The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-04-04
ION BROKEN PIECES"
Sermon by Rev. T. De Witt Tai
mage, D. D.
Lessons Drawn from 2 Notable Shipwreck
In the Struggle with Sin and Doubt,
Let All Else Go and Cling to
tho I;ea,n of the Cross.

BRooKLrN, n. Y. Jan. l6.-Dr. Talmage
took f0r his text this morning Il part Of the
forty-foUrth verse or the twenty-scventh
chapter Of Acts: ''Some on broken pieces
OF the ship" He then said:
Never OF Goodwin Sands, or the Sher-
ries, or Cape Hatteras, was ship in worse
predicament than in the Mediterranean
hurricane was the grain ship, on which two
hundred and seventy-siX passengers were
driven on the coast OF Malta, five miles
from the metropolis Of that island called
Cltta Eecchia. After 4 two weeks tenn
pest, in which the snip was entirely dis
abled and captain and crew had become
completely dem oraliZed, an Old missionary
took command Of the vessel. He was small,
crooked-bached and sorc-cycd, according
to tradition 1t was Paul, the only un-
scared man aboard. He was no more
afraid OF 2 Euroclvdon tossing the Mcditer-
ranean Sea, now up to the gates OF Heaven,
and now sinking to the gates of hell, than
he was Of 4 kitten playing with string.
He ordered them all down to take their
ratiops, first asking for them q blessing.
Then he insured all their lives, telling them
they would be rescued, ana. so far from
losing their heads, they would not lose so
much Of their hairas you could cut off with
one click of the scissors: aye. not thread
of it, whether il We're gray with age or
golden with youth. ''rhece shall not
hair fall from the head Of any Of YOU
knowing that they can never get to tho
desired port, they make the sea on the four;
teenth night black with overthrown cargo,
so that when the ship strikes it will not
strike so heay.iv. At daybreak they saw
creek, ana II their eNigency resolved tc
make for it. And so they cut the cables,
took in the two paddles that they had on
theso old boats. and hoisted the maicsail,
so that they might come up with sucn force
as to be driven high up on the beach by
some fortunate billow. There she goes,
tumbling towards the rocks; now PROV
foremost; now stern foremost; now roll
ing over to starboard: now wave dashes
clear over the deck, and it seems as if the
old craft mas gone forever. But up she
comes again. Paul's arm around mast,
he cries: ''All is we'll; God has gwen Mo
all those that sail with me-
Crash!, went the PROV with such force
that it broke OF the mast. Crashi went
the timbers till the seas rushed through
from side to side Of the vessel. She parted
anid-ships, and into a thousand fragments
the vessel goes, and into the waves two
hundred and seventy-siN lmmortals are
precipitate6. Some Of tf":n had been
brought up on the sea- Aorc and had
learned to swim, and with their chin just
above the waves and by stroke OF both
arms and propulsion Of both feet they put
out for the beach and reach il But, alas,
for those others! They had never learned to
swim, or they were wounded by the falling
'o5, the mast, or the nervous shock was too
greats=far them. And others had been
weakened by long seasichness.
Oh, what will become of them. "Take
that piece Of rudder,n says Paul to one.
to another Take that table" ''Tako
that image Of Castor and Pollok" ''Take
that plank from the lifeboat." Take any
thing and head for the beach, Whist
struggle for life in the breakers! Oh. the
merciless waters, how they sweep over
the heads Of men, women and children!
Hold on there, Almost ashore, keep up
your courage! Remember what Paul told
you.
There, the receding wave on the beach
leaves in the sand whole family; there
crawls up out Of the surf the centurion;
there another plank comes in with life
cllnging fast to it; there another piece OF
the shattered vessel with its freightage Of
an immortal soul. They must by this time
all be saved Yes, there comes in last OF
all-for he had been overseeing the rest
the old missionary, who wrings the water
from his gray beard and cri es oVt: 'Thank
God all are here!"
Gather them around fire and call the
roll. Paul builds fire, and when the
bundles of sticks begin to crackle, and,
standing and sitting around the blaze, the
passengers begin to recover from their
chill, and their wet clothes begin to dry
and warmth begins to come into all the
shiyering passengers, let the purser of the
vessel 60 round and see if any Of the poor
creatures are missing. Not one Of that
crowd that were plenged into the sea- How
it relieves our anxiety as we read: ''Some;
on broken pieces of the ship, and so
it came to past they all escaped safe to
ian5.''
Having on previous occasions looked at
the other passengers, I confne myself to-
day to an examination Of those who came
in on broken pieces Of the ship. There is
something about them that eXcites in me
luGSESS 1lUSICSG- I SlAI I1oV ~ - SSAA 49,
terested in those that could swim. They
got ashore, as expected. A mile of water
is not very great undertaking for strong
swimmer, Or even two miles are not. But
1 can not stop thinking about those on
broken pieces Of the ship
The great Gospel ship is the finest vessel
of the universe and can carry more passen-
gers than any craft ever constructed, and
YOU could no more wreck ii than You could
wreck the throne Of God Almighty.
wish all the people would come aboard Of
her. could not promise smooth voyage,
for oft times it would be a tempestuous or,
q chopped sea, but could promise safe
arrival for all who took passage on that
Great Eastern, so called by me because its
Commander came out Of the east, the star
Of the east badge of His authority.
But vast multitude do not take re gular
passage. Their theology is broken in
pieces, and their life is broken in pieces,
and their worldly and spiritual prospects
are broken in pieces, and yet believe they
+LN chnra and 7