Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-06-29
Ca(nnage
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, D. D.

Los Angeles. Cal, June 25.-In this
sermon, suited to the vacation season.
the preacher takes for his pulpit a
lofty peak overlooking the Yosemite
valley and for his theme the vivid i'm.
pressions awakened by his inspiring
surroundings. The text Is Psalm xiv,
4, 1.-THE strength of the hills Is his"
The word "big' Is absolutely appro.
pirate when applied to the United
Stntes. Big are we in geographical
area. Individually. many Of the Euro.
,, pean monarchies could be placed inside
Of our state Of Texas. and vet there
would be enough left to set up in gov.
ernmcntal business a Bulgaria or a
Portugal or n Switzerland, besides hav-
ing to spare front yard and back
yard large enough for the kingdom Of
n 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 aqneducts, 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 fails 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 1t 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 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 flora 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 CT the
Sierra Nevadas we shivered and shook,
first in rainstorln, again In hail
storm and then in n binding snow.
storm. Our limbs became so cramped
that circulation was almost stopped. but
on and on and on we went until 1t 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, IN Yosem-
lite valley" "Then," said l. zone Of
the dreams Of my life 10 fulfilled" But
though have dreamed many wonder
full dreams, though l have seen many
Of the wonder scenes Of the world, l
never dreamed Of or saw a sight like
that. Chaos and cosmos. love and hate,
beauty and revolving hdeousness, 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-
pieces 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; repulsi0ns and fascina-
tions-all seemed to be there. They
were stretching out their hands toward
me and calling, Come. brother. come
and sit ut my feet. Come. and will
hurl thee from yonder cliffs and upon
thy poor mangled body l 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, comet" Amid ten thou
sand different voices In one great chorus.
Come. come, comet" they kept coll.
ing. And the echoing mountains of in
distance threw back the calls az
from great sounding boards. Come!
Come! Gomez" Even today in imagina.
ton ! can hear those strange. weird,
conflicting voices calling me. Oh, the
many emotions that surged through
my heart and soul when l 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 l
seemed to feel that angelic companions
were by my side and that the para
disiacal gates Of pearl were opening
for my celestial entrance Michael An
gelo painted both heaven and hell in
one picture. Yosemite valley is Last
Judgment"
Coronation Robes.
Everywhither turned Joy and sor-
row. peace and anguish. happiness and
terror, celestial Gabriels and demoniac
Frankensteins, white winged hopes aud
raven garmented messengers Of de.
spair. side by side as ciif jewellers.
were 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
were dwelling In enchanted palaces far
Above. yet within the range of my won.
dering sight. Are those storm clouds p
l asked myself. Then l would answer:
"No. Those are not storm clouds.
Those are coronation robes. for I see
them waving over catbedrals and over
village kirk spires" Angels seemed
IN ho hOI6iuO thoca uarmnuta In tholp