The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-10-08
Calnna9e
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, D. D.

Los Angeles, Cal. Oct Elm this
sermon the preacher pictures life as 4
journey and the world as a great tenn
porary camping ground and shows
what preparations and precautions are
necessary to avoid its SHARES and pit
falls. The text is Luke ii, A. event
a days journey"
Ia olden times man could live With
less dependence than now on his fel
low men. Yet there We're certain neces-
sites it was imperative for him to take
along when he went on u long journey.
SO essential We're these necessities that
no man in the east ever broke away
from civilization until he had first
made sure that he had them all along
for when the home cities had once
been left behind the hills and the Jour
hey had commenced there was no way
Of procuring these necessities Thus in
Palestine. when Il caravan or party
of travellers were about to journey
from one region into another region
and go through a wilderness Of rocks
and trees infested by wild beasts and
brigands, they would always start
their first days journey about or 5
O'clock in the evening. Then they
would journey five or eight miles and
pitch camp. Then they would over
haul their baggage and look to the
trappngs of the horses and see that
their spears and their bows and arrows
and swords and hunting weapons were
at hand and in good order. Then they
would count noses and find out wheth-
er all the members Of the families We're
present. Then if anything or anybody
was absent or forgotten, and there was
almost sure to be something or some
body left behind, a messenger could re-
turn to town and replenish what was
needful Or bring back the person who
was inadvertently lost A wise camp
ing party going to the woods for a
summer vacation in this country does
we'll to practice the same custom. Al
ways start your first days journey in
the morning. Almost without eXccp-
ton, careful as you may be, you will
find that some essential upon which
the happiness of your summer trip is
more or less dependent has been left
behind.
Now, when Joseph and Mary, after
the feast Of the Passover at Jerusalem.
had turned north for their home city
Of Nazareth they followed this custom
Of the east. They started in the even
ing. After they had pitched camp
with the other members of tile travel
ing party they began to overhaul their
goods to see if they had forgotten any
thing They were going through wild
region, not only infested by robbers
and wild beasts, but by their anfriend-
ly neighbors, the Samaritans After
they had looked over their clothes and
food supplies Mary turned to her hus-
band and said, Joseph, dear, where is
Jesus!" "Oh," answered Joseph, II
think he is all right in the camp. /
saw him when we were in Jerusalem,
and l supposed that he was with
friends But l have not seen him
since we started" AS the night had
almost fallen, Mary, motherlike. be-
came anxious. She went from tent to
tent and from campfire to campfire.
Everywhere she kept asking the ques-
tons: Have you seen Jesus? Have
you seen my boy? Did he not leave
the Jerusalem walls with US? cant
find my Jesus anywhere" Well.
Mary" said an old Hebrew, never
mind. 1t Is only a few miles back.
We have only travelled our first days
journey. We will wait for you day.
and you go back and you will find him.
Nearly always somebody is left be-
hind. That is the reason we always
start our first days journey in the
evening hour"
Life as Camping Journey.
As one who has camped good deal
In life and spent many months in the
open. this text has taken firm hold
upon my mind and heart Life always
seems to me to be camping journey.
When we plunge into the woods we
break away from the old homestead.
Then we have to be surrounded by
new faces and depend upon the
strength of our own hands for our sue
cess or failure. Now, some people start
forth on this journey of life In a hap
hazard way. They do not seem to
care what they have in camp or what
they have left behind. They start off
on their journey Of life early in the
morning, and when they pitch camp
at night they are so far away from
the home city that they cannot go
back and procure what they lack
Others start their journey of life in
the evening Then if anything is lost
they return for the necessary supply
So may it be with us. AS some of lis
are just pitching camp few miles
AWAY from the old homesteads, l want
you to take an inventory and find out
what essentials you lack and go back
end procure them.
| want YOU in the first place. for this
Journey of life to overhaul your men
tai equipment | am not asking you
whether you have mind. There is not
u man or woman here who has no.
GRAY naftnr nDp1ri tD make n SucrCs.