Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-10-25
Caln1ase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talrnsee. d. D.

be transformed into the greatest spirit
ual blessings If. instead OF giving way
TO hopeless depression, we show forti-
tude by the faithful performance of
our daily duties is the teaching OF this
sermon. TIE text is John xxi, 8, 81 20
a-fishing."
A great tragedy seems to associate
itself with the scene In which 1t took
place. IL we witness q railroad COLI
sion or carriage accident or a tragic
death OF any kind we cannot pass the
place in which II occurred without hav-
Ing the sad event recalled 10 the mem
DRY. Especially is this TIE case when
the tragedy involved the death Of one
we loved. II you lived in another part
OF the country. would you not at ones
want TO so home and stay among the
home scenes and try to blot out the
hideous spectacle which you had been
compelled to witness? Well, that is
Just what Peter and some Of the dis
ciples did after Jesus was laid away
in the tomb. Come" they cried to
each other; "let us set away from this
cruel city or Jerusalem. Let US 60 back
to Galilee, near where we were born
and where we lived when the dear
Lord called US TO leave our nets and
become fishers Of men" So they pack
ed mp their belongings and started
north for the Zebulon hills. They turn
ed their backs upon the great walled
In capital and the temple and sought
the scenes OF their childhood aud OF
their eaIly communion with Christ.
Methinks i can see them now walk
ing along. The sun was shining just
as bright then IS during some of the
walks they had taken with him. Tho
birds We're singing just as sweetly. 1t
was the springtime. All the flowers
were in full bloom-the wild flowers
which Jesus so loved. The sheep were
pasturing upon many hills. The grass
was green and soft As the weary
travellers rested for the lunch hour It
did seem as though nature cared not
whether its Creator was living or dead.
oh, their hearts were SO crushed and
bleedingI The farther they got away
from Calvary the more their grief
seemed to bow them down. The hard
est times of sorrow do not come dur
ing the hours Of the funeral, but after
Sgard- Then the house is so lonely,
the arms SO empty, the loved voices so
still Everywhere the pilgrims went
they could see his dear face and hear
him speaking. Christ n score OF times
had Travelled with them over this same
road and rested by these same springs.
Peters First Impulse.
When they reach home the same un-
utterable grief abides with them. They
try to cheer each other up, but II is no
use. One afternoon toward evening as
the sun was sinking In the west these
disciples are again gathered together
to talk over the past 1 hear the rough,
brusQue, impulsive Peter speak up. He
says: Men, / cannot stand this any
longer. Every time I think OF his
trial and death 1 hear myself denying
him. Then see that sweet face turn
ed in pity upon me, as when the cock
crew twice. / must do something to
rouse myself out of these recollections
OF the past. I'll go a-fishing." With
and his nets. And all the other disci-
pies say, I'VE also so with thee.''
They descend the hills to the pebbled
beach. They get out the old oars.
They ell the bottom OF the boat with
the nets. Oh they pull. AS ] see that
boat going farther and farther away
from shore / see CHRIST, the loving
Christ. watching his dear disciples.
They cannot see him, but he sees them.
Some practical gospel truths arise In
my mind as / think OF the impulsive
words Of this most human OF all the
apostles when he said, al go a-f,shing,"
and the other disciples answered, 1--WE
also so with thee"
Peter, starting for the nets ON TIE
sea OF Galilee. shows, In the first place,
the never ending grip the habits of
early youth take upon our minds and
hearts. What we learn before fifteen
years Of age We seldom forget You
have often heard OF old people coming
to their second chiIdhcca. This means
that when the hair is white and the
step infirm en- aged man may forget
what he did in his twenties and thir-
ties and in his middle life, but he rare
ly forgets what he Gid as a little child.
he may forget his wife and children,
but. as a rule, he never forgets his
mother and father ana brothers and
sisters. 1t is no unusual sight to hear
an old man calling his sons and daugh-
ters by the names Of his brothers and
sisters and plaintively talking to his
wife as though he were a little child
addressing his mother. The places an
old man dreams about most are the
scenes OF his early boyhood, the brook
which ran through his fathers mead
ow lands, the old schoolhouse where he
studied his primer, his old trundle
bed. the nuts be used to crack and the
red apples he used to eat on winter
evenings before the cracking logs Of
the old family fireside.
Mr.. Moody emphasized this truth in
another way. He said: "The older I
grow the harder it Is for me to learn
Scripture. AS preacher / am con-
unually committing to memory new
Sible texts and chapters, yet very
soon forget them. But the Scripture
verses which learned at my mothers
knee have never forgotten. The les.
sons which she taught me are more
ana more WILDLY recalled by my mind
Therefore It is very important that
parents train up their children Alright
Tor God. They should early get them
In the habit OF going to church and to
sunday school. They should teach
them the beautiful stories OF the Bible
They should instili in them the duties
or helping those who need their help.