The Penn's Grove record., 1904-11-18
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED.
".SLEEP AS GODS GIFT"
The Rev. II. A. Nelson, ID. d, Delivers a
Stirring Address on h Subject
"Sleeplessness,' With an Appropriate
Text of Comprehensive Meaning.

Ills GBiIlI WAS tIOuOiCQ duo SlCOP HShe
from him." and said:
That line of the poet Young, "Sleep, ma
lures sweet restorer," like every other true
poets saying, was inspired. Blessings
light on him who first invented Sleep
SAYS Sancho Panza, in don Quixote," and
Coleridge exclaims. in the "Ancient Mari
her" 20, sleep, it is a gentle thingl" Ten
nyson speaks of "the mystery of golden
Sleep" and what a 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,
lapsing of all life into unbroken tranquil
lily. 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
grace, lying on the pillow: how hard it
generally is to keep them in order during
wakeful hours. And how u~nspeakably SOL
beyond our reach. Who is it, when the
face of the mother fades from the vision,
that takes its soul in charge?
But when a man sleeps the spectacle is
more suggestive. Think of Caesar on his
couch, his rigilant Eyes closed, his voice 81
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
the cave. 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
ways afforded opportunity for the storm.
We are only at peace while He is wakefully
with us. While He sleeps not only is the
light withdrawn, but the darkness is felt to
the utmost; life's ship is tossed with the
storm and we are threatened with mortal
danger. A sleeper Christ will do me no
good. A painted Christ will not be of the
vaguest 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 astir; power in every look and move
ment; an actual. positive, real and per-
sonal Christ. We are Knocked by His
figure: we are saved by His personality.
1t is Christ, not in the temporary paralysis
of unconscious sleep, but Christ alert in
watchful omnipotence 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
teemed guilt before God. Since the strength
of our life belongs to Him we are not at
liberty to waste it. Nevertheless, 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 jading day is done at last
and they lay their heads upon their pill
lows, sleep may fly from them and they
may seek it in vain. Now this is not a
light matter. There are few things more
dispiriting and truly exhausting than the
loss of natural sleep; to count hour after
in feverish w~akefulness, seeking for
g%etfulness which will not m
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 sensitiveness of the
nervous system. But in its last analysis
you will find as a general rule the great
cause OF this weary wakefulness, anxiety
and misery is simply want of faith in God.
1t 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-
you will ask what is to become of
you and your children if such and such an
event takes place; because you will take
the future into your-own bands inssend ~
leaving it to Jesus.
But why should we not have faith in
God? If we had, many of us, would not
we sleep? Ii, once for all, you have in
trusted your soul to His keeping you are
sure that all things will go we'll; that moth
ing can go amiss; that God will keep you,
angels will guide your footsteps and the
Holy Spirit will dwell within you from
hour to hour. You will then lay your head
down upon your pillow and rise again, with
the morning light, refreshed.
After trying to explain away our weary
hours OF sleeplessness on the basis of ply
seal lnfirmity, we have to confess that the
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
lntrude themselves of a more serious char
a,cter. In the still, wakeful hours, even
the most needless one is forced occasionally
TO think OF Him before whom we must
surely appear and give account of our
selves. 1t is impossible, then, quite to sup
press, a question as to where the soul will
be when the body shall be down in its 1T.
tie bed, when all earthly things have faded
from us. But If you can truly trust that it
is well with you, that amid your deep un-
worthlness you are simply believing ON
your Saviour and are striving to grow like
linn; that your task is appointed you of
God, however humble your sphere, it is
large enough to achieve character: if 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 all
whether awake or asleep that you
are the Lords and that you shall live to-
with Him, then surely you may sink
INTO untroubled rest and sleep a refreshing
and peaceful sleep.
But let me come closer still to the exner.
fence of some perhaps among protesting |
Christians. You know that healthful slee1
our most peaceful state. You see human
nature IN that state in which it is most
thoroughly free from all annoyance and
and that is a symbol Of the prov |
lnce. Thou wilt keep him in perfect |
peace whose mind is STAYED on Tbee"
That is a wonderful promise, but there is |
blinking the fact that comparatively
rev even among those who claim to be
true followers, ever experience it in its full.
ness. As a rule 1t is far from being per. |
rect. One of the ancient schoolmen wrote |
IN cumming up the chief characteristics of
iil1e: :! entered this world in loneliness: / |
nave lived IN anxiety; / shall leave it in |
tear" That about expresses the situation |
OF many OF you. Look at the faces on the |
street. Almost every one is careworn and |
anxious. There is no doubt that care sits
heavily on mankind. What is wrong?
Simply this: That while God has promised
peace and is ready to give it it must be re-
celved by faith. 1t goes without saving
that the amount of peace and quiet we
sail experience will be in proportion to
our trust in God. If we were really able
to trust God with everything instead of
dong, as most Christians do, never trust
ing God and more than they can help and
never feeling quite sure as to what He
may do; if VIZ would cast our cares upon
Him instead Of bearing them ourselves
what u~nspeakable peace we should enjoy.
But we have not quite got at the real
root OF the difficulty yet. Doubtless some
OF you are thinking that if some particular
thing which vexes you were out Of the way
you would be all right and your peace
would flow as a river. No, that is not the
trouble. 1t is not some petty yexation
that constitutes the bitterness in your Gun.
II you probe your hearts deeper YOU will
discover that the real reason is that Won
are not right with God. You have not
truly and heartily believed in Jesus. You
have thought a good deal about religion.
put you have never clearly taken the peace.