Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-18
Absalom' s Failure
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TOMIlISS.
Text: Samuel xviii. Tia.

Text: Samuel xviii lis
We turn to tragic page In Bible
History. and yet 1t IS a part OF the
Bible which deeply interests us and
moves US It brings before us many
practical lessons applicable to the life
-: to-day. and II reveals to MS David s.
wonderful faith and the blessed prom
!ses regarding the future.
First OF AL. there Is tho lesson Of
misguided youth, and II is :, timely les
son to-day. Through the unfortunate
HisinteSraton OF the home. children
seem 10 nave lost that respect for their
parents and that willingness to obey
them which must ever lie at the foun-
cation of happiness and success.
sometimes one grows indignant At the
iinpertinence OF children as regards
'heir fatner and mother, and as re-
sarts older people generally. Some
people inveiGh against the Old Puri-
tan discipline. but that discipline GER
'a!n!y made strong and normal men
and women, and one doubts whether
the lack OF II to-day may not be tho
reason for much OF the youthful error
which Is so common. Boys and girls
and young men and young women
should reverence their parents and
obey them and look up to them ae
guides and helpers. And If by chance
any father or mother does not seem
~ ne worthy OF sucn respect. reverthc-
less II mus; he shown. FOR God IN His
commandment distinctly ordors il. and
there car be no departure from Ills
ordering without disaster
PARENTS SHOULD nHaUIHI:
ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE
On the other hand. there should he
on IN" part Of the parents from the
. .'nla earnest Eears rigorous en-
'orcen1cnt Of obedience. There can b..
no question but that Dav!d's In
Hulgence lav AT the root OF Absalom's
siniulness And many man to-day.
"hi!e II Is cowardly thing 10 lay the
burden Of his faults upon othcrs o.n
nevertheless. recognize that Inc fall
uFe OF his parents in his early wears
opened the road to his wandering I
itaNe no patience. let me say. with
nose who claim tina, the severity q,
lit, parents or the strength OF their
ensious faith caused them TO react
'nto care!cssacss ! have been rcading
BOOK lately. by somewhat nn,od
writer which seems TO take th,s
ouho; ana 1t IL cowardiv ground,
mere is much more danger ,o5," ~
PARENTS n"giectinE their children ava
'a!!inE 70 give them definite re,t-,o,
ma moral opinions than there il nr
INC opposite -
We cannot help seeing how David,
;acH OF positive firmuess after Absn
!onl began his rebellion. rnaa. ,b,
whole matter worse I, was n.,,,r,,
course. for him to love mis- hoy and "a
'ehlpofiHe with those matters which
would have speedily cuded the robei.
non But NC must never let our own
""seuoh come between ourselves and
'oH, or between ourselves and cur du,v
|" others. II is hard indeed, for MS 70
sacrifice something very dear to us he
cauS" ~ - right to do so: but Cod has
taught Ms hy His own holy example
thar sacrifice must be mar, Of ,rnc
SfSCt!On. ard thar
object ~ our love demands an anparnrt
contradiction between morc~ and tus-
nee The only way to ond q rebellion
IS hH taking II in hand Immediately and
acting fearlessly Pain has 70 come
but !, is better t, should be fell, by
few than that a whole race should bo
crushed BY II.
RELIGIOUS LIFE Is
GREATEST PROTECTION
one wonders VII ,ther Ahsalom had
any religious sense; that is whether he
had hcen taught 20 pray and worship
God The Bible is somewhat silent
about this matter. Yet we may easily
read between the lines and understand
that he was not taught or did not fol-
low, the teaching concerning his
fathers Cod and therefore he resisted
that which might have kent him from
error. There can be no question hut
that the religious life simple, natural
loving. is the greatest protection
against sin and ruin. Tho Younger tho
age AT which hoys and girls give them
selves 10 Christ, the fuller and happier
their usefulness in the wears to come
We must teach our children that re-
lgion is an everyday thing II has to
do with the everyday duties. 1t Is like
the sunshine which comes every morn
Ing. When the youth IS really Chris
tian youth and the blessings OF God are
sought through PRAYER and Bible and
church, then Satan does not have the
power to carry away Gods child into
the paths OF darkness.
Probably tho beauty and the personal
magnetism OF Absalom gave him
large following among the people. HUI
mainly is tickle. and though the Jews
loved David. when the young and
handsome prince came before them and
established n rival kingdom they were
easily ,irawn to his side. The defec-
tion Of some OF Davids most trusted
friends is more difficult to understand.
DANGEROUS TO FOLLOW
AN USTRIFD LEADER
The lesson here is that we should not
listen to youth rather than age. or to
inexnerience rather than ripe expert
ence. The Bible has more than one
lesson In Athis matter. II is dangerous
20 follow an untried leader. 1t is folly
to listen to the suggestions of those
whose character has not been tested
And. above all. the lesson comes that
we should listen to God first OF al and
not suffer ourselves to be carried away
by every honey-tonEued orator who
gives us In magnetic fashion some
thing new"
-Absa lom's death is very sad. and II
is rendered all the more sad by Joab's
cruelty. We need not dwell upon the
story: It is familiar to MS all. But Is
1t not true that tragic death is pretty
sure to follow an ungodlv life? Can
we hope to fall asleep pea cefully when
we have disregarded God and right
and our human brothers and selfishly
followed our own interests and obeyed
our own passions for years? We do not
want to be good in order that we may
die peacefully. That would be un-
worthy. But we do want to recognize
chat the wages of sin is death"-
death morally. spiritually. mentally.