The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-02
TALMAGE In PALESTINE.
A SERMON TO A CHRISTIAN COM
PANY AT JoPPA.

Many Facts in History-The Needles
work of Dorcas the Forerunner OF
the Benefcent Societies.
JoPPA. Dec. To-day is memorable IA
the sacred history of Joppa, the Rev. 7.
Dewitt Talmage, d. D., preaching here TO-
company of christian people of varbousi
denominations on "rhe Birthplace Of Sow
ing Societies." He took for his taxi Acts
tx, 80: "And all the widows stood by him.
weeping, and showing the coats aud gar
ments which Dorcas made while she was
with them" The preacher said:
Christians of Joppal Impressed as T ann
with your mosque, the first over saw, aud3
stirred as am with the fact that your har@
bor once floated the great RATS OF Lebanoni
cedar from which the temples at Jarusalesnl
were builded, Solomon's oxen drawing 0asi
logs through this very town on the way toi
Jerusalem, nothing can make ms forgetl
that this Joppa was the births
place Of the sewing society that
has blessed the poor of all succeeding
ages in all lands. The disastels TO
your town when Judas Msccabaeas set Il ON
fire, and Napoleon had five hundred prison.
ers massacred in your neighborhood, cam
not make me forget that one Of the mosta
magnificent charities Of tho centuries was
started in this seaport by Dorcas, a wvnlau
with her needle embroidering her name fn%<
etfaceahlv into the beneficence OF the worid.s
| see her sitting in yonder home- In
the doorway, and around about th&
building, and in the room whers
she sits, are the pale faces Of this
poor. She listens TO their plaint, she pitIes
their woe, she makes gar rnents for thenld
she adjusts the manufactured articles toS
suit the bent form Of this invalid womauy
and to the cripple that comes crawling om
his hands and knees. She gives a coat to-
this one, she gives sandals TO that one
With the gifts she mingles prayers and
tears, and christian encouragement. Them
she goes out TO be greeted on the
street corners by those whom she has
blessed, and ell through the street tho
cry is heard: "Dorcas is comingp The sick
look up gratefully in her face asshe put4
her hand on the burning brow. and the
lost and the abandoned start up with hope
as they hear her gentle voice. rs though an
angel had addressed them; aud ms she goes
out the lane, eyes half put out with sin
think they see halo Of light about hev
brow, and trail of glory In her
pathway. That night "a half-paid ship
wright climbs the hill and reaches home,
and sees his little boy well-clad, and sayss
"Where did these clothes come frong" And
they tell him: "Dorcas has been here,n In
another place a woman is trimming lamp.
Dorcas bought the oil. In another place d
family that had not been at table for many
week are gathered now, for Dorcas has
brought bread.
But there Ia a sudden pause In that wos
mans ministry. They say: Where il
Dorcasi Why, we haven't seen her fog
many day. Where Is DorcasP' And onA
of these poor people goes up and knocks al
the door and flnds the mystery solved. All
through the haunts of wretchedness the
news comes, "Darcas is sicki" No bulletin
flashing from the palace gate, telling the
stages of a kings disease, Is more
from this sick benefactress. Alasl fof
Joppai there is wailing, wailing. That
voice which has uttered so many cheerful
words is hushed; that hand which had made
30 many garments for the poor Is cold and
still; the star which had poured Hight into
the midnight Of wretchedness is dimmed by
the binding mists that go up from the river
of death. In every God-fors4ken place id
this town; wherever there ts a sick child and
no balm; wherever there is hunger and no
bread; wherever there is guilt and no COM
miseration: wherever there Is a broken heart
and no comfort, there are despairing looks
and streaming eyes, and frantic gesticua-
tions as they cry, "Dorcas is deadp They
send for the apostle Peter, who happens to-
be in the suburbs of this place. Stopping
with a tanner byt the name OF Simon. Peter
urges his way through the crowd around
the door. and stands In the presence OF ths
dead. What expostulation and grief all
about himi Here stand some of the poor
people, who show the garments which this
poor woman had made for them. Their
grief cannot be appeased. The apostle
Peter wants to perform a miracle. Hs
will not do it amidst the excited crowd, so
he kindly orders that the whole room be
cleared. The door is shut against the popu-
lace. The apostle stands now with the
dead. Oil it is a serious moment, you
know, when you are alone with lifeless
bodyl The apostle gets down on his knees
and prays, and then he comes TO the lfeleSs
form of this one all ready for the sepulcher,
and in the strength Of him who is the resur-
rection he exclaims 4 Tabitha, arisep There
is stir In the fountains OF life; the heart
fiutters; the nerves thrill; the cheek hushesj
the eye opens; she sits upl
We see in this subject Dorcas the disciples
Dorcas the benefaotress; Dorcas the
lamented; Dorcas the resurrected.
If had not seen that word disciple in
my text, would have known this woman
was a christian, Such q music as that
never came from heart which Is not
chorded and strung by divine grace. Be-
fore 1 show you the needlework OF this
woman, i WAQb 10 SlOW YOU uof AcScuCfdte~l
heart, the source of pure life aad of all
christian charities. / wish that the wives
and mothers and daughters aad sisters Of
all the earth would initiate Dorcas in her
discipleship. Before you cross the thres-
hold of the hospital, before you enter upon
the temptations and trials OF tomorrow,
charge yoI. In the name OF God, and by
the turmoil and tumult Of the Judgment
day. oh womeni that you attend to the
first, last and greatest duty OF your LIE
the seeking for God and being at peace
with him. When the trumpet snail sound
there will be an uproar, and a wreck OF
mountain and continent, and no humap
arm can help you. Amidst the rising OF tho
dead, and amidst the boiling Of yonder sea,
and amidst the live, leapiug thundsrs OF
the flying heavens, calm and placid viii be-
every woman's heart who hath put hsr
trust In Christ; calm Notwithstanding all
the tumult, as though the fire in the heav-
ems were only the gildings Of an autumnat
sunset, as though the peal Of the trumpet
were only the harmony of an orchestra, as
though the awful voices Of the sky werG
but a group Of friends bursting through q
gateway at eventime with laughter. and
shouting "Dorcas, the discfplew Would
Goo that every Mary and every Marth4
would this day sit down at the feet o2
Jesusl
Further, we see Dorcas the benefactrass.
History has told the story OF the crowns
the epic poet has sung Of the sword; the
pastoral poet, with his verses full OF the
Of clover tops. and a-rustle With