The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-10-13
Sunday Sermon Reviews
Outlines Talks by Calumet Ministers This N
Be a Regular Feature in The I'VE Each Monday.
COMPARES LIFE
TO FALLEN LEAF
Gods Grace Can Restore Desc
late Man Says Rev. Peterson

THE Withered Leaf" was the sub
| iect of "A sermon 10y Rev. = w. PEE
dersen at the Norwegian Danish NJ
u. church Sunday morning. The theme
was deduced from the text lis. 6i:6-
, For we all become as one that Il
unclean and all our righteousness is
as a polluted garment and we all do
fade as a leaf; and all our iniquities
like the wind, take MS away"
Mr.. Petersen said,
Here we find a people engaged i'm
supplication and prayer. in confession
Of their own littleness and former sin
These people are in distress and great
need of God. For many years they
had sailed their own boat unconcern-
cd of any but themselves. In their
greedy lust. they had been on the
| chase after the possessions of the
world, and their efforts to attain the
properties Of their desires had been
troubled by more. Now they were
greatly disturbed because they saw
the result of their own deeds. the time
had come when they could not help
themselves any longer There they
stood looking upon their own works
trembling, desolate with the picture OF
dark future before them, seeing thar
all their righteousness were as poll
luted garments. What was the rea :
Son? They had forgotten God, neg
iccted TO care for their soul That
was enough to make them feel as
though they were as u withered leaf.
What is the significance Of this
withered leaf compared with man? a
leaf is not always withercd: Notice il
i'm the spring and summer time. when
nature takes onits summer dress. The
grass, the flowers and the leaves Seem
TO be glowing with life and beauty. M
wonder God exclaimed and said after
He had finished the work of creation,
1t is all very good But there comes
time when all this glory begins to
fade, the leaf withers and dies.
How is it in the animal kingdom ?
Behold all the people are before us.
You will find all colors. all sizes. fig
ures. talents and minds, you viii find
all ages. all kinds of health and all
kinds of motives. There is a glory in
this which We as human beings can
not quite comprehend. but our Maker
does, He placed man as lord and rul-
er over the rest of the creation, and
the apostle calls man the crown of the
whole creation. But also this glory will
fade and wither. The author of our
text emphatically says: We all do fate
as leaf. what is tho reason?
There are at least three causes for
the whitening of leaf. that Is lack Of
nourishment, frost and old age. The
same three causes will take the life
OF any person. We may die from
hunger we may freeze to death or
we may die on account of old age
Thus far we resemble the leaf. but
there is a difference between us some
where and we must ind 1t. \ leaf
has two sides, but one life. you and
have two sides and two lives We
have physical and spiritual life.
On this ground the difference must
be sought.
ut is this spiritual lfe the inner.
man. that is whitening as a leaf.
What is the cause? Worldly inter-
est! Too much interest in this world
will deaden the spiritual life in any
person. no matter how good be once
was. The marks OF this worldly in
terest are not apparent at the begin
ming. one may appear to be n good
church member, may go to church,
give to the church. and even some
times go to prayermeetings. while his
is gradually whitening
away. But one will not go on wither-
ing very long unnoticei. The church
going the church giving. and the
Tryaerneetings will soon be some
thing for which desires are wanting |
The innerman is whitening dying for
lack of nourishment. This will cause
backslidiug. and backslding in turn
will cause spiritual death. 1t is with |
our souls life as il is with The leaves |
In the fall Some trees have already |
thrown off their leaves, while others
are still green. But you and / know
that they are green only Goi a short
time; they are doomed to die be-
cause they do not get the nourish-
nent.
III this is your situation. my friend.
lou are in a ptiful condition. Like
he faded leaf which tine wind chas-
tn from place to place, you also are
I'll. |
~ the sound Of the withered leaf. al
ways driven forth into a dark. hope
ess future But there is still great
Inference between YOU and the leaf.
withered leaf is whrIed away by
he wind and trodden Gown, valueless
inder foot Not so with You: there
s some value in you. 4 leaf cannot
% renewed. to lfe-you can For the
vithered leaf there is no future hope.
10 .,t h,.I