Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-02-24
Caln,age
Sermon
BY Rev.
Prank De Witt Talmaae. d. d.


Los Angeles, Cal, Feb. 18.-It is the
old, familiar story Of the wayward son,
the "black sheep" Of the family, which
the preacher takes for his theme in this
sermon, the text chosen being Luke XIV,
10, with the husks that the swine did
eat"
What an epltome Of pathos Is con-
densed within these eight small words!
Never was gaunt and hideous yisaged
want more dramatically depicted than
IN this tragic climax Of the prodigal
sons misery. He was In almost eX-
actly the same pitiablc condition as
the only son Of one Of New York's MIL
lonalres and most honored citizens
was few years ago. His father Tor
years and years had been the compan-
ion and the associate Of the greatest
leaders of thought, both trans and els
atlantic. In wealth and honor he re-
tired to his palatial metropolitan home
to pass his life amid refined associa-
tions. Not only was he great himself,
but he had three great brothers, all or
whom had made noted successes in
other lines Of work than his own. Pure
was the blood of that genealogical
family from which they sprang. 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 wayward son.
His love for his only boy blinded his
common sense. In his old age he let
his only son control his money. This
son not only mortgaged his fathers
property, but upon his fathers name
borrowed right and left Then by
profigacy and dissipation and reckless
wildcat speculations he squandered his
fathers all. A few months before the
fathers death came the financial crash.
He awoke as from a horrible dream.
He was practically a bankrupt. Then
came the death and the funeral Ihen
this only son sank lower and lower IN
to the quagmire of debauchery; lower
and lower until he used to tramp the
streets Of New York city with the sign
board OF a cheap restaurant strapped
TO his back. He sank lower and lower
IN the social scale until one day he
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 be sad
der than that? And yet this son was
In no lower condition, socially or NOR
ally, than was the young Hebrew Of
my text, caring for a herd Of swine
and fighting with. these four legged
beasts for their meals of dried. unpala-
table husks.
But as we see this social outcast OF
my text chewing the husks which had
been thrown to the swine this thought
comes to me: How similar is the con-
dltion of some of us In mental and
spiritual sense who have not yet sur
rendered our hearts to Jesus ChristT'
Sin has come into our lives and taken
away the sweet hopes which our IA
theirs and mothers had in the pardoning
love and protecting care of their Say
iour. In place Of these sustaining
hopes sin has come and given to us
lot of husks-drled, unnutritlOus and
unpalatable husks. Then sin has said
"Now try to masticate and digest the
teachings Of the doctrines Of atheism
aonosticism, skepticism, and all will bt
we'll" All, some of us have been trying
| TO live upon these spiritual husks toe
long. Like the poor prodigal, we have
| been sinking lower and lower in the
ouagmlre of despair. Therefore | an
going to try to analyze fer you some
OF the substances and ingredients OF
the false hopes which sin is offering
and at the same time by the help Of the
HOLY Spirit to break unto you the
bread of life, Of which If one eats h(
shall never be a-hungered again.
The Husks of Atheism.
Sin would blind our eyes to the spir
{ itual blessings Of the gospel by trying
TO cIrcumscribe us with the hateful doc
trine of human humiliation. 1t comes
to us as a scoffer of life beyond The
grave. 1t says to US: Man is an ami
NAL. We grant that he is higher form
Of animal, but still an animal. lie has
to eat and sleep and drink. He has t
grow and develop and decline. He ha'
to be born. and he has to die. Ihere
fore as man never existed before IN
was born he is not going to exist afte
he Is dead. When me is dead he Is eX
actly the same as turkey, which, VIII
head chopped off, IS cooked for III
Thanksgiving dinner. He is dead, an(
that is all there is of him. Now, as
man has only a short time to live a
most and as there is no life beyond tn
grave. therefore it is the duty OF ever,
man to have just as good a time as l
is possible to have. Come, friends, lie
us eat. drink and be merry, for tomor
row we die" And everywhere we Sc
men and women worshiping at the al
tar of Bacchus and bowling in the TEN
Ole of licentious Baal and kissing tn
golden shrine of evil Midas becaus
they do not think there is to be a here
after, and therefore they can do wit
impunlty as they will
But our whole natures revolt agains
the teaching. Eat, drink and be merry
for tomorrow we die" For two rea
sons we feel this repulsion. We know
that there is a judgment on this side
the grave for sin If there is not on tn
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 great deal lik
that Of Goethe the uncrowned king G
German literature. ID one Of bis II