Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-06-30
Calnnase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. d. d.

Los Angeles. Cal, June II. In this
sermon the preacher shows how even
the bitterest trials and sorrows of our
lives may be- transformed into bless
the Lord Showed him tree. which
when he had east into the water, the
waters were made sweet"
Human nature mag he aptly compar
ed To the cnrth's surface II was val
lcys and hills. lowlHnds and heights,
broad pastures aud undulating prairics.
rich Esdraclon plains and Bad Lands
of the lmkOtas. II has IIimaayas OF
inspiration. where we see the face Of
Jesus Christ transiigurcd before our
eyes. and valleys Of Dcspond. in which
the sunshine of hope never enters. even
as the daylight cannot penetrate the
catacombs underneath ancient Rome.
Yet. strange 10 say, when we are
standing upon the highest pinnacles of
spiritual inspiration then "" are often
In danger of tuDbling over the steep
est precipiccs of sin. This desplcable
characteristic OF the human heart Is
not only true of individuals as il was
Ia the life of Peter when lie denied
Christ thrice. hut II is also true of the
spiritual conditions of communities.
4 tidal wave of skcpticiSm can sub
merge a nation and Il people rs an In.
diVidual can be- sucked into the quick
sands of n spiritual death
Some time ago read graphic ne
count of an English tourist ascending
the Swiss attitudes. As this gentleIpan
ana his party were climbing. they
passed through beautiful village
where life In all its rustic simplicity
WAS smiling before their eyes. Hardly
had they left this little village and gone
a few miles beyond when one of the
guides cried out: Look! Look. Look!
See the avalanche breaking loose" The
Englshman looked. and saw n great
MASS of snow about three miles In
width tearing away from its anchor
ages With deep intonations which
sounded the death kncll not only Of
cattle and sheep and horses and goats.
but of men. women and children. Il
IL literally swept away all vcstige Of
life. and pushed houses and barns and
schoohouscs ana churches and trees
and fences and crops into the canyon
below Nothing was left in the path
way Of that onrushing snow hut the
bare rocks. Like those avaanches.
there are spiritual catastrophes which
hal off
In the Third Heaven.
The darkest of clouds as black cur
tains may hc drawn over the hlncst of
skies: the Interest wailings Of skepti-
cism and doubt may rcverlerate as
dolorous echoes 10 the most gladstone
shouts Of gospel praise and tlanksglv
ing II was only three days ago that
we find the Israclitcs so happy that
their spiritual gratitude makes them
almost beside themselves with JOY In
their holy citation and thankfulncSs to
Cod for their dcliverancc from the pur-
suing Egyptians they were like Paul.
who described his past spiritual joys
I'm these words: Il knew man In
christ about fourteen years ago. wheth-
or in the body or whether out of the
body ! cannot tell God knowcth.
such one caught up 10 the third
heaven" Yes the Hebrew people were
In the third heaven only three days
ago. They were 50 happy In their re-
cent liberation from scrflom that they
could not keep their feet still, let alone
their lips. "rheu sung Moses and the
children of Israel this song unto the
Lord AMI spakc. saying: ! will sing UNI
10 the Lord. for he hath triumphcd glo-
riously The horse and his rider hath
he thrown into the sea. The Lord Is
my strength and song. and lie Is be-
come my salvation. he Is my God. and
| will prepare him a hnhltatlon. My
fathers God and will eXalt him"
But hardly had this song died away
when the people began 10 murmur and
der ounce God They said "Whnt are
we going To drink Here we are IN the
desert now forty-cight hours and there
Is NJ water but these bitter waters of
Mnrah why didst thou not Let M stay
In Egvui rather then bring us ont into
this wilderness sand 10 dic of
thirst; Then God showed Moses
tree. and the great lawgivrr threw
this tree Into the bitter waters Of Ma
rah. and AZ once they became sweet
Wonderful story this and yet this
history is the biography Of our own
lives. W. have all had our times Of
singing and dancing and praising Cod
upon the banks OF the Red sea. Then
we have all had our sudden spiritual
reactions. when we have been In the
desert with no water 10 drink hut the
bitter Marah. Indeed. many of MS are
standing and complaining NJ the bitter
waters even AT the present time Now,
this ought not to he when God has
provided means Of swectcning them.
Miragc- Of the Desert.
First. let ms talk about the bitter VIA
tiers which are now flowing ont OF the
desert places where once grew the lux
urIant cases of the visions Of our early
childhood When we were boys and
girls sitting behind the schoolroom