Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-08-10
Caln1age
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee. ID. ID.

in the pleasures of the senses, but III |
personal consecration and active Chris !
tlan service. The text is Philippians
iv, 4. "Rejoice in the Lord alway, and
again say, Rejoice"
An aged minister once said to me:
The entire character of my preaching
has changed with my advancing years.
AS a young man | used to preach on
the terrors of the law, on the wrath OF
God, on the warnings against sin and
on the awful picture Of the lake or fire
drawn by st. John In the Apocalypse.
But as | grew older found my favor
ite 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-
dium 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 Christs
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 l 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
venerable friend, but they convey the
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-
tion that is inevitable to one who leads
a sinful life.
Paurs letter to the Philippians was
written near the close Of his life lie
| had passed beyond the carnal part or
| his religious experience. lie 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 leaplng flames OF the
bottornless 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
| will welcome him. Thus he comes to
rs not grooming dirge, but singing a
psalm of praise. He comes to us with
iov smiling upon his lip, with Joy
| shining forth from his eye, with JOY
throbbing In his heart and with JOY
in his congratulatOry handshal1. lie
comes to us with a rapturous exhorta-
tion rs he bids us take an inventory
of our spiritual opportunities. lie
saws. "Rejoice in the Lord Away.
Then. as though he had not made TINS
gospel salutation emphatic enough, he
repeats his words as he says, Again
I say, Rejoice" Now, today l am not
Going TO talk to those who look upon
the cross of Jesus Christ only as a
means of escaping the horrors or eter
nal anguish. but am going to talk tc
those who have so developed IN the
Christian life that their gospel faiti
is a pleasure and joy and a never
ending consolation. As l speak to yot
TODAY | shall tell you why you shoulo
rejoice in the Lord Away and why
Won should come to him with never
ending praise and with eterna
thanksgiving.
low Is a fruit that will not grow
, In natures barren soil;
All we can boast TIL Christ we know
Is vanity and toll;
Put 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.
NV Christian brother you OK I'M
deeper and holier religious experience
Won should in the first place reJoic'
in the Lord Away because you hav'
nv YOUR side divine friend who VIII
guard you and keep you and be yer.
present help in all your troubles. IL
has a keener eye than you. He has
stronger arm than you. He has all tn
mowers of heaven and earth at III
command. He has heart so tende
and loving and self sacrificing that d
is willing to surrender all and DO all
E he can in any way help you In you
struggle OF life. He Is not an aDsen
, friend thousand miles away VINO l
!, going to meet you by appointment u
the brink of the grave, but he Is
friend so near that you can whlspe
), 70 him and he Will hear you. lie
so near that you can put out you
hand as n little tottering child, and n
O will grasp that hand and keep yo
,s from falling. He is so near that, hK
It n loving mother. he will guard yo
when vor, are asleep, and he VIII gree
l vou With a smile when you awake !
the morning. He will go with you I
~ the breakfast table. He Will follo'
- rou In the street and stand with yo
~ Inv the store coumter. He IS an eve
nresent friend. Rut he is also omnlp'
font and omniscient as well as omh
nresent. Now. ought 1t not to be lo
TO you that this divine Friend, IN
Son of God, Is always by your side
- help you and care for you and io'
you?
You know what the power OF
sanctifed and holy and purified huma
friendship means. Years ago, IN IL
dawn Of young manhood there can
into your life a young girl. fo
thought you loved her at the Tim
You did not believe you coulc eV'
fove any one more But you did n
truly know what love was. Life I
YOU at the time was a picnic In Z
woods. You thought mostly abo
what you were to eat and drink :
where you were to live and what jo.
companions were to be your associate