The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1889-12-21
"PEACE! BE STILLp
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage Preaohes
at Capernaum.
Tho stormy Passage of the Sea OF Gallicc
Likened 10 the storms that Arise
ia Our Iites--Christ Can Stiil
the wind and Waves.

temporary home Of that Christ who for
tho most Of His life was homeless. On
the site OF this village, now in ruins,
and all around this lake, what scenes
Of kindness and power, and glory and
pathos when our Lord lived herel 1t
has been the wish of my lifol can not
say hope, for never expected tho priv
ilege--to stand on the banks Of Galilee.
What solemnity and what a rapture
to be here. ! can now understand the
feeling Of the immortal Scotchman,
Robert McCheyne. when, sitting on the
banks Of this lake, he wrote;
IT Is not that the wild gazelle
Comes down to drink thy tide,
But lie that was pierced 20 save from he'll
OFT wandered by thy side.
Graceful around thee tho mountains meet,
Thou calm reposing sea;
But ah' far more, the beautiful foet
OF Jesus walked oer thee.
can now easily understand from the
contour Of the country that bounds this
lake that storms we're easily tempted to
make these waters their playground.
From the gently way this lake treated
our boat when we sailed on II yesterday,
one would have thought II incapable Of
a paroxysm Of rage, but IL was quite
different on both occasions spoken OF In
my two texts | close my eyes and the
shore OF Lake Galileo as it now is with
but little signs OF human life, disap-
| pears. and there comes back 10 my vision
the lake as it was in Christ's time. II
lay in scene OF great luxuriance. The
surrounding hills, terraccd, sloped,
grooved, SO many hanging gardens of
| a. lua
armed towers, Roman baths, every
thing attractive and beautiful-all
styles Of vegetation in shorter space
than In almost any other space in all
the world, from the palm tree OF the
forest to the trees Of rigorous climate.
1t seemed as il the Lord had launcL ed
one wave Of beauty on all the scene,
and it hung and swung from rock and
hill and oleander. Roman gentlemen
in pleasure boats sailing this lake, aud
countrymen in fish smacks coming down
to drop their nets pass each other with
nod and shout and laughter, or swing
ing idly at their moorings. o, what a
beautiful scene II seems as II we shall
have quiet night. Not leaf winked
in the air, not a ripple disturbed the
face OF Gennesaret, but there seems to
be little excitement up the beach, and
we hasten TO see what 1T is, and we find
It an embarkation.
From the Western shore fiotilla
pushing out; not a squadron, or deadly
armament, nor clipper with valuable
merchandise, nor pirate vessels ready
to destroy every thing they could seize
1,nt a Hpttlla hearing rnaaqauppra n
light, and life, and peace. Christ is II
. the front of the boat. His disciples arr
in smaller boat. Jesus, weary with
, much speaking TO large multitudes, i
, putinto somnolence by the rocking OF th'
waves. If there was any motion at al
the ship was easily righted; II the wint
passed from starboard TO larboard, o
( from larboard TO starboard, the boa
: would rock, and by the gentleness OF th'
5 motion putting the Master asleep. An'
they extemporize pillow made out Of
fishermans coat. ] think no sooner i
Christ PROSTATE, and His head touches
the pillow, than He is sound asleeI
The breezes OF the lake run their hn
1 gers through the locks Of the wor
/, sleeper and the boat rises and falls lilt
bleeplng chilu VH ehe pooOii Va " oAcel
ing mother.
Calm night, starry night, beautifu
z night. Run up all the sails, ply all tn
/, oars, and let the large boat and tn
t small boat glide over Gennesaret. Blu
n the sailors say there is going TO be
@ change Of weather. And even the pat
r sengers can hear the moaning Of th
o storm, as IT comes with great stride, an
S all the terrors Of hurricane and DARK
o ness. The large boat trembles like
deer at bay among the clangor OF th
hounds; great patches Of foam are fun
into the air; the sails Of the yesse
: loosen, and the sharp winds crack lik
: pistols; the smaller boats like petrol
g poise on the cliffs Of the waves and the
r plunge. Overheard 90 cargo, tackin
r and masts, and tho drenched disciple
rush into the back part Of the boat, an
. lay hold Of Christ, and say unto Him;
Master, carest Thou not that we PEI
ish?"
!, That great parsonage lifts His hea
!. from the pillow Of the hsherman's ooa
n walks TO the front Of the vessel, an
a looks out into the storm. All aroun
A. Him are the smaller boats. driven in III
It tempest, and through II comes the CT
4. OF drowning men. by the fash Of II
lightning | see the calm brow Of Chri
as the spray dropped from His bearr
He has one word for the sky and al
u other for the waves. Looking upwaI
u He cries:
''Peacew
Looking downward He says:
a. "Be stillrf
q The waves fell fat on their faces, Il
n foam melts, the extinguished stars r
light their torches. The tempest fal
dead, and Christ stands with His feet
TIE neck Of the storm And while IL
m sailors are bailing out the boats, an
N while they are trying TO untangle ii
Al cordage, the disciples stand in amaz
b ment, now looking into the calm Sc
'e then into the calm sky, then into b
sr calm Sayiour's countenence, and thi
e cry out:
What manner Of man is this, tn
even the winds and the sea obey Him
In The subject in the first place Il
IS presses me with the fact that it IS We
ne important TO have Christ in the shi
b. for al those boats would have gone
Of the bottom OF Gennesaret If Christ h
not been present. Oh, what 3 less