Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-12-02
D0RCAS THEDISCIPLE.
THB CHRISTIAN MOTHER OF THB SBWING
SOCIETY.
Dr. Talmags breaches in The Scene Of Her Good
Deeds-Hsr Life and Charities The Theme.
Inauenca Of Her Work-An
Eloquent Sermon.
speeial T.learam 70 he Rca.s.er.

place of Sewing Societies" He took for
his text Acts tx, 80: "And sll the wild
ows 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 as am
with your mosque, the first I ever saw,
and stirred as I am with the fact that your
hsrbor once Aoated the great RATS of LsbA-
non cedar frcm which the temples Of
Jerusalem we're builded, SOlOmOn's oxen
drawing the logs through this very town
on the way to 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 Maccateus set il on fire, and
Napoleon hsd five hundred prisoners
massacred in your neighbOrhOod, cannot
make ms forget that one of the most mag
nifcant charities of the centuries was
started in this seaport by Dorcas, a woman
with her needle embroideriDg her name
ineffaceably into the
BENEFICENCE OF THE WORLD.
I see her sitting in yonder home In the
doorway, and around about the building,
and in the room where she sits are the pale
faces of the poor. She listens to their
plant, she pities their woe, she makes gar
ments for them, she adjusts the msnutact-
ured articles 10 suit the bent form Of this
invalid woman, and to the cripple that
comes crawling on his hands and knees.
She gives a coat to this one, she gives san
dsls 10 that one. With the gifts she min
giles prayers and tears and Christian en-
couragement Then she goes out to be
greeted on the street corners by those whom
she has blessed, and all through the street
the cry is heard: "Dorcas is cOming" The
sick lock up gratefully in her face as she
puts her hand on the burning brow, and
the lost and the abandoned start up with
hope as they hear her gentle voice, as
though an angel had addressed them; and
as she goes out the lane, eyes half put
out with sin think they see halo OF
light about her brow, and a trail Of glory
in her pathway, That night a half paid
shipwright climbs the bill and reaches
home, and sees his little boy well clad,
and saws: "Where did these clothes come
from? And they tell him, 'DOrcas has
been here" In another place q woman is
trimming lamp; Dorcas bought the oil.
In smother place, family that had not
heen at table for many week are gather
ed now. for Dorcas has brought bread.
DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF DORcAs.
But there is a sudden pause in that wO-
mans ministry. They say: where is
Dorcas? Why, We haven't seen her for
many a day. Where Is DOrcasW And
one Of these poor people goes up and knocks
at the door and finds the mystery solved.
All through the haunts Of wretchedness,
the news comes, "DOross is sick" No
bulletin flashing from the palace gate,
telling the states Of a kings disease, is
more anxiously awaited for than the news
from this sick beneiactIess. Alas! Tor
Joppal there is wailiDg, wailing. That
voice which has uttered so many cheerful
words is hushed; that hand which had
made so many garments for the poor is
cold and still; the star which had poured
light into the midnight Of wretchedness is
dimmed by the binding mists that 20 up
from the river Of death. In ever God for
saken place in this town wherever there is
sick child and no balm; wherever there
ia hunger and no bread; wherever there is
Guilt and no cOmmiseratiOn; wherever
there is a broken heart and no comfort,
thers are despairing looks and streaming
ewes. and frantic gesticulatiOns as they
cry: "Dorcas is deadw They send for the
apostle Peter, who happens to be in the
suburbs of this place, stopping with tanner
by the name Of Simon. Peter urges his way
through the crowd around the door, and
stands in the presence OF the dead. What
expostulation and grief all about him!
Here stand some of the poor people, show
the garments which this poor woman
had made for them. Their grief
cannot be appessed. The apostle
Peter wants to perform miracle. lie will
mot do il amidst the excited crowd, so he
kindly orders that the whole room be
cleared The door is shut against the pop
ulace. The apostle stands now with the
dead. Oh, il is a serious moment, you
know, when you are alone with litelees
bcdyi The apostle gets down on his knees
and prays, and then he comes to the life
less form Of this one sll ready for the sep
uleher. and in the strength of him who is
the resurrection, he exclsims: "Iaoitha,
arisem There is stir in the fountains oil
life: the beart futters; the nerves thrill;
the cheek flashes; the eye opens; she sits
up!
DORCAs THE DISCIPLE.
We see in this subject DOrcas the disci-
pie; Dorcas the benefactTess; DOrcas the
ismented; Dorcass the resurrected. Ii
I had not seen that word disciple IN
my text. would have known this woman
was Christian. Such music as that new
or came from a heart which is not chordtd
and strung by divine grace. Before
show Won the needle work of this woman,
/ want to show you her regenerated heart,
the source of pure life and OF all Chris'
tian charities. I wish that the wives and
mothers and daughters and sisters OF all
the earth would initiate DOrcas IN her dls-
cipleship. Before you cross the threshold
of the hospital, before you enter upon tne
temutstions and trials Of tomorrow,
charge you, in the name of God, and by
the turmoil and tumult of the Judgment
dav. oh women that you attend tothe first,
lat and greatest duty of your life
the seeking of God and being at peace with
him. When the trumpet shall sound,
there will be an uprOar, and wreck OF
roonntain and continent, and no human
arm can help you. Amidst the rising OF
the dead. and amidst the boiling OF yon-
der sea. and amidst the live, lesping tnun-
ders of the flying heavens, calm and placid
sv;lI he every Woman's heart who hath put
her trust in Christ; calm Notwithstanding
ali the tumult, ss though the FIRE In the
heavens were only the gildings OF an au-
tnmnsl sunset, as though the peal OF the
trnmpet were only the harmony OF an or
cbestrs. as though the awful voices OF the
sky were bat group of friends bursting
through a gateway at eventime with
IsnOhter. and shouting "DOrcas, the dis,
cinIeri Would God that every Mary ana
syery Martha would this day cit down al
the feet Of Jesus!
DoRCAs THE BENEFAoTREss.
Fnrtber. we see Dorcas the benefaotress'
History has told the story Of the crown;
tbo sn;c noet has sung Of the sword; the
~ ,storal poet. with his verses full OF the
Te5olspee of clover tops, and a rustic with
ths six of the corn, bas sung the praises
81 The nlow. I tell you the praises OF the
va NAN = L. rNha franarcd