Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-01
WANT ANOTHER
TRIAL OF LIFE
PREACHER SAYS Discomfort
CAUSES WISH !
Frank Dewitt TaImase Delivers EIo-
quent Sermon Upon Desire to
Turn Backward Flight
OF Time

In his sermon at the close of the old
year, Rev. Frank Dewitt Talmage
dealt with the discomfort in the human
heart which, he said, often inspires the
wish that we might live life over
again.
lie said in part:
"This question naturally arises on
this last Sunday of the year: would
we like to live our lives over again?
Would we like to have the year of 1905
again greet us in the swaddling clothes
of newborn babe? Would we like to
make the plea of the old poet. when,
in rhyme, he sang these now familiar
lines:
Backward, turn backward, o Time
in your flight
Make me a child again, just for to-
night.
Some of us frankly admit that we
would like to live our past years over
again. Others just as frankly state
that they do not so desire. Benjamin
Franklin belonged to the first group.
In one of his letters to his son he
wrote thus: I should have no objec-
ton to a repetition of my life from its
beginning. only asking the advantages
authors have in a second edition, to
correct some faults of the firsF. SO
might, besides correcting some faults,
change some sinister accidents and
events of it for others more favorable.
But though this were denied, / should
still accept the Offer But perhaps
Benjamin Franklin would n9t have
written thus if he had taken all the
possibilities into account. L would ike
to show YOU in this sermon that Gods
wav of giving only one earthly life to
one man is the best way. May God
help us today as we. on this last sun
day of the year, take retrospect OF
the years that are gone.
No Certainty of Achievement
mo man. in the first place, could
take the journey of life over again un-
less he took with 1t the dangers tha'
he escaped in his first experience
which might be fatal to him in MS
second: nor could he be sure of achiev-
ing again the successes that he hao
before.
And this fact is especially empha-
sized by the awful failures that sonle
of our friends have made in life, VINO
were a great deal smarter than we
and who were in every way pettei
n little thing that will turn the scales
of success up or down. That little
thing always seemed to be on INT
wrong side of the scales for some OF oul
friends. ~.
"Thus. in closing this sermon on th'
last Sunday of the year, do not 1eel
sense of sadness such as / have ofteI
felt upon similar occasions i'll the pas
Whenever / have attended the Watc9
night meetins[s of previous New heat
eyes, the ringing of the bell wher tli'
clock struck Il has always sounded u
me like the tblling of dirge. IL ma
been to me death knell. 1t has oeei
like the tollibg of the bell when tn
hearse enters the cemetery. AS tn
clock struck 4, 2 g 4, 5, 6. z, s, 9, IL, IL
M. it seemed to call, Dead and gone
The years of 1900 and 1901, and 1902 an
1903. and 1905 and 1905 are dead an
gone! They are dead and gone for
ever Hear it, ye living! Dead ant
gone forever!
Bells Ring Glad Promises
"As 1 hear the clock striking the mid
night hour tonight, it will not be a dirge
but promise of reunion. 1t VIII ring
The year Of 1905 Is not dead and gon
forever. Thou shalt meet it with II
SancI1ISu joys anu SuTIoWS. = Iiou oioi
meet it again smiling with the faces o
those who have made thy last twelv
months happy and blessed. Thou shall
meet the year OF 1905 coming forth t.
gree thee, o Christian, with the SACRED
years OF 1890 and 1880 and 1870 by 1t
side. All these years shall live again /
thou wilt put thy faith in Christ, am
have him live in thee and thou in him.
My friends. on this last Sunday of tn
year. wilt thou have the midnight bel
toll for thee dirge or ring out fo
thee Il gospel triumph? You can her
and now decide If you shall live oTe
again your happy past
Thou blessed past with our halloEet
dear ones Art thou alive? Shall |
come forth to greet us at the day o
Judgment. and, purified OF all evil, Nv
with us through all the coming etfr
mites? 1t will. Thou year of 1905 b;
forth and assemble for us the dea
years that are gone. Assemble them Il
greet us when. like Christ, we shall rls
from our ascension mount, and tim
for us shall be no longer, except as Wy
spend that time with Christ"
-------e-S@--