Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-09-15
Ca(n,ase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talrnaee. d. d,

and warns Christians against yielding
iah xxi, II, "Watchman, what of the
nIghtY"
Have you an active imag ina tion3 II
So you DO not need to 60 TO Palestine,
the land in which the ancient prophet
wrote, for an illustration of the words
of my text There are watchmep
everywhere men who at night, white
others sleep, are on guard protecting
property and by their vigilance foil
ing the plans of thieves and conspira-
tors who prow1 around in the dirk
ness
was deeply impressed with this
duty of the Waterman by a spectacle
witnessed some years ago in the
British capital. 1t was thai Of the an.
Client ceremony, still observed. Of
mounting guard at the old Tower of
London This tower rs YOU may
know, Is not really tower. but col
lection of buildings covering an area
Of thirteen acres. They are surrounded
by a strong and high wall in which
there are four gates, called respec-
lively the Iron gate, the Water gate,
the Traitors gate and the Lions gate
Within those walls some Of the ancient
kings held their courts and passed the
nights in wild orgies and licentious
designations. 1t was the place also
where some of them defended them
selves behind the barred gates against
domestic enemies as well as foreign
foes. Here also many OF the insurrec-
tionists were iucarcerated and put to
death. The execution axes which TO-
day hang upon the museum walls were
wetted with the blood Of many victims.
Upon Tie blood stained block, which is
still kept as a grewsome reminder Of
the awful past, many bodies were do
capitated The frightened eyes that
looked up at the rising sun for the last
time from that block did nol all belong
to the masculine sex. There poor Lady
Jane Grey died AZ well as the hand
some Earl Of Leicester, and Lords Kill
mar1lock and Belmerino and Lovat
But | am DEPRESSING from my sub
ject. ! would not have you lpitcr lon
ger among these historic stones mere
~ to see few crown Jewels and rega-
liza. which are guarded in the tewel
house. l would not have You linger
longer among the breastplateS and hcl-
NETS and battleaxeS and pikes and
spears and casting nets Of chivelric
times which nre now on exhibition side
by side with the guns and bayonets
and swords and cannon Of jAe modern
British soldiers But | Vocld hasten
you out into the open sI!0re, where
the shrill flies are calm md the roll
Ing Of the drums tells us he guards are
forming to take their places by and in
these watchtowers, just as the watch
men did away back in lie time OF Viii
liam the COnQuerOr and during the
reigns OF the Plantageuet kings.
Soldiers on Guard.
stand back, stand back cry the
officials to the sightseers You must
keep of the parade ground and give
the soldiers room 4 field officer in
gold lace and clanking sword comes
out Of his quarters and takes his posi-
ton on the right OF the ground. Fall
in, fall inY' cry the corporals TO their
men. The different squads are quickly
formed into one line The sergeants re
port to the adiutaut; the adjutant re
ports to the cOmmandant of the Tower.
The evening orders are now read. The
bandmaster lifts his signal. The must
clans pass down In front of the line
and wheel back to their places. Tattoo
is sounded. The flag Is lowered. The
sunset guns cultural voice is heard.
Then the soldiers march TO their re-
speCtive posts, and through the night
as on every night for well nigh 500
years, on every tower and at all the
gates q soldier is stationed as a militia
~ Waterman to keep vigil until the
day breaks.
1t is merely formal routine duty that
the British sentinel on the Tower now
has to perform, but in former times
there was need OF all his vigilance.
From his watchtower he might see
the approach OF foreign foe, or in
some part OF the great slumberipg
city spread out on all sides below him
be might witness the outbreak of in.
surrection. We Gun imagine how auS
ious in those unquiet times might
be the tone OF the officer of the guard,
who, visiting him, would ask. Watch.
man. what of the nightW That
means: How goes the night? What
Is the news? Tell me what you have
seen What are the prospects ahead"
This is the symbol Of the Waterman.
1t is thus that the ancient prophet
represents himself as observing the
signs OF the times. The people cry to
him. What have you seem And he
answers them not only by describing
the spectacles he has witnessed. hut
warning them of the judgment i'm.
pending over them. 1t ia so that every
minister OF the present day is com.
missloned. 1t is his duty to observe
the habits and customs or his time
and warn the sinner OF the evil OF his
way. If the question Is asked him,
l"What of the night" he must often
give n sad and painful report, When
men have left their daily tasks and Civ,
en- free rein to their nations. what
do they do? How do they spend tho
hours of darkness? How Is ii in our
own city?
AS see the sun sink behind the Los
Angeles hills | see ignited one by one
the different lights OF the many places
of pernicious amusement These DIFF
ferent lights, as destroying flames. be-