The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1905-09-29
A VACATION SERMON
Rev d.. Talmage Preaches
About tho Rocks and Trees
wonderful Lessons In the sights OF
the Yosemite valley and hei-
iowstonc Park ON che Good
ness and Greatness OF God.

HfIlM Sermon. NkHNNNA ~ N'rr
SON the preacher takes for DIS pulpit d
lofty peak overlooking the Yosemite
valley and for his theme the vivid Inn
pressions awakened by h.s Inspiring
surroundings. The text is Psalm XIV
= ..rhe strength of the bills is his'
The word big" IS absolutely appro-
pirate when applied to the United
states. Big are we iu geographical
area individually. many Of the Euro
mean monarchie- could Doe placed inside
of our state of Texas aud set there
would be enough left 90 set up iu gov
ornamental business a Bulgaria or a
Portugal or q Switzerland. besides nav
ING to spare front yard and back
ward large enough for the kingdom OF
8 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
mighticst aqucducts. the nightiesi
bridges are here. Big are we 10 the
numbers Of our inhabitants. besides
being big In our way OF doing things
.Big' Is O word which eau De applied
10 the United states, but that word
dig" especially can be applied to Der
natural wonders OF Niagara falls aud
Yellowstone park and the Grand Can.
Won Of Arizona. and. above ALL TO Amer.
ica's wonderful Yosemite valley, which.
as a wonderland has not It's superior
IN an the world The first time j
viewed 1t was under specially favor
able circumstances. We left the rail
road I'm the early hours Of the morn
ing for a long. seventy-two mile drive
10 this wonderful place. II 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 fora Of a luxuriant
springtlme 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 shlyered and shook.
first in rainstorm. again in a hail
storm and then In a binding snow
storm. Our limbs became 80 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
talns Of the clouds. and suddenly the
grandest view ever panoramaed before
mortal eyes was mine.
"There." said the driver. lis Yosem-
ice yalleyT Then. said 1, zone Of
the dreams Of my life is fulfilled" But
though ] have dreamed many wonder
ful dreams, though / have seen many
of the wonder scenes Of the world, ]
never dreamed Of or saw a sight Ike
that. Chaos and cosmos. love and hate
beauty and revolving hideousncss, 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 p0ssemen-
terios colorlng the neither robes Of the
different falls; repulsiOns and fascinn
tions-all seemed 20 be there. They
were stretching out their hands toward
me and calling. "Come, brother. come
and sit at my feet Come, and l Will
hurl thee from yonder cliffs and upon
thy poor mangled body I Will let the
vultures and the Wild beasts banquet
Come. and l will show thee sights and
wonders Of which thou hast never con
ccived. Come, comew Amid ten thou.
sand different voices I'm one greatchOrus
"COme, come, come" they kept call
ing And the cchOlng mountains of in
a distance threw back the calls as
from great sounding boards. Come,
Come. Conner Even today iu imagina-
ton I can hear those strange. weird.
conflicting voices calling me. Oh, the
many emotions that surged through
my heart and soul when / first looked
down from inspiration height" and
descended into the farther valley. As
the rocks and the cliffs began TO close
IN around me I felt as did Dante with.
Virgil by his side that l was descend
ing into hell. At the next moment
seemed 10 feel that angelic companions
were by my side and that the para
disiacal gates Of pearl were opening
for my celestial entrance Michael An
CELLO painted both heaven and hell I'm
one picture. Yosemite valley IS Last
Judgment"
Eyerywhlther I turned Joy and s0r.
row, peace and anguish, happiness and
terror. celestial Gabrlcls and dem0niac
Frankenstcins. white winged hopes and
raven garmented messengers Of de
spair. side by side as cliff jewellers,
were lnhablting the dark cayerns Of
those rocks, or were waving 10 me from
those dizzy heights. or were lowering
under those tents Of snow canvas. OF
were dwelling In enchanted palaces Tar
above. yet within the range Of my won
derins sight. care those storm cloudsT'
] asked myself Then / would answer.
NO. Those are not storm clouds
Those are coronation robes for | see
them waving over cathedrals and oven
village kirk spires" Angels seemed
10 Dee holding those garments IN their
hands while listening 10 the worship.
ing suppliants within az prayer and
saying. These robes. o weeping NOR
tails. are for you as soon as your earth
ly work Is done and you shall come 90
dwell with Christ forever"