Milford chronicle., 1905-06-30
Calmaqe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase. D. D.

valley and for his theme the vivid in
pressiOns awakened by his inspirin
surroundings. The text is Psalm KY
4, 'The strength of the hills is his"
The word big" is absolutely apprC
pirate when applied to the Unite
States. Big are we in geographical
area. Individually. many Of the Euro
pean mOnarchies could be placed insid
OF our state Of Texas, and yet there
would be enough left to set up In gov
ernmentaI business a Bulgaria or {
Portugal or a Switzerland. besides hav
ing to spare a front yard and a bach
yard large enough for the kingdom OF
prince OF Monte Carlo. Big are we
in natural resources. No harvest fields
and cotton plantations greater than
ours. No area Of coal and iron beds
and gold and silver and copper mines
greater than ours Big are we in the
conceptions Of our people. The might
lest railroads, the largest tunnels, the
mightiest aqu2ducts, the mightiest
bridges are here. Big are we in the
numbers Of our inhabitants, besides
being big in our way of doing things.
Big is a word which can be applied
to the United States, but that word
big especially can be applied to her
natural wonders of Niagara falls and
Yellowstone park and the Grand Can
yOn Of Arizona, and, above all. to Amer
ica's wonderful Yosemite valley. which,
as a wonderland, has not its superior
in all the world The first time /
viewed it was under specially favor
able circumstances. We left the rail
road in the early hours of the morn
ing for long, seventy-two mile drive
to this wonderful place 1t was a day
passing description and crowded with
marvellous memories. Sometimes, dur
ing that long, twelve hours ride. we
could pick whole bouquets Of wild
flowers The fora of luxuriant
springtime was bidding us welcome. |
Then the storm clouds shut us in and !
the sun disappeared Then, as we
climbed up and up the heights of the |
Sierra Neyadas. we shiyered and shook,
first in a rainstorm, again in a hail
storm and then in a binding snow
storm. Our limbs became so cramped
that circulation was almost stopped, but
on and on and on we went until it drew
near to the evening hour Then the
storm cleared away God lifted the cur
tains Of the clouds, and suddenly the
grandest view ever panOramaed before
mortal eyes was mine.
''There," said the driver, ''is YOsem-
ite valleyg 'Then," said I, zone of
the dreams Of my life is fulfilled" But
Though / have dreamed many wonder
,fM dreams, though l have seen many
of the wonder scenes Of the world,
never dreamed Of or saw a sight like
that. Chaos and cosmos, love and hate,
beauty and revolving hideOusness, sum
mer and winter, hoary headed noun
tains with their snowcaps of spotless
white and with their limbs lined knee
deep in wild flowers; appalling preci-
pices and lovers retreats; roaring,
rushing cataracts, with their spirits
of the evil Winds" and rainbOws play
ing amid the mists, and as passemen-
teries cOlOring the neither robes of the
different falls repulsiOns and fascina-
tions-all seemed to be there. They
were stretching out their hands toward
me and calling, Come, brother, come
and sit at my feet Come, and will
hurl thee from yonder cliffs and upon
thy poor mangled body / will let the
vultures and the wild beasts banquet
Come, and will show thee sights and
wonders Of which thou hast never con-
ceived. Come, cOmew Amid ten thou
sand different voices in one great chorus,
''Come, come, comew they kept call
ing. And the echoing mountains OF in
a distance threw back the calls as
from great sounding boards. Come!
Come! Conner Even today in imagina-
tion l can hear those strange, weird,
voices calling me. Oh, the
many emotions that surged through
my heart and soul when 1 first looked
down from inspiration height" and
descended into the farther valley. As
the rocks and the cliffs began to close
in around me / felt as did Dante with
Virgil by his side that l was descend
ing into hell. At the next moment
seemed to feel that angelic companions
were by my side and that the para
dsiacal gates of pearl We're opening
for my celestial entrance. Michael An
gelo painted both heaven and hell in
one picture. Yosemite valley is Last
Coronation Robes.
Everywhither / turned joy and sor-
row, peace and anguish, happiness and
terror. celestial Gabriels and demoniac
white winged hopes and
raven garmented messengers Of de-
spalr, side by side as cliff dwellers.
we're inhabiting the dark caverns Of
those rocks. or were waving to me from
those dizzy heights. or were lowering {
under those tents of snow canvas, or
we're dwelling in enchanted palaces far
above. yet within the range Of my won
iering sight. Are those storm cloudsF
asked myself. Then would answer:
NO. Those are not storm clouds.
Those are coronation robes, for see
hem waving over cathedrals and over
-illage kirk spires" Angels seemed