Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-02-22
CalnaQe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. ID. d.

LOS HUScleS, NUI., zen. II II tiiC
old, familiar story Of the hayward son,
the "black sheep" of the family, which
the preacher takes for his theme in this
sermon, the text chosen being Luke XIV,
lG. with the husks that the swine did
eat"
What an epitome of pathoS Is con-
densed within these eight small words,
Never was gaunt and hidcous visaged
want more dramatically depicted than
in this tragic climax Of the prodigal
sons misery. He was in almost cX.
activ the same ptable condition ms
the only son of one of New York's mil
!ionaircs and most honored citizens
was Il few years ago. His father for
years and years had been the conpGn-
ion and the associate of the greatest
leaders of thought, both trans and els
atlantic. In wealth and honor lie re-
tired to his palatial metropolitan home
to pass his life amid refined associa-
tons. Not only was he great himself.
but he had three great brothers, all of
whom had made noted successes IN
other lines of work than his own. Pure
was the blood Of that genealogical
family from which they sprau9. But
amid all his fame and wealth and bril-
liant family connections there was one
startling weakness. The father could
not see the faults of his hayward son.
Ills love for his only boy blndea his
common sense In his old age he let
his only son control his money. This
son not only mortgaCcd his fathers
property, but upon his fathers name
borrowed right and left. Then by
profigacy and dissipation and reckless
wildcat speculations he squandrrcd his
fathers all. A f"w months before the
fathers death came the financial crash.
He awoke as from a horrible dream.
lie was practically bankrupt. Then
came the death and the funeral. Then
this only s,Hl sank lower and lower in
to the Guagmire Of debauchery; low or
and lower until he used to tramp the
streets of New York city with the sign
board of q cheap restaurant strapped
20 his back. He sank lower and lower
in the social scale until one day lie
was found digging for food in the ref
use barrel before the very palace in
which he and his father once lived
All. could any condition in life he sad
der than that? And Yet this son was
in no lower condition, socially or NOR
ally, than YVES the young Hebrew of
my text, caring for herd Of swine
and 4ghting with these four legged
beasts for their meals of dried, unpala
table husks.
But as we see this social outcast o
any text chewing the husks which hat
been thrown to the swine this though
comes TO me: How similar is the con
dtion OF some of us in mental ant
spiritual sense who have not yet sur
rendered our hearts 10 Jesus Christ z
Sin has come into our lives and taken
away the sweet hopes which Our ia
theirs and mothers had III the pardoninp
love and protecting care of their Saw
Jour. In place of these SUSTAINING
hopes sin has come and given 10 us j.;
lot of husks-dried, unnutritious anC
unpalatable husks. Then sin has said
"Now try TO masticate and digest TIL
teachings of the doctrines OF atheism
ngnosticism, sieptiCisn, and all viii b
WELL All, some of us have been tryin;
10 live upon these spiritual huskS TO-
long Like the poor prOdigal We hav
been sinking lower and lower in th
Guagmire of despair. Therefore ! an
going 10 try 10 analNZe for YOU SOM
of the substances and ingredients o
the false hopes which sin is Ofierin,
and at the same time by the help of tn
Holy Spirit to break unto YOU tn
bread OF life. Of which if one eats b.
shall never be a-hunSercd again.
The Husks of Atheism.
Sin would hlinu our eyes 10 the Sp,
itual blessings Of the gospel by Try Uni
TO circumscribe Us with the hateful doc
triDe OF human humiliation. It come
to us as SCOOTER of life beyond til
grave. 1t says TO Us: Man is an AM
mai. We grant that lie is a higher form
Of animal. but still an animal. He Ia
to eat and sleep ana drink. He has I
grow and develop and decline. He la
TO be born. and he has to die. There
fore as man never existed before II
was born he is not going to exist afte
he is dead. When he Is dead he is OK
actly the same as turkey, which. wit
head chopped off, is cooked for III
Thanksgiving dinner. He is dead, an
that is an there is Of him. Now. as
man has only short time to live a
most and rs there is 10 life beyond tn
grave, therefore it is he duty of ever
man TO have just as good time "a
Is possible TO have. Come, friends, lc
lis cat, drink and be merry. for tomol
row we die" And everywhere we Sc
men ana women worshiping at the n
tar Of Bacchus and howing in The ten
pie Of lcentious Baal and kissing iii
golden shrine of evil Midas bccaus
they do not think there is to he a here
after and therefore they can do wit
impunity as they VIII,
But our whole natures revolt arains
the teaching, Eat, drink and be mcrr,
for tomorrow we die For two res
sons we feel this rcpulsion. We kno,
that there is judgment on this side G
tho grave for sin if there is not on IN
other side. We know by bitter. awfu
ly bitter, personal experience. that
worldly life, lived for mere pleasur
or fame, does not produce real pleasure
From a worldly standpoint our scare
for happiness has been a great deal III;
that of Goethe, the uucrownod King {
German literature In one of his ~