Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-08-04
Ca(n,ase
.ermOn
BY Rev.
fank Dc Witt Talmace, d. ID.

Angeles. Cal, July 31.-That men
women should ever be alert to
the call of the highest duty and
put ii aside with frivolous eX-
Is the theme of the preacher to-
The text is Matthew viii, 70.
The dead bury the dead"
er Elneo the mistake of treating
truths as IL they were whole
Half legs are not whole legs.
nly parts of legs. The microscope
es the vision Of the bacterlologist.
the structural makeup of one lit.
Dne the biologist, In his minds
may see n whole skeleton perfect
rmatiUn. But after all, truth in
8 never equal to truth IN whole
1t is banked by truths and has
In its rear as a reserve corps
truths ahead Of It to guard the
lines.
BAT IS true IN laboratory investlga.
is also true in reference to Bible
We must not study the words
y text with a microscope We
not isolate this sentence from all
n1cctions. We must compare this
ge with other passages, this chap
ith other chapters, this book with
books. IL cannot understand why
should have tramplod uron the
affections Of his disciple who
ed to go back and bury his dead
|r," said gentleman 20 me some
ago. This young man evidently
ded 10 be devout disciple Of
But surely he had duty to
ONE rs well as directly to Jesus.
e, In the old homestead, lay the
g of bis earthly parent. 1t was
raj for dutiful son to want to
resent at the funeral. Yet when
kOung man said, Let me, pray
first go and bury my father, and
ri follow thee Christ showed no
fathy with his natural feeling, but
fically said: Let the neighbors and
Strangers come in and close the
DIS and wash the cold flesh. Let
heighbors sing the death chant and
3he grave. Let strange hands wrap
motionleSs corpse In its white
| ld and carry It TO its last resting
4. You must come with me at once.
your eyes to the past. Let the
bury the dead.
hri,t's Love For His Mother.
lat way of regarding the incident
Fly nlisrepresents it. Never sup
for moment that Christ demands
any man should show his rever-
for him by sighting or ncglccting
eserting an earthly parent. Why,
ast human being for whom Christ
ided when he was dying upon the
) was his mother. He turned and
ed toward the gentle John, the be-
! disciple, sobbiDg at his feet. and
to him: John. look after my old
Ter. Now that she is friendless
alone she will need your love and
nance" Then he looked at the
lied face of his mother as he said,
her, let John take my place and
loving son to you" These are
SITS exact words: Woman, behold
som. son. behold thy mother"
e were not the words OF one who
'garded hlial duty. His body was
ed at that moment by excruciat-
agony, yet his thoughts We're not
himself, but of her who, BY his
h. would be left dependent. 1t was
for whom he was concerned even
he hour Of his dissolution. His
conduct in that crisis proves that
n he spoke 10 the young volunteer
lie words OF my text he was not in
ibe to the claims Of natural af-
on.
the words of Henry Ward Beech
Christ was enunciating the great
b that the primal duties of life
i'd not be sldctrackcd or pushed to
rear on account Of the secondary
le moro unimportaut duties 1T is
that you desire 10 avoid right
IS, but you say, suffer me first TO
L. inferior; then | shall be ready
the superior Suffer me first to
care Of myself. Sntfcr me first to
care OF my household. Suffer me-
TO look after this enterprise. and
- No, This constant habit of
bling the higher and making It
rdinate 70 the lower, this constant
ercnce of the inferior to the SUI
or, works decentralization a Inan
not need to throw away his Bible
defy his God nor sell his soul vol
rily. He only needs to say, Suffer
first to do the LESSER thing" The
lent that Is done there will be an.
r Suffer me first in It's place. And
re shall put the inferior duties in
place of the higher duties and 20
ugh life and fail at last" This
prehensive view Of my text IS,
convinced, It's true Interpretation
90 words of Christ need to be re-
lbered in other situations than be-
the bier Of a dead parent, They
, warning lesson for any man
is postponing his duties to his
until lie has fulfilled his Obllga-
, TO the world or TO society to any
who fails in his higher duties
ugh scliishness or sloth.
Neglected Obligations.
letrackcd obligations to God, We
them everywhere. We see them
in the excuses which the Young
makes when he is fitting himself
to enter the battle Of life.
ter the theological seminary, where
y or forty young men are gathered
class room. They are bright, in
gent young men, eager for knowl-
, intent on getting thorough equip
for tho Worl, tlpV hnCa IDIpr-