Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-09-28
Calnage
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt TslmsSe. D. d.

Los Angeles, CAL. Sept. 23.-In this
sermon the preacher finds a lesson
amid the mountain peaks and valleys.
the breeding places OF storm and tenn
pest The text is Psalm lxxxi, Z, ST an
swered thee In the secret place of thun-
der
wonder where the sweet singer Of
Israel caught his inspiration for mytextl
Was be herding his sheep one day In the
- valley or the iowiands. where the shep-
herds, thousand years later, watched
their fiocks by night and heard the
angel of the nativity say. "Fear not,
for behold bring you .tfdipga OF great
JOY. which shall be to ali people. for
unto you Is born this day in the city OF
David Saviour which is Christ the
LordT While he was sitting upon a
rock in the fields did be not look ND and
see the storm clouds gathering over the
surrounding hills? Then away Off in
the distance did he hear the muttering
OF the thunder? And while the valleys
remained dry did he see the rain fall
Ing In torrents upon the mountain
heights? Then did he see a beautiful
rainbow In great arch lift itself above
those mountain tops? And then did he
remember the words which God spake
unto Noah Il thousand years before the
psalmist was born, ~ do set my bow
in the clouds. and 1t shall be for a token
OF covenant between me aud the
earth, and will remember my cove
nant which Is between me and you and
every living creature OF all flesh, and
the waters shall no. more become q
flood to destroy all fesh3"s Then when
David saw the rainbow and witnessed
the storm clouds disappear did he feel,
that God was bis protector and never
failing friend? Was he filed with the
divine peace which passeth all under
standing9 =. s-. :.
Or it may be different scenes that
suggested to the sweet singer of Israel
the image OF my text Perhaps It was
on day when one Of his sheep went
astray. He counted the flock over and
over again, and he found that one was
surely lost. So he started I'D the noun
tain side to hunt It. Higher and higher
he went. He plunged through this
thicket and that. Then ut last he found
1t. But In the meantime the night set
tied In. Then the stars of the heavens
were shut out by the black clouds.
Then the thunder began to growl. Then.
with his bleating sheep following close
at his heels. he saw the lightnings fash
and shattsr huge tree just short dis
lance on. Then he said: "Ah. that must
have been the way Gods voice sounded
to Moses whom he spoke to him among
the caverns and the deep ravines of old
Sinai. This Is truly one OF the secret
places OF thunder" personally be-
lieve that the psalmist did not catch
the meaning Of my text when he was
tending bis sheep down in the valleys,
but when he was hunting for lost
lamb I'm one OF the secret places Of
thunder. upon one OF the highest peaks
or the Judean mountains overlooking
the little village OF Bethlehem, where
he was born and where his family Mt
that time dwelt.
secret Place OK Thsnder.
We do not know what were the
scenes that caused these words to
spring from the lips OF the ancient
poet, but since his tune the child of
God has often been repinded OF them
In times OF trouble and crisis. 1t is
well to know that there are secret
places In which Gods voice may be
heard by the qiscouraged soul. There
are times when the heart q The faith-
full is depressed BY the noises sEran-.
CLING around him; when his ears are
niled with the loud babbls OF the
worlds disputngs. with the fierce cries
OF contention, with the an Rttsrspces
OF societys frivol1tys Eitb ~ xaipsaudI
foolish sophistry sof 1ssrlod philosor.,
piers prcclaimins <hA$ 4hprsils 40 God
Then happy a h e - esa retixs INTO
his closet or some other secret place
and hear the voice OF God Answering
his perturbed spirit In f6under tones. -
The words su6Gest that Gods secrct
places OF thundex are der away from
the ordinary Aaupts Qf -xnan. They are
SO Tar away that Cor a slittle while at !
least we can get away from the selfish
nesses and meannesses and sordidness
surrounding us. We can live upon
higher plane. We can be, as I was
some time ago, when I climbed the
San Bernardino mountains to camp In
the noted Little Bear valley OF south
ern California. After we had gone ,up
LOCO. 1900, 5000. 1000, 1000 feet sud
denly we came to the. summit. There
we were able to stand upon the rocks
and with sweep OF eve take In the hot
plains dotted with cities and villages
and ranches There NE scould see
where men and women were toflinr
and struggling in the work OF everyday
lie. but we were above them all aud
above their turmoil. We were In the |
nesh. yet we were SO .far. mp that .when, |
the mists began to: gather they. shut out
the whole world beneath US. These
mists looked like q greatlsss, yyith here
and there a movntain peak pushing H.
self up. reminding MS OF the world be- |
meath as as the Axoreo sIsfxg ,nbaye the
Atlantic remind US OK the Continent OF |
Atlantis sunk beneath the Hasas. st
was strange experiepce--that OF with
drawal from the world and all Its con-
Germs. IL IL necessary "A times. sRhen
our vision 10 clouded and our spirits
warped By the worlds principles ana
maxims. 70 climb beyond SIN reach Into
shA rRper eiE q Ged's presesoe. where |
IN the secret place OF thunder we may
near his voice. Thus In order to reach
Gods secret places Of thunder We must |
get out OF the world We mast Efsl
ourselves above it's meannessss sandj
sins. We must lift ourselves from
earth and walk with God and commpns /