The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-11-17
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED.
"sLEEP AS GODS GIFT"

SLEEP AS GODS GIFT"
The Rev. T. A. Nelson. D. D., Delivers a
Stirring Address on the Subject.
"sleeplessness,'' With an Appropriate
Text of Comprehensive Meaning.
BROOKLYN, y. Y.-At the Second Pres
6yteriau Church Sunday morning the pas.
tor, the Rev. 7. A. Nelson, D. D., preached
ION the subject. "Sieeplessness." He took
for his text, Daniel il. part OF first verse.
His spirit was troubled and sleep went
: from him." and said:
That line of the poet Young. "Sieep, ma
ture's sweet restorer," like every other true
poets saving, was inspired. Blessings
light on him who first Invented sleep,
says Sancho Panza, in Don Quixote, and
/. Coleridge exclaims: in the Ancient Mari
nyson speaks OF ''the mystery Of golden
Sleep and what mystery indeed it is. 1t
is the most interesting and the most per.
picking Of all physical and metaphysical
mysteries. The mother bends lovingly
over her infant in the cradle and wonders
what it means-this harmless, painless.
iapsin2 Of all life into unbroken tranquil
hty. Those little hands, now so quiet, but
SO busy most of the time, how. beautiful
and still they are now. Those limbs COM
posed in. attitudes of such unconscious IS
generally is to keep them IN order during
wakeful hours And low unspeakabiy SOL
emnlit is to think how far the child is now
beyond our reach. Who is it, when the
face of the mother fades from the vision,
that takes it's soul in charge:
But when man sleeps the spectacle. IS
more suggestive. Think of Caesar on his
couch, his vigilant eyes closed, his voice ST.
lent. his brain unworking and still. Think
of Alexander in the night, looking as he
finally looked in the coffin, dead. Imagine
how David felt when he saw Saul entering
thecave.. Think of Cicero fast asleep. Think
of the sleeping Christ lying asleep in the
midst of the tempest, as If He were resting
IN the heart of God. When Christ turns
awav from us with closed eyes there is al
ways afforded opportunity for the storm.
We are only at peace while He is waketuily
with US. While He sleeps not onl " is the
light withdrawn, bat the darkness is felt to
the utmost: }ife's ship is tossed with the
danger. A sleeper Christ will do me no
GOOD; 4 painted Christ will not be OF the
yaguest service in my life. A wooden cru
cifix or ivory cross will not help me. 1t
must be a wakeful Christ with every en-
ergy sstir; power in every look and move
ment; an actual. positive, real and per
eonal Christ. We are Knocked by HIS
figure: We are saved by His personality.
It is Christ, not in the temporary para lysls
Of unconscious sleep, but Christ alert IN
1atchful or1nipotence that need. Unless
We nightly sink into sleep we are not pre-
pared to live, and anything over which we
have control which prevents out sleeping
IN proportion to our need should be es-
teemed guilt before God Since the strength
Of our ife belongs to Him We are not at
liberty to waste it. Neverthel eless, in our
day we live in such fashion that, like the
eastern monarch, our spirits are troubled
and our sleep departs.
This has come about sometimes from the
haste to get rich. People rise early and sit
up late in their eager pursuit OF wealth,
and when the jsding day is done at last
and they lay their heads upon their pill
may seek it in vain. Now this is not
light matter. There are few things more
dispiriting and truly eShausting than the
Ioss of natural sleep; to count hour alter
hour in feverish wakefuiness, seeking for
getfulness which viii not come.
Now what is the root Of all this dis
tress? The physician will doubtless dag
nose it as owing to unhealthy excitement
of brain and undue sensitiveuess of the
nervous system. But in its last analysis
you viii find as general rule the great
cause of this weary wakefulness, anxiety
apd< misery is simply want Of faith IN God.
It is because we are not able, as we ought
to trust ourselves and all that concerns us
to a. sure providence. and many of you
know that it is mental anxiety that breaks
your rest. 1t is because You are trying to
bear the burden and build the house your
selves, to keep the city yourselves. that
YOU have the anxious hours. 1t is because,
you will plan too far ahead instead of let
ting each day bear its own burden: be-
cause you viii asl, what is to become of
you and your children if such and such an
event takes place; because you will take
Che future into your own hands instead oS
leaving it to Jesus.
But why should we not have faith in
God? If we had, many Of US, .Tould not
ne sleep? If, once for all, you have in
trusted your soul to His keeping YOU are
sure that all things win 60 we'll; that moth
ing can go amiss; that God will keep you,
angels will guide your footsteps and the
Hoy Spirit will dwell within you from
hour to hour. You will then lay your head
dswn upon your pillow and rise again, with
the morning light, refreshed.
After trying to explain away our weary
hours of sieeplessness on the basis Of ply
Sicai lGhsmlty. We nave 20 CONFESS Isdb Iue
real source is found in the things that prey
On our minds by day and break our rest at
night. and mixed with those anxious
thoughts there are the thoughts that will
Sntrude themselves OF more serious char
aeter. In the still, wakeful hours, even
Che most needless one is forced occasionally
to think of Him before whom we must
enreiy appear and give account Of our
eelves. It is impossible. then. quite 10 sup
press question as to where the soul will
be when the body shall be down in its lit
eae bed, when all earthly things have faded
from Us. But ii you can truly trust that it
is well with you, that amid your deep un-
worthiness you are simply believing on
your Saviour and are striving to grow like
Him; that your task is appointed you of
God, however humble your sphere, it is
large enough to achieve character; ii YOU
can always feel that Christ is near and
ready to help: that You and those near to
you are provided for by Him and that you
shall never want; if you have once for al!
learned whether awake or asleep that you
are the Lords and that you shall live to-
gethec with Him, then surely you may sink
iato untroubled rest and sleep refreshing
and peaceful sleep.
But let me come closer still to the exper-