OF your summer vacation
was TO be your first Sabbath in heaven.
Evils of Public Dancing.