Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-08-09
CalrnaQe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase. ID. ID.


highest JOY of life is not to be found
in the pleasures OF the senses, but in
personal conservation and active Chris
tian service. The text is Philippians
iv. 4. Rejoice in the Lord Away, and
ngaiu say. Rejoice"
An aged minister once said to me:
1.-The entire character OF my preaching
has changed with my advancing years
As young man l used to preach on
the terrors of the law, on the wrath OF
God. on the warnings against sin aud
on the awful picture OF the lake of fire
drawn by st. John In the Apocalypse.
But as grew older l found my favor
lite texts in the tender passages OF the
Psalms, In the loving words OF Christ
to his disciples set down by the be-
loved disciple and In the eloquent exor-
dunn on charity or love by the Apostle
Paul. ! find that the nearer come to
heaven the more my heart burns with
an unutterable desire to see Christ's
face and to have a part in the never
ending reunion OF the redeemed. and
therefore the less l think about the
terrors of the Judgment. Faith to me
Is becoming more and more the sub
stance of things hoped for. and I am
looking forward to peace and Joy
rather than backward at the drawn
fiery sword of an avenging angel
standing at the gate of paradise"
These are not the exact words OF my
Ill C.-,A ls..A
substance of his thought. Truly what
this aged man said about his ministe-
rial life every minister who is con-
scious OF advancing years feels as his
soul grows ripper and richer in spirit
ual development More and more he
loves to preach about the Joys of the
gospel rather than about the destruc-
ton that is inevita BILE to one who leads
u sinful life
Paul's letter to the Philippians was
written near the close OF his life. He
had passed beyond the carnal part Of
his religious experience. He does not
now think so much OF Christ presiding
in Judgment as he does OF the Jesus
OF salvation. He does not dwell so
much on the leaping flames of the
bottomless pit as he longs for the
songs OF Moses and the Lamb and is
thrilled at the thought of all the mer.
cies and blessings with which Jesus
VIII welcome him. Thus he comes to
us not grooming dirgc. but singing n
psalm of praise. He comes to us with
JOY smiling upon his lip, with Joy
shining forth from his eye, with Joy
throbbing in his heart and with Joy
In his congratulatory handshakR. He
comes to us with rapturous exhorta-
ton as he bids us take an inventory
OF our spiritual opportunities. He
says. Rejoice in the Lord Away"
Then. as though he had not made this
gospel salutaton emphatic enough. he
repeats his words as he says, Again
L say, Rejoice" Now. today am not
going to talk to those who look upon
the cross OF Jesus Christ only as a
means OF escaping the horrors OF eter-
nal anguish, but am going to talk TO
those who have so developed I'm the
Christian life that their gospel faith
is a pleasure and a joy and n never
\ ending consolation. AS I speak to you
today shall tell you why you should
rejoice in the Lord Away and why
you should come TO him with never
thanksgiving.
Joy Is a fruit that will not grow
In natures barren soil;
B Alive can boast till Christ we know
Is vanity and toll:
But where the Lord has planted grace
And made his glories known.
There fruits Of heavenly Joy and peace
Are found. and there alone.
Rejoice In the Lord Away.
My Christian brother, you OF the
deeper and hoier religious experience,
you should In the first place rejoice
In the Lord Away because you have
by your side divine friend who Will
guard you and keep you and be very
present help In all your troubles. He
has a keener eye than you. He has a
stronger arm than you. BE has all the
powers Of heaven and earth at his
command. He has n heart so tender
and loving and self sacrificing that he
Is willing to surrender all and do all II
he can In any way help you in your
struggle OF life. He is not an absent
friend thousand miles away who Is
going to meet you by appointment at
the brink of the grave, but he is q
friend so near that you can whisper
to him and he will hear you. he Is
SO near that you can put out your
hand as little lettering child, and he
VIII grasp that hand and keep you
from falling. He is so near that, like
loving mother. he will guard you
when you are asleep. and he will greet
you with a smile when you awake in
the morning. He will go with you to
the breakfast table. He will follow
you In the street and stand with you
by the store counter. He is an ever
present friend. But he is also omnipo-
tent and omniscient as well as omni-
present Now, ought II not to be a joy
to you that this divine Friend, this
Son OF God, is always by your side to
help you and care for you and love
you?
You know what the power OF a
sanctifed and holy and purified human
friendship means. Years ago, in the
dawn of young manhood, there came
into your life a young girl. You
thought you loved her at the time.
You did not believe you could ever
love any one more. But you did not
truly know what love was. Life for
you at the time was a picnic in the
woods. You thought mostly about
what you We're to eat and drink and
where you were to live and what jolly
companions were to be your associates.
You married that girl. When you
married her you thought your honey
moon was TO be the never ending life
OF bee In flower garden, finding