Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-04-15
Caln1age
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, d. ID.

Los Angeles, Cal, April 0.-To the In
different, and especially to the back
slider who has gone back to the world
and It's pleasures, this sermon makes a
powerful appeal for renewal OF spir-
itual ties and a reklndllng Of spiritual
activities. The text is Psalm II, II,
"Restore unto me the Joy Of thy saliva
tion."
Oh, how quickly the wheel of for
ture may whirl around! What we are
today Is no earnest of what we may be
tomorrow. Rich and aflluent, prosper
Gus and happy now, that does not
prove that we shall be rich and happy
and prosperous, with multitude or
friends hanging around us, next week
or next month or next year. The night
follows the day as well as the day the
night. The people living In the South
American republic Of Chile reckon his
tory by this or that or the other earth
quake, which has made the heavlng
earth rock down homes and destroy
whole cities and towns and villages.
Some Of us may reckon the passing
away Of our lives by the epitaphs
which are chlseled upon the tomb
stones Of our buried hopes.
Year Of 1872" we say. "Oh, that
was the year Of Americas awful black
Friday, when my fortune like a snow
fake melted away in an hour. Year or
1881. That was the year | lost my
brother or wife or mother. Year or
1905. That was the year | was Injured
In q railroad accident. On account or
that broken hip l lost my position at
the store and had to give up my life In
surance policy and become a poor,
helpless invalid, a burden on my
friends. All, am not as used to be.
Once had enough for myself and for
others. Now l have less than nothing.
1 am dependent upon those around
me-"
Better daysl Oh, yes, scores Of you
have seen better days in your body
your property and your families! But
alas, many Of US, like the writer OF the
words of my text, have seen better days
In our spiritual condition. | do moi
know whether this author held, as dc
the Methodists Of our day, that a good
man might lose his hold on salvation
but one thing Is sure-he knew that ne
had fallen from grace. He had once
tasted the joys OF divine sonshlp. He
had once waded ankle deep, knee deep
waist deep, chin deep, into the great
depths Of Gods love and had drunk oi
those living waters. But now he has
climbed out Of those depths and stands
shivering upon the Jagged rocks Of evil
in the cold, biting winds Of sin. Thus
we find him crying out In the words Of
entreaty: 20 God, bring back to me
the happiness and the exhilaration and
peace Of my past gospel life! Restore
unto me the Joy of thy salvation!
Have not some of us need to ofrel
| the prayer of the psalmist? l know
that there are many who are in the po
sition of this psalmist. l know, fur
thermore, that If you will only return
you may taste again the gospel joys
and they will be sweeter to you thai
they ever were before. An eminen
minister Of the cross a short time ag'
told me that the greatest blessing o
q revival Of religion was not found II
introducing strangers to Jesus, but II
bringing back to his service those wh'
had once been found at the foot of tn
cross. "And," said he when thes'
wanderers return they make the yer!
best workers In our Christian church
es." May God help me to prevail OF
some of you backsliders again to tast