The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1892-11-26
FISHERS OF MEN.
Rev. T. De Witt Talmage Urges
Christians On to Work.
Til ey Should Launch Out Into Deep Water
and Spread Their Nets where
Sin and sinners Do Most
Abound.


The following discourse was delivered
In the Brooklyn tabernacle by Rev. I.
De Witt TalmaRe. from the text:
Launch out into the deep-Luke VA.
Christ, starting ON the campaign of
the worlds conquest, was selecting his
staff officers. There were plenty OF
students with high foreheads, and
white hands and intelligent faces, and
refined tastes, in Rome and Jerusalem.
Christ might have called into the
apostleship twelve book-worms, or
twelve rhetoricians, or twelve artists.
Instead he takes group OF men who
had never made a speech, never taken
lesson in belles-letters, never been sick
enough to make them look delicate
their hands broad, clumsy and hard
knuckled. He chose fishermen, among
other reasons, l think, because they
were physically hardy Rowing makes
strong arms and stout chests. Much
climbing of ratlincs makes ones head
steady. A Galilee tempest wrestled
men into gymnasts. The opening
work of the church was rough work
Christ did not want twelve invalids
hanging about Him, complaining all
the time how badly they felt. He
leaves the delicate students at Jerusa-
lem and Rome for their mothers and
aunts to care for, and goes down to the
sea shore, and out of the toughest ma
terial makes an apostleship. The min
istry need more corporal vigor than
any other class. Fine minds and good
intentions are important. but there
must be physical force to back them.
The intellectual mill-wheel may be
well built and the grist good, but
there must be enough blood in the
mill-race to turn the one to grind the
other.
He chose fishermen, also. because
they were use to nard knocks. The
man who can not stand assault is not
fit for the ministry. 1t always has been
and always will be rough work; and
the man who, at every censure or carl
cature, sits down to cry, had better be
at some other work. It is no place for
ecclesiastical doll-babies- A man who
can not preach because he has forgot
ten his manuscript or lost his specta-
cles. ought not to preach at all. Heaven
deliver the church from ministry tina I
preach in kid gloves, and from sermons
in black morocco covers! These fish
nen were rough and ready. They had
been in the severest of all colleges.
When they were knock over by the
main boom of the ship they entered the
Sophomore" when washed off by Q
great wave. they entered the Junior
when floating for two days, without
foor or drink. on plank, they came t.
the Senior" and when at last theil
ship dashed on the beach in a midnight
hurricane, they graduated with the hrs
honor.
NV text finds Jesus on shipboar'
with one of these bronzed men-Simol
by name. This fisherman had beef
sweeping his net in shoal water
Push out" says Christ, what is tn
use of hugging the shore in this boat
Here is a lake twelve miles long ant
six wide, and 1t is all populated-Jus
waiting for the sweep OF your net
Launch out into the deep"
The advice that my Lord gave t
Simon is as appropriate for us all in
spiritual sense. The fact is that mos
OF us are padding along the shore. W
are afraid to venture out into the grea
deeps of God and Christian experience
We think that the boat will be upset
or that we can not 'clew down tn
mizzen top sail" and our cowardic
makes us poor fishermen. / think
hear the voice of Christ commandin
ms. as He did Simon, on that day whe
bright Galilec set in among the gree
hills of Palestin, like water flashing
an emerald cup: Launch out into II
deep"
This Divine counsel comes, first,
all those who are padding in the ma
gin of Bible research. My father res
the Bible through three times latter
was eighty years of age, and witho'
spectacles; not for the mere purpose
saving he had been through it so ofte
but for his eternal profit. John Cobb
the brother-in-law of Daniel Webste
ned to read after he was eight
tour years of age. in order that
might become acquainted with c
Scriptures There is no book in t
wOrlu tnat Qcfnduus 81 uuSh "eeS"S,'
ms the Bible. Yet nine-tenths OF Chr
tan men get no more than ankle-dee
They think it is good sign not to We
ture too far. They never ask how
why: and if they see some Christian
coming inquisitive about the de
things of God they say: BE caref'
you had better not go out so far frt
shore" My answer is: The farth
YOU go from shore the better. II y
have the right kind of ship. II y
have mere worldly philosophy for t
hulk. and pride for sail, and self-ce
ceit for the helm, the first squall "
destroy yon. But if you take the Bill
for your craft. the farther you go
better: and after you have 60
ten thousand furlongs, Christ will 81
command: Launch out into
deem" Ask some such question
..Who is God?" and go on for ten YET
asking it. Ask it at the gate OF eve
parable; amidst the excitement OF ev'
miracle; by the solitariness OF eve
natriarchal threshing-foor; amidst
white faces of Sennacheribs si'
turned up into the moonlight; ami
The fiyinr chariots of the Golden q