Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-04-14
Calnase.
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Tslnasc. ID. ID.

Los Angeles, Cal, April 60 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 n renewal of spir-
itual ties and rekindling OF spiritual
activities. The text Is Psalm II, Il,
l''Restore unto me the JOY of thy saliva
ticn."
Oh, how quickly the wheel Of for
tune may whirl around. What we are
today r. no earnest of what we may be
tomorrow. Rich and affiuent prosper
GUS ana happy now, that does not
prove that we shall be rich and happy
and prosperous, with a multitude OF
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 heaving
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 chiseled 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 OF
1851. That was the year L lost my
brother or wife or mother. Year OF
1905. That was the year was injured
I'm q railrssI accident. On account of
that broken hip lost my position at
a M ho1 20 rrf,-n %. L.,
surance policy and become poor,
helpless Invalid, a burden on my
friends. Ah, am not as used to be.
Once 7 had enough for myself and for
others. Now have less than nothing.
am dependent upon those around
me-"
Better daysl oh, yes, scores OF you
have seen better days In your body.
your property and your familiesi But,
alas. many of us, like the writer OF the
words OF my text, have seen better days
In our spiritual condition. l do not
know whether this author held, as do
the Methodists OF our day, that good
man might lose his hold on salvation,
but one thing Is sure-he knew that he
had fallen from grace. He had once
tasted the joys OF divine sonship. He
had once waded ankle deep, knee deep.
waist deep, chin deep, into the great
depths OF Gods love and had drunk of
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 lifeI Restore
unto me the Joy Of thy salvationr'
Have not some OF us need to offer
the prayer. OF the psalmist? 1 Know
that there are many who are In the po-
sition OF this psalmist. 1 know, fur
thermore. that IL you will only return
you may taste again the gospel joys,
and they will be sweeter TO you than
they ever were before. An eminent
minister OF the cross short time ago
told me that the greatest blessing of
revival OF religion was not found in
Introducing strangers to Jesus. but in
bringing back to his service those who
had once been found Mt the foot of the
cross. And" said he, "when these
wanderers return they make the very
best workers in our Christian church
es." May God help me TO prevail on
some OF you backsliders again TO taste
the gospel joys,