Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-18
MINISTER TELLS OF SIN
OF PR0CRASTINATIoN
WARNS HIS FOLLOWERS AGAINST
WEAK INpEcIsIoN
Rev. Stephen Sherman, Jr, breaches
Sermon Based Upon Value Of IndI-
vldual Willingness to Bear Burden
Of Labor With Fortltude

Rev. Stephen Sherman, jr., rector of
st. Athanaslus' Episcopal church,
preached yesterday morning from the
text, Acts xiv. %: And as he reasoned
OF righteousness, temperance and judg-
ment to come, Felix trembled and
answered, Go thy way this time when
have a more convenient season I will
call for thee" The preacher said in
part
God Is constantly speaking to us.
lie shows us n path of duty. We hear
his voice. We are charmed by it. we
even recall 1t after that It has left us.
But when the Christ reasons with us
Of righteousness, Temperance and judg-
ment to come, the Felix in our nature
gains sway and our only answer to the
pleading Savior is Go thy way this
time; when l have a more convenient
season will call for thee again
ut is the sin of indecision Of pro-
crastination. 1t permeates all our
activities, secular and religious. 1t is
especially prominent in this our land
of sunshine. The spirit of the old
Spanish friars-noble heroes that they
were-often fingers with us 1t is so
easy to put off until tomorrow that
which we should do today. Our love of
the sunshine Is perpetual. The little
task that would make the room place
Of cheer is neglected until articles be-
come Uttered about and confusion reigns
instead of order. The business man
receives the order, small, to be sure,
but important to someone. 1t is filled
In four or five days. and then 1t Is not
wanted. The Christian hears the call
to a higher life of duty. The call Is
Gods written guarantee of divine help
in the accomplishment of 1t, but the
spirit of Felix reigns supreme and he
says, Go thy way this time; when
have a convenient season l will hear
thee again of this matter
Drudeery Can Be Transfieured
80 far as this fault pertains to the
secular life. it is the result of our
failure to see the part the little task
plays in the makeup of life in general.
God knew what he was doing when
he gave us the daily round of duties.
'Burdensome, we say. Yes, but even
the burdensome task can be trans
figured by God. The rainbow Is made
possible only by the thousand drops of
dew that the sun lifts from the blades
of grass. The watch would not keep
it's time did not the little ruby hold in
place the deic itely-set hairspring. The
mural decoration on some memorial
church would lose it's. beauty, remove
but one of the myrial stones in the
completed mosaic. Every task has its
place in ifes makeup. To us it is
trivial; God transfigures it.
$50 far as this fault reltes to the
religious life, it is a. result of our failure
to see that religious truth has to do
with our own destiny. Men treat it as
if it had, to do with the hour, the day,
the year. If it means anything it
means our acceptance of it shall carry
us forward into a life that is beyond.
That Is why Christ Jesus always por-
trayed the heavenly vision. He saw
clearly that no man could lead the
right kind of life here unless he had
first laid hold of some truth that had
to do vita eternity. Men call this
other -worldliness," but the strlking
fact in regard to other worldliness is
the testimony which all history bears
to its Importance. The men who have