Milford chronicle., 1905-02-24
Calnaoe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase. D. D.

Its Indebtedness to God throughout its
history for the same care and protec.
tion that he vouchsafed to his people
at a crisis Of their national affairs.
The text is Joshua K, u, "Sun, stand
thou still upon Gibeon, and thou.
moon, in the valley of Ajalon."
This week we celebrate once more
the national festival which appeals to
the heart Of every patriot. There is
no date in our history that compares
with it in its claims on our reverence.
In honoring the birthday Of the Father
Of His Country we contradict the re-
proach that republics are always un-
grateful Never so long as this nation
lasts will the memory Of George Wash
ingtOn lose its luster. The greater and
the stronger and the more influential we
become among the peoples of the earth
the more illustriOus will be the posi-
ton we accord to the man whom God
raised up at the birth Of this nation
to win for US freedom and independ-
ence. Many great and good men have
arisen to serve us since his tfme-men
renowned in war, men sagacious in
craftsmanship, men Of patriotic fervOr. |
We thank God for them, but It is to |
that man we turn with grateful rever-
ence who, in the darkness and disaster
Of our country's fortunes, held fast his
faith and kept his brave heart undis-
mayed.
1t is with no desire Of belittling his
achievements that we trace his power
to accomplish them to a higher source.
He never failed to acknowledge that it
was by the help of God that he won his
victories. If Washington had not had
unwayering faith in God, his courage
and fOrtitude would have failed under
the trials he had to endure. There
were mighty forces contending on his
side that did for him more than his
poor, ragged soldiers could accomplish.
The heavenly cohorts were fighting on {
his behalf, and in stirring up enemies !
of the great power with which he was 9
cOntending reduced that enemy's ca I
pacity to oppose him and enabled him I
to overcome 1t was the providence of l.
God that gave him the victory, as long Il
centuries earlier it had enabled the gen
eral who commanded the feeble forces >
Of the Hebrews to overcome the giants
Of the Canaanites. God does interfere 81
In human affairs, as history proves "
again and again. Washington found in u
The hour Of his difficulty, as Joshua a
found in his campaigns that in the 81
Lord Of Hosts was his supreme sup u
)Ort
l choose today this story of Joshua
IS a topic for our thoughts because it 81
Emphasizes with oriental imagery the N
'reat lesson Of WashingtOn's career. III
The materialist who would exclude
lOd from his universe is met here in w
ncient and in modern history with an
he sublime truth that the divine sym OF
athy is on the side Of righteousness WI
nd that God is able by his infinite SCI
over to give the victory to the weak sa
Tho trust in him. sp
Mans Insignihcance. 81
One reason given for the nOninter- ia'
srence Of God in human affairs is that we
an is an infniteslmal Though man as siil
finite cannot drop a fathOm line long WI
lOugh to sound the bottom Of Gods asl
eep seas of mysteries. that does not WI
'ove that these divine mysteries" on'
e not true. Because many Of the 10
aiding scientific men Of England ne
,ubted the practcality Of George VII
ephenson's invention, that did not An'
axe the iron traces within which was con
rnessed the locomotive any less lhe
rong. Because for years and years ior
rus Fields attempts to marry the nay
world to the new with the wedding uur
lg of an Atlantic cable was the butt we
d ridicule Of thousands of unbeliev- II /
; tongues that did not make the pos pra
'ility of sending a message under
seas any less an attainable fact G
cause we cannot explain to the sat logi
action of skeptics this miracle of wOI
} sun standing still, shall we abalS a sy
} our faith in Gods providence? most
III we not rather remind them that Was
ou. own national history his inter- Mos
ence on behalf Of the weak was dis the
vel no less conspicuously and no dent
) effectively? Of t
Cd has omnipotent power over the chile
res Of this world--the socialistlc, the tian
lospheric and the angelic as well trap
the astrOnOmical-and time and Behi
in he has compelled them to bend revo
knee for tie aid of men. In this deriI
non ! am going to show you that, soldi
ugh man may seem to be insignifi- MosC
t, yet he is not so in reality. Man fear
D important in Gods eyes that God then
eady to do everything possible in sea,
interest and for his salvation. He back
not shrunk from the sacrifice of his word
begotten Son, who is yet to be sent
e King Of kings and Lord of all. back
t us first see how God has exalted Nigh
3 throne above the stars. Let us And
y from the astronomical telescope east
man, instead of being a mere non Of til,
.ipt, a being unthought of. an I'M fore
,nizable, forgotten pygmy in an read
own world, swinging out upon the he ST
.irts of the universe, is more i'm the S
mt than all material worlds and were
important than any other creature night
fhis side Of thq New Jerusalem II blt