Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-09-25
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINES SUN
DAY SERMON.
Subject: blindness"

My text puts US on the island of Malta
another name for Melita This island which
has always been an important CONNER
cial CENTRE belonging at different times To
Phoenlcla, to Greece, to Rome to Arabia to
Spain, to France, now belongs to England
The area Of the island is about one hundred
square miles. 1t is in the Mediterranean sea
and OF such clarity of atmosphere that
Mount Etna, one hundred and thirty miles
away, can be distinctly seen The island is
glorlously memorable, because the Knights
OF Malta for long while ruled there but
most famous because of the apostolic ship
wreck.
The bestormed vessel on which Paul sailed
had Laid to" on the starboard tack, and the
wind was blowing east northeast and the
vessel Grifted probably a mile and half an
hour ere she struck at what is now called St
Paurs bay. Practical sailors have taken
up the Bible account and decided beyond
controversy the place of the shipwreck.
But the island which has so rough
coast Is for the most part a
garden. Richest fruit and a profusion of
honey characterized it in Paurs time as we'll
as now. The finest oranges figs and olives
grow there. When Paul and his comrades
crawled up on the beach, saturated with salt
water and hungry from long abstinence
from food and chilled to the bone the
islanders, though called barbarians because
they could not speak Greek, opened their
doors to the shipwrecked unfortunates.
Everything had gone to the bottom of the
Deep and the barefooted, bareheaded apos-
tie and ships crew were in a condition to
appreciate hospitality. About twenty-five
such men few seasons ago l found in
the life station near Easthampton Long
Island They had got ashore in the night
from the sea, and not a hat nor shoe had
they left They found out, as Paul and his
fellow vOyagers found out, that the sea is
the toughest of ali robbers. Ny text finds
the ships crew ashore on Malta, and around
hot fire drying themselves, and with the
best provision the islanders can offer them
And they go into government quarters for
three days to recuperate, Publus, the ruler,
inviting them, although he had severe sick
ness in the house at that time-his father
down with dysentery and typhoid fever
Yea, for three months they staid on the ISL
and watching for ship and putting the hos
ptalities of the islanders 20 a severe test
But they en- iured the test satisfactorily, and
it is recorded for all the ages of time and
eternity to read and hear in regard to the
inhabitants of Malta The barbarous people
showed us no little kindness"
Kindness! What great word that is. 1t
would take reed as long as that which the
apocalyptic angel used to measure heaven
to tell the length, the breadth. the height of
that munticent word. 1t is a favOrite
Bible word, and it is early launched in the
book of Genesis, caught up III the book of
Joshua, embraced in the book of Ruth,
sworn by in the book of Samuel,
throned in many places in the New Tesla
ment. klndness A word no more gentle
than mighty. | expect it will wrestle me
down before | get through with it. 1t is
strong enough to throw an archangel. But
it will be we'll for us to stand around it.
and warm ourselves by its glow as Paul
and his fellow voyages stood around the fire
on the island of Malta where the Maltese made
themselves immortal in my text by the way
they treated these victims Of the sea. THE
barbarous people showed us no little kind
ness"
Kindness! All definitions of that multi
potent word break down half way. You
say it is ciemency, benignity, generosity; it
is made up of good wishes, it is an expires
sion of benefcence, it is a contribution to
the happiness OF others. Some one else says:
"Why, can give you definition of kind
ness: 1t is sunshine of the soul, it is
affection perennial it is a browning grace, it
is the combination of all graces it is compass
sion, it is the perfection of gentle manliness
and ,womanliness.", Are you all through?
You have made dead failure in your def
milton. 1t cannot be defined. But
we all know what it is, for we all
felt its power. Some of yor may have
felt it Paul felt it, on some coast of rock
as the ship went to pieces, but more of us
have again and again in some awful stress
of life hal either from earth or heaven
hand stretched out which showed US no
little kindness"
There is a Kindness of disposition, kind
ness of word, kindness of act, and there is
Jesus Christ. the representation Of all Of
them. Kindness! You cannot affect it,
you cannot play it part, you cannot
enact it, you cannot dramatic it. By the
grace OF God you must have it inside you,
an everlasting sUz2mer, or rather COM
bination of June and October, the genlallty
of the one and the tonic of the other. 1t can
not dwell with arrogance or spite or revenge
or malevolence. At its first appearance in
the soul all these AmaiekitaS and Gergishite5
and Hittites and Jebusites must quit, u
quit forever.
Kindness wishes everybody we'll, every
man well, every woman well, every child
we'll every bird well, every horse well, every
dog well, every cat well Give this spirit
tull swing. and you would have no more
need Of societies for prevention of cruelty
to animals, no more need OF pro
tective sewing woman's association. and it
would dull every sword until it would not
cut skin deep, and unwheel every battery till
it could not roll, and make guupowder of no
more use in the world except for rock blast
ing or pyrotechnic celebration.
Kindness is spirit divinely implanted,
and in answer to prayer, and then to be
Sc iulOuslv cultivated until 1t ills all the
nature with perfume richer and more
pungent than mignOnette, and, as II yon put
a tutt Of that aromatic beauty behind the
clock on the mantel or in some corner
where nobody can see it, you find people
walking about your room looking this way
and that, and you ask them: wv hat are you
locking fOr|' And they answer: Nv here
is that iower?' Soft one has in his soul this
infinite sweetness OF disposition its perfume
will welm verything.
But if you are waiting and hoping for some
one to be bankrupted o. exposed or dis
comfted, or in any way overthrown, then
kindness has not taken possession of your
nature. You are wrecked on Malta where
tire are no oranges. You are entertain
mo q nnsSt so nnlike kindness that kindness