Milford chronicle., 1904-09-16
CalnaQe
Sermon
By Rev,
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, d.


iah xxi, II, "Watchman, what Of th,
night?
Have You an active Imagination? L
so. you do not need to go to Palestine
the land in which the ancient prophe
wrote, for an illustration of the words
of my text. There are watchmer
everywhere-men who at night. while
others sleep, are on guard protecting
property and by their vigilance foil
ing the plans of thieves and eonspira.
tors who prOwl around In the dark
ness.
was deeply impressed with this
duty Of the watOhman by a spectacle
/ witnessed some years ago in the
British capital. 1t was that Of the an
cient ceremony, still observed, Of
mounting guard at the old Tswer Of
London. This tower, as you may
know. is not really a tower, bat a 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 lieenhous
dissipations 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-
sionists were incarcerated and put to
death. The execution axes which to- |
day hang upon the museum walls were |
wetted with the blood Of many victims. |
Upon the blood stained block, which is /
still kept as a grewsOme reminder Of |
the awful past, many bodies were de-
capitated. 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 Lady
Jane Grey died as we'll as the hand
some Earl Of Leicester, and Lords XII
marnOck and BalmerinO and Lovat.
But l am DEPRESSING from my sub
1ect. l would not have you IOiter lon I
ger among these historic stones mere
ly to see few crown jewels and rega-
lia' which are guarded in the Jewel
house. l would not have you llnger
longer among the breastplates and hel-
NETS and battleaxes and pixies and
spears and casting nets Of chivalric
times which are now on exhibition side
by side with the guns and bayonets
and swords and cannon of the modern I
British soldiers. But l would hasten
you out into the open square, where q
he shrill hfes are calling and the roll '
ng OF the drums tells US the guards are L
orming to take their places by and in o
hese watchtowers, just as the watch {
nen did away back In the time Of VIII
lam the COnquerOr and during the
eigns Of the Plantagenet kings. Il
Soldiers on Guard. O.
Stand back, stand back!' cry the el
ficials to the sightseers. "Yoa must t
eep of the parade ground and give il
be soldiers room" A field officer in d,
old lace and clanking sword comes st
ut of his quarters and takes his posi- sc
on on the right Of the ground. Fall tr
|, fall I'M" cry the cOrpOrals to their th
len. The different squads are quickly of
'rmed into one line. The sergeants re- of
w ~ NAAN aAJAAAAAg tut AQlu / ND
orts to the commandant Of the Tower. in
he evening orders are now read. The ~
andmaster lifts his signal. The musi- 4 III
ans pass down in front of the line zl,
I'd wheel back to their places. Tattoo lif
sounded. The flag is lowered. The sa
inset guns cultural voice is heard. 70
hen the soldiers march to their re th,
ective posts, and through the night, | In,
on every night for well nigh 800 liy
ars, on every tower and at all the cal
tes soldier is stationed as a militia at
watchman to keep vigil until the tn,
y breaks. sio
{ is merely formal routine duty that bej
e British sentinel on the Tower now {
S to perform, but In former times a =
ere was need Of all his vigilance. ca,
ON his watchtower he might see vii
: approach OF a foreign foe, or in est
ne part of the great slumbering cls
? spread out on all sides below him syr
might witness the outbreak Of in wa
rectiOn. We can imagine how anx- TIL,
s In those unquiet times might not
the tone Of the officer of the guard, TO
o, visiting him, would ask, Watch are
n, what Of the night?" That tha
ans: How goes the night? What ma
he news? Tell me what you have loo,
4. What are the prospects ahead?' for
his is the symbol OF the watchman. mel
is thus that the ancient prophet do
resents himself as observing the The
Is Of the times. The people cry to gra
, what have you seen?7 And he the,
wers them not only by describing I gC
spectacles he has witnessed, but are
ming them Of the Judgment i'm who
ding over them. 1t Is so that every and
lister Of the present day is COM they
stoned. 1t is his duty to observe of Z
habits and customs OF his time cry
warn the sinner Of the evil Of his sire
:. II the question Is asked him, nigh
nat Of the nlghtT he must often see
a sad and painful report. When and
have left their daily tasks and Civ thro
rec rein to their incllEatiOns, what the
hey do? How do they spend the he
8 Of darkness? How is 1t in our see /
rffv9 ? .sAxt