Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-03-20

sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase, d. d.

sermon draws the lesson that an appeal
TO God in prayer should be made i'm
every case of doubt and difficulty. The
text is Acts i. 2I. And they prayed,
Thou. Lord. which knowest the hearts
of all men. show whether OF these two
men thou hast chosen"
The cruciiixion was over. The little
scattered band of disciples had been
brought together by the second and
third appearances of Jesus. The ascen-
sion also was over. Now the disciples
We're abiding at Jerusalem awaiting
the day OF PentecOSt. The time seemed
to the disciples appropriate for COM
pletinS the organization of the infant
church The detection Of Judas had
left only eleven apostles. Should not
the mystical number corresponding to
the twelve tribes of Israel be made up?
Tue disciples appear to have thought
SO. One reason was that the number
OF authorized witnesses to the life.
work and resurrection of Jesus should
not be diminished. They would choose
from among them one who. having
been with them from the beginning.
was competent to give such testimony.
There We're two such men, Joseph and
Matthias. Either OF these was eligible.
and choice must be made.
What did the disciples do? Did they
turn their meeting into a political eau
Gus. as so many of our religious meet
ings become when Il new elder or q
new pastor or new bishop is to be
chosen? Did one of the disciples saw.
Select Barsabas because he is my sis
III lsas,1 ,.,V, 4 INs
say. "Oh, elect Matthias because he
has lent me money. and as he has help
ed me ! want to do him a favor?" Do
you suppose another said, 1--WE will
elect Luke or Mark because we want
to have our friends on the apostolate?"
Do you suppose God would have sent
n day of Pentecost IL such n selfish
spirit had moved those disciples? No,
no! That was not the way the place
or Judas was filed These disciples
said: I'VE Will make no mistake. We
VIII throw the whole responsibility
upon God" Thus they went TO their
knees. 20 Lord" they cried, make
this selection for thy honor and glory"
Were they right? Ought not we to
make every important move of our life
matter of earnest, intense prayer?
Should we not learn to trust God and
follow his headings? "And they pray
ed. Thou, Lord, which knowest the
hearts of all men, show whether OF
these two thou hast chosen" They
were wise and pious men. l commend
their example to every one OF you.
There come times when you must stand
at the parting OF life's ways. You
hesitate which way you will take be-
cause your whole future seems to hang
ON your decision. Then do as the dis
ciples did-turn to God, who knows all
things. and ask him to direct you. Ask
him which of the two ways he chooses
for you.
An Important Decision.
In the first place, would turn the
attention of young people to the mes
sage OF my text l would first speak
TO those who have not yet decided
what is to be their occupation in life.
1 am not now addressing those who
are coming to the close OF their studies
In medicine or the law or theology.
They-are like the sea captain who has
already set his compass and has left
harbor and Is sailing for a chosen port.
L tax to the young people who do not
know what they ought to be In life
or what vocation they should follow.
I am speaking to- those just about to
graduate from our grammar schools
who have not yet decided what line
OF work or of studies they will follow.
That time of life is the most critical OF
all, because mistake now in all prob
ability will mean a mistake irrepara-
bic.
Some OF you have no doubt what YOU
are 20 do. Some time ago I addressed
the graduating class OF one OF our
grammar schools. The chief attrac-
tton OF the exercises was the wonder
fui playing of famous musician of
our city. When he ran his fingers over
the keys he could make that piano
taik or weep or laugh or dance or
march or thunder or sigh. We encored
him again and again. After the meet
ing was over his daughter told q mem
Der OF my family that her father was
born with such a genius for music
that be could play upon any musical
instrument 1t was just as natural for
him to play as ii is for a bird to sing
or for fish to swim or for n rabbit TO
burrow. Thus some men are born art
lists or born inventors or born finan-
ciers or born orators, and this genius
OF their minds Is manifested when
they are very young. But most OF us
We're not developed that way. When
we were in our teens we were entire
iy In the dark about what God wanted
us TO do
what would you do with your son
II he came to fifteen years of age and
did not know what he wanted to bel"
a lady Of my church said to me some
time ago. "My son is a bright boy. but
ne has no overpowering desire for any
one line OF work." There is a fine
good boy who is just as much in the
dark about the future as you and
were when we were I'm our teens. And
yet mistake now might ruin his
whole future life. If you get wrong
upon the first part OF your Journey of
life. you are apt 90 follow the wrong
path clear to the end What had that
young boy better do? What had that
father and mother better do? They
had all better get down on their knees
and pray. They had better lift up an
earnest petition to God that he will
direct that young boy to choose the vo-
cation which he should follow, for
God had purpose for him when he
was born. And the whole happiness OF
that boy, as well as his usefulness, de-
ponds upon his making no mistake in
Following the line Of work God in
tended him to do.
The Right Line of Work.