Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-02-17
.Calrl1aQe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Prsnk>De Witt Talmase. d. d.


this sermon, which gives gllmpses that
afford cheer and encouragement to
those who are In danger Of becoming
disheartened in the struggle Of life.
The text is Daniel xii, 3. "As the stars
forever and ever"
aeme people are spiritually farslght-
ed They cannot see Gods blessings
near at hand. They will sing with
great gusto. Il want to be an angel and
with the angels stand" but they never
thank God for the present opportuni-
ties Of Christian work and for the
blessings of earthly Christian fellow
ship here and now. They are never
cesRhle OF having their heartstrings
bind them to Il mundane tabernacle as
the heart of John Fawcett, author OF
the noble hymn, "Blest be the tie that
binds" and that of his dear wife, were
bound to the little parsonage of Wains-
gate, in Yorkshire, England. After
young Fawcett had been a rural pastor
In this humble village few years he
was called to a great metropolitan
church as the successor Of the famous
Rev. DR.. Gill of London. 1t was pull
Dit OF which any man might have been
proud. The resignation was read, the
farewell sermon preached, the wagons
were loaded with the furniture to take
the young pastor to his new field OF
labor. While the goOdby words were
being said, Mrs. Fawcett, her husband
and the villagers all broke down and
wept. Then Mrs. Fawcett said: "Oh,
John, / cannot bear this! l know not
how 70 go" "Nor / either" said her
husband, "and we will not 90. The
wagons ghall be unloaded, and every
thing put In Its old place" So the
wagons were unloaded. A letter was
sent to London explaining the eondl-
tlons, and John Fawcett who might
have become DR.. Gill's successor In
great metropolitan pulpit, remained
In his humble rural church because OF
his affection for his people. All, ye
whose hearts beat and throb to the key
note Of love, can you blame him? Then
he went into his study and wrote his
immortal hymn, which has done more
good than all the sermons he has ever
preached. Like John Fawcett are most
Of us. We thank God for the tender
ties that bind our loving hearts to
eartliy friends and for the ties that
bind our hearts TO the opportunities OF
gospel work this side Of the grave.
GIories beyond the Grave.
But though we love earthly life and
all the dear ones who are now by our
side; though we love our Christian
work In the home, the church, the store
and the study, yet we would not forget
those who have gone beyond. Wewouid
not forget the celestial rewards that
are 10 be ours when our earthly work
for Christ Is done. Therefore the pur-
nose of this sermon IS to tell you what
gIories await you ON the other Side OF
the grave If you have been winner
Of souls for Christ during your earthly
pilgrimage. And am going tc tell you
| this by one Of the most beautiful sym
bols of the Bible; 1t Is the symbol OF
the stars. In stellar letters Of gold, writ
ten upon the broad black pages of the
night. 1t is In the mighty review OF
| other worlds when the glitterlng hosts
wheel into line, and stars, considerations
and systems, with their signals of light
singing as they sang on the morning ol
the creation. move before the great God
who created them and who rules them
| Today we have n beautiful subject
one which transports US to that glori
GUS armament to whose brightness
Daniel appealed when he said, "IheJ
! that be wise shall shine as the bright
ness Of the armament, and they tha'
turn many to righteousness as the stars
forever and ever" The stars, the stars
the glorious stars, which we shall b'
like when the archangel puts the las
trumpet to his lips and blows the rever
beratlng blast of the resurrection
Canst thou not today catch an inspired
vision Of the heavenly armament a.
did the dying college student, Henr!
Klrke White, when he looked up an(
saw the harblnger Of his future In tn
flaming glory of the stars?
Now, the first fact to which l wan
to call your attention is to the mum
Der Of the stars. would lead you ou
upon the hIllsides of the night. as Coz
led Abraham of old, and say unto you
"Look now toward heaven and tell tn
stars II thou be able to count them.
Can you count? Are you good at fig
ures? "Yes," you answer, with
laugh, 81 am good at figures. l wa
the best mathematician of my colleg
class. But I have not, nor has AN
other man, mental force enough o
time enough to count the stars. Yo
might as well ask me to count tn
sands of the Sahara desert or tn
drops Of water contained in the might
deep as to count the number of tn
stars. have neither the time nor til
ability TO do this" Then while. 70
are speaking of the Infinite number
the stars you recall a wonderful e.
perience you had some years ago.
Counting the Stars.
You were out camping You ha
been living some weeks In the opel
That day you had long, hard pu
over the mountains. You were almo'
tagged out when you made camp. 81
after the fire was built, the coffee pr
pared AMI the supper eaten there can