Democratic messenger., 1889-12-07
TALMAGE In JOPPA.
THE PLACE WHICH GAVE BIRTH Tc
SEWING SOCIETIES.
A Discourse by the Brooklyn Divine on
the Charities of the Needle-The
Death and Resurrection of
Dorcus-When Christ
Shall Praise His
Servants.


Death and Resurrection of
Dorcus-When Christ
Shall Praise His
Servants.
JorPA, Dec. l.-To.day is memorable
in the sacred history of Joppa, the Rev
r. De Wit Talmage, ID. d., preached
here To company of Christian people oi
various denominations on "Thc Birthplace
OF Sewing Societies" lie took Tor his
text Acts ix., 30: "And all the widows
stood by him weeping, and showing the
coats and garments which Dorcas made
while she was with them" The preacher
said:
Christians OF Joppa Impressed rs am
with your mosque, the first | ever saw
and stirred as | am with the fact that
your harbor once iloa,ed the great RATS oi
Lebanon cedar from which the temples
ut Jerusalem were builded, Solomon's
oxen drawing the logs through this very
town an the way 10 Jerusalem. nothing
can make me forget that this Joppa was
the birthplace of the sewing society that
has blessed the poor Of all succeeding
ages in all lands. The disasters to your
town when Judas Maccabeus sci it on
fire and Napoleon had 800 prisoners mas.
sacred in your neighborhood cannot make
me forget that one of the most nagnili-
cent charities of the centuries was started
in this seaport by Dorcas, woman with
needle embroidering her name incilacca.
bly, into the beneiiccncc oi the world
see her sitting in yondcr home. In the
doorway, aud around and about the build.
Ing, and IN the room where she sits. are
the pale faces of the poor. She listens To
their plaint, she piiics their woe, she
makes garments for them, she adjusts the
manufactured article 10 slii the bent form
of this invalid woman. and To the cripple
that comes crawling on his hands and
knees. She gives coat To this one, she
gives sandals to that one With the gifts
she minglcs prayers and tears and Christ.
ian encouragement. Then she goes out
Ia he greeted on the street corners hy
those whom she has blessed. and all
through the street the cry is heard dor
cas- Is coming !" The sick look up CRATE.
the burning brow. and the lost and the
abandoned start NJ With hope ~ they
hear her gentle voice. as though an angel
had addressed them and as she goes out
the lane, eyes half put ont with sin think
they see halo of ligh, about her brow
and Trail of glory in her pathway. That
night half paid shipwrishi climbs the
hill and reaches home. and secs his little
boy well clad. and says: Where did
ihcsc close come from 2" And they tell
him. "Dorcas has been here" In another
place a woman is trimming n lamp; Dor
7 ca. trough, the oil. In another place n
Y ,fWy that had not been NJ table for many
a:k are gathered now, for Dorcns has
~ bread.
n AND REsuRIEcTIoN "f DoRcAs.
therc is a sudden pause in that wo-
ms ministry. They say; Where Is
~s3orcas : Why. we haven't seen her for
many day. Where is Dorcas:" And
one oil these poor people goes up and
knocks at the door and finds the mystery
solved. All through the haunis of wretch
edncss, the news comes: "Dorcas is sick
No bulletin flashing from the palace gate
telling the stages of kings disease is
more anxiously awaited for than the news
pa there is wailing. wailing. That voice
which has uttered 50 many cheerful words
is hushed that hand which Ind made 50
many garments for the poor is cold and
still ; the star which had poured light into
the midnight oi wrcichcdncss is dlmmc,l
by the binding misls that 20 up from the
river Of death. In every God forsaken
place in this town; wherever there Is u
sick child and no balm; wherever there
is hunger and no bread; wherever there
is guilt and no COmmiseraiion; wherever
there is broken heart and no comfort
there are despairing looks and streaming
eyes and frantic gcsticulaiions as they
cry; "Dorcas is dead" They send for
the Apostle Peter, WIN happens To hc in
the suburbs Of this place. stopping with II
tanner by the name al Simon. Pcicl
urges his way through the crowd around
the door, and stands in the presence Of
the dead. What expostulations and grief
all about him. Here stand some of the
poor people, who show the garments
which this poor woman has made for
them. Their grief cannot lc appcnsed.-
The Apostle Peter wants to perform u
miracle. lie will not do II amidst the cX.
cited crowd. 81 he kindly orders that the
whole room bc cleared The door il shut
against the populace. The apostle stands
now with the dead. oh IL is serions
moment. yuu know, when you are alone
with liicless body. The apostle gets
down an his knees and pmys. ami then
he comes to the liirlcss iurm of this one
all ready ior The sepulchre, and in the
strength of Him who is the resurrection
he cxclaims "Tabitha, arise. :" There is
stir in the fountain Of life the heart
iiullers; the nerves thrill; the cheek
iiushes ; the eyes open she sits up.
We see In this subject D0rcas the dis
ciple Dorcas the beneiaoiress Dorcas
the lam cnicd Dorcas the resurrected.
WOMAN.
II had seen that word disciple in my
text ! would have known this woman
was Chris tian. Such music as that
never came from heart which is not
chor'lcd and strung by divine grace BE.
fore show you the necdlcwork Of this
woman J want To show you her rcgcncra-
ted heart, the source Of pure life and oi
all Christian charities. wish that the
wives. and mothers, and daughters. and