Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-02-27
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE. DID.
= Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
terian Church. Chicago

tee, the business man, the humble
worker and the homekeeper, the rich
and the poor alike-as summons to
the annual duties of the season of spir-
itual preparation. The text is Joel l,
IA, "Sanctify We Il fast; call a solemn
assemblage."
The Presbyterian church has enrolled
among its leaders many intellectual
theologians. Entitled to prominent
place among them by his learning, phil
osophic acumen and sanctifed common
sense is DR.. Francis l.. Patton, former
ly president Of Princeton university
and now president of Princeton Theo-
logical seminary. Many Of his weighty
utterances have impressed me, but none
more than one he made on the value
and usefulness of the Episcopalian
church.
His words in substance were: Il be-
lieve the Episcopalian church Is one OF
the most effective churches in exist
ence today. l believe in its ritual; l be-
lieve in its teachings If / were not q
Presbyterian, would certainly be an
EpiscOpalian. But, though | love ana
honor the Episcopalian church, l also
believe that the most absurd or mon
strosities Is Presby yterian in his form
of worship trying to ape an Episcopal
liam. While we are Presbyterians let
us remain Presbyterians. When we
want to become Episcopalians In our
form of worship, in responsive read
ings and in all that the Episcopalian
service implies, let us become Episco-
palians. But do not let us try to change
the Presbyterian pulpit into chancel
or the grand old simple service of the
Presbyterian church into a concert by
a surpliced choir and into the liturgy
Of the EpiscOpalian church"
The Spring Fast.
Amen, say l, to the sound advice or
DR.. Patton. The simple doXology the
two or three congregational hymns,
the chapter read from the Bible, the
earnest prayers and the doctrinal as
well as practical sermon can never be
excelled as a service for the grand old
church which the names Of John Cal
vim and John Knox and Thomas Chal-
mers and Thomas Guthrie and Lowell
Mason and William Taylor and John
Hall have made immortal. But, though
l would not have the Presbyterian
church adopt a ritual, still insist that
the Episcopalian church has not an ex-
Ill
may hold dear. Especially do l affirm
that she has not sole right to her
spring fast, which starts with Ash
Wednesday and closes with Casters
dawn. Way back in Joel we read the
command, "Sanctify ye fast; call
solemn assemblage" If that divine
command is still in force for us as for
Gods ancient people, is there better
time for it's observance than the period
preceding our commemoratiOn of the
passion and resurrection OF our Lord!
1t was at this season Of the year, too,
that the Master withdrew to the desert
before the beginning Of his ministry
and there, fasting for forty days, pre-
pared for the ordeal of his temptation.
1t will be we'll for Presbyterians as for
EpiscOpalians to mediate on that ex-
perience of our Lord and draw near to
| him in our hearts We must have SELF
abnegation for sin before we can truly
have closer union with God. Therefore
the purpose Of this sermon Is to show
why the Episcopalian Lent should be-
come a Presbyterian Lent, also why
the Spring fast" which is the time or
the "lengthening Of days." should be
observed all over the world by all
Christians, no matter to what individ-
ual churches they may belong.
warning of Spiritual Danger.
The Episcopalian Lent, in the first
place, calls a halt to the social dissi-
pations now being practiced in all the
large cities. 1t cries, "Peace, be still"
to the social whirlpool, which is grad
ually sucking down its many strug-
Cling victims as Peter was once being
drawn into the depths Of the Galilean
lake. 1t says to the women OF the
social abyss" you have something
higher to live for than a nightly round
Of receptions and parties and never
ending succession of afternoon teas"
It says to the young men Of the so
|, cial abyss" who, under the power OF
stimulants, are trying to work in the
store by day and to dance almost ev-
cry night until 1 or 2 o'clock in the
morning, Young man, you had better
stop and consider to what purpose you
are devoting the best energies Of your
life" 1t warns the social devotee OF
the spiritual danger OF his course, as
noted New York capitalist warned him
Of the financial danger, when some
time ago he said; "The young men
who will not succeed in business are
those who night after night may be
| found in the bathrooms and the dance
halls and at the city clubhouses drink
Ing little, playing cards little and
eating expensive dinners. They are
sometimes called the drones Of So
ciety. This Is q misnomer. Like some
small insects that sport for a day in
the summer sunshine they are minute
destructives. Their lives in the econo-
my of social life make one Of the pet
ty agencies of degeneration"
Was not the capitalist right3 Are
not the ballroom and the dance hall
and the clubhouse continual menace
to success in business2 Can young
man go to a progressive suchre party
and play cards until II o'clock and sit
down to a midnight banquet and then
be in the right physical and mental
trim to sell goods in the store the next
morningi Is not the social shrine also
very poor foundation upon which to
build the altar Of Jesus Christi Is not
most of its influence spiritually depict
ing? Some time ago l read a wonder
full book entitled THE Call of the