Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-03-27

Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmage. D. D.

- %A~ANSAe AZ tAS carry ulSlOIy VI luC
Christian church the preacher in this
sermon draws the lesson that an appeal
to God In prayer should be made In
every case of doubt and difficulty. The
text is Acts /. "a, And they prayed,
Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts
of all men, show whether of these two
men thou hast chosen"
The crucifxiOn 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
were abiding at Jerusalem awaiting
the day Of Pentecost. The time seemed
to the disciples appropriate for com
pleting 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?
The disciples appear to have thought
30. 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 were two such men, Joseph and
Matthias. Either of these was eligible,
and a 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 a new elder or
new pastor or a new bishop IS to be
chosen? Did one of the disciples say.
Select Barsabas because he is my sis
ter's husbandY' Did another disciple
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. eve will
elect Luke or Mark because we want
to have our friends on the apostolate|
Do you suppose God would have sent
q day Of Pentecost If such a selfish
spirit had moved those disciples? No,
90! That was not the way the place
OF Judas was filed. These disciples
said; "We will make no mistake. We
win 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
4 matter of earnest, intense prayer?
Should we not learn to trust God and
follow his leadings? "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. commend
their example to every one Of you.
There come times when you must stand
at the parting of life's ways. You
heaitate which way you will take be-
cause your whole future seems to hang
on your decision. Then do as the dis
eiples did-turn to God, who knows all
Ghings, and ask him to direct you. Ask
aim which Of the two ways he chooses
Sr you.
The Right Line Of Work.
But, fathers and mothers, before you
start in this prayerful selection of the
line OF work your boy or girl will fol
low through life l want you to thor
Oughly cOnsecrate yourselves to the
Master, for If you do not you may
receive a Jolt that you will never get |
over. What God wants that boy to do
and what you want him to do may be
as far apart as the North star is dis
Gant from the equator. God may want |
20 he ,Fn4
may want that girl to go to foreign |
lands as a missionary. God may want |
your son to be a reformer with his pen. |
What God wants and you, the parent, |
wants may bitterly clash unless you !
are ready to surrender your will TO his
will.
The story is told that when James |
Russell Lowell was class poet a friend |
Ient his father, DR.. Lowell, an ac-
count Of the commencement at Har-
Tard at which the son had achieved
such q brilliant success. The old gen
tleman at the time was staying In |
Rome. When he received the account.
Instead Of being pleased, he was very
snSry and said: 'Well, well! Look at
This. l am very sorry and disappoint-
u. James promised me when l left
home that he would give up poetry
md stick to his books. / hoped he had
become less eighty" Yet It was as a
poet that Lowell was destined to
achieve fame. Thus what God wants
yOur boy to do and what you would
Ike to have him do may be entirely
liGeEent And yet, my brother, all the
happiness and the usefulness of your
on are to be decided within the next
OW months. Better pray, and pray
earnestly, that God will help him to
moose Alright IN the selection Of his
lie vocation. Better not let your will
'un counter to Gods will.
But after we have asked God to Sc
Dct our ehildren's work in life we
must not stop here In our divine plead
Rgs. The school or the college In
which our children prepare for their
lies work is important Now you had
'etter make a prayerful selection Of
he institutions to which you send your
htldren during the critical formative
'sEiods Of their lives. You need Gods
Ielp here as you need him In other
ital masters. You need to plead to
I'm for guidance just as much as the
iapiplea p@adAd to DraV for wisdom to