Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-09-17
Ca(n1aSe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, ID. ID.

the besetting sins of modern society
md warns Christians against yielding |
to their allurements. The text Is lsa-
;oh xxi. II. "Watchman, what Of the
night?'
Have YOU an active imaginationf III
so. you do not need to go to Palestine,
the land in which the ancient prophet
wrote. for an illustration OF the words
of NV text. There are watchmen
eyerywhere-m who Mt night, whiie
others sleep, are on guard protecting
property and by their vigilance foil-
ing the plans of thieves and conspira-
tors who prowl around in the dark
ness.
l was deeply impressed with this
duty of the Waterman by spectacle
l witnessed some years ago Ill the
British capital 1t was that OF the an
cient ceremony, still observed, OF
mounting guard at the old Tower or
London. This tower as you may
know. is not really tower. but a COL
lection of buildings covering an area
! of thirteen acres. They are surrounded
by strong and high wall in when
there are four gates, called respec-
tivelv 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 licentlous
dissipations. 1t was the place also
whore some of them defended them
solves behind the barred gates against
domestic enemies, as well as Foreign
foes. Here also many of the insurrec-
tionjsts were incarcersted and put TO
death. The execution axes whlch TO-
dav hang upon the museum walls were
wetted with the blood of many Nctims'
U,,on the blood stained block, when Is
still kept as Il grewSome reminder OF
the awful past, many bodies were ue-
cspitsted. The frightened eyes that
looked up at the rising sun for the last
time from that block did not all belong
to the masculine sex. There poor Lazy
lane Grey died as well as the hand'
some Earl Of Leicester, and l-ords Nii'
marnock and BallnerinO and Lovat.
Rut | am DEPRESSING from my SUD-
iect. I would not have you loiter Ion
ger among these historic stones mere
" 70 see a few crown jewels ana rega'
lin which are guarded in the jewel
house. would not have you lngei
loreer among the breastplates ana mel
meis and battleaxes and pixies aho
spears and casting nets OF chiValrl'
times which are now on exhibition SIDE
by side with the guns and payone.s
4 land swords and cannon OF the moeerl
British soldiers. But l would hasteI
you ont into the open square, where
the shrill flies are calling and the roll
= ing of the drums tells us the guards are
forming to take their places by ana IL
. these watchtowers, just as the watch
men did away back in the time OF WI
liam the Conqueror and during tn
reigns of the Plantagenet kings.
Soldiers on Guard.
"Stand back, stand back" cry IN
oA3ciols to the sightseers. You mus
keep off the parade ground and Civ
the soldiers room." \ field officer Il
gold lace and clanking sword come
out of his quartz ard takes his pos
e tion on the right of the ground. r a.
(; in. fall in" cry the cOrporals to thei
men. The different squads are qulcAi
formed into ore line. The sergeants II
mort to the adjutant; the adJutant n
nortc IN the commandant Of the Towe
TIE evening orders are now read. III
handmaster lifts his signal. The mus
clans pass down in front OF the Ill
and wheel back to their places. ratio
20 IS sounded. The flag is lowered. Id
ye sunset guns cultural voice is hear'
Then the soldiers march to their n
spective posts, and through the ni2h
as on every night for well nigh y
years, on every tower and at all u
E gates n soldier is stationed as a millt
nv watchman to keep vigil until IL
~ day breaks.
as It is merely formal routine duty III
VI the British sentinel on the Tower no
20 has to perform, but in former tim
~ there was need Of all his vigilanc
From his watchtower he might 81
2 the approach of foreign foe, or
some pnrt of the great slumDerll
city spread out on all sides below III
- he might witness the outbreak OF
surrection. We can imagine how an
ions in those unquiet times mig
he the tone of the officer Of the guar
who, visiting him, would ask, WI atc
man, what of the nightF In
means: How goes the night? Wh
is the news? Tell me what you ma
seen What are the prospects ahead
- This is the symbol of the watchma
If is thus that the ancient propr
represents himself as observing
SIGNS of the times. The people cry
him. "What have you seen" And
answers them not only by descrlOl
the spectaces lie has witnessed, l
warning them of the judgment ]
nending over them. 1t is so that eve
minister of the present day IS co
missioned. 1t is his duty to oDsel
the habits and customs of MS I'll
and warn the sinner of the evil OF
way. If the question is asked hl
"What of the night?' he must OH
give sad and painful report. WI
men have left their daily tasks and
en- free rein to their inclinations, WI
do they do? How do they spend
hours of darkness? How is it in
own city?
As I see the sun sink behind the
on Angeles hills I see ignited one by
II the different lights of the many pla
or Of pernicious amusement. These
and rerent ngnts, as destroying flames,
ave gin to beckon the young men and
full, young women into their fascinat
Inc haunts. l see the stage curtains III
leIe before many an alluring group