The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-10-04
DEEP SEA FISHING.
DR.. TALMAGE TELLS WHY CHRIST
CHOSE FISHERMEN.

VIgor-Great Congregations Assemble
at the Tabernacle.
BRooKLYN, Oct. 2.-Since his return
from Europe DR.. TalmaSe has faced
audiences unusually large and enthu-
siastic. who are attracted to the Taber-
nacle no less by the potent eloquence OF
the preacher than through a desire to
hear from his own lips the message of
thanks intrusted to him by the car to
the contributors Of The Christian Herald
famine cargo, which he and Mr.. Klopsch
conveyed to Russia in the steamer Leo.
1t is understood that DIR. Talnagt has
in preparation full account of the mis-
sion to Russia. as well as his own preach
ing tour to Germany, England, Scotland
and Ireland. The text this morning
was taken from Luke ', 4, Launch
out into the deep"
Christ, starting on the campaign of
the worlds conquest, was selecting his
staff officers. There We're plenty of stu
dents with high foreheads, and white
hands. and intellectual faces, and refined
tastes in Rome and in Jerusalem. Christ
might have called into the apOstleshlp
twelve b6Okworms. or twelve rhetorl-
clans. or twelve artists. Instead he takes
a group of men who had never made
speech; never taken lesson III bellies
Iettres: never been sick enough to make
them look delicate-their hands broad,
clumsy and hard knuckled. He chose
fishermen. among other reasons, 1 think,
because they were physically hardy
Rowing makes strong arms and stout
chests. Much climbing of ratlines 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
Jerusalem and Rome for their mothers
and aunts to take care of, and goes down
to the seashore, and out Of the toughest
material makes an apOstleship. The
ministry need more corporeal vigor than
anv other class. Fine minds and good
intentions are important, but there must
be physical force to back them. The
intellectual mill wheel may be we'll built
and the grist good, but there must be
enough blood in the mill race to turf
the one and to grind the other.
He chose fishermen also because they
were used to hard knocks. The mai
who cannot stand assault is not fit fol-
the ministry. 1t always has been anC
always will be rough work, and the maj
who, at every censUre or carlcature, SIT
down to cry had better be at some othel
work. 1t is no place for ecclesiastlca
doll babies. a man who cannot preacl
because he has forgotten his manuscript
or lost his spectacles ought not to preaci
at all Heaven deliver the church from
a ministry that preach in kid gloves ant
from sermons in black morocco covers
These fishermen were rough and ready
They had been in the severest of all col
ieges.
When they were knocked over by tn
main boom of the ship they entered tn
Sophomore; when washed off by
great wave they entered the Junior
when floating for two days withou
food or drink on a plank they came t
the Senior, and when at last their shi
dashed on the beach III a midnight hui
ricane they graduated with the frs
honor.
JESUS ON SHIPBOARD.
Ny text finds Jesus on shipboard wit
one of these bronzed men-Simon b
name. This fisherman had been SWEEP
ing his net in shoal water. Push out
saws Christ; what is the use of huggin
the shore in this boat: Here is a LAX
twelve miles long and six wide, and 1t
all populated just waiting for tt
sweep of your net. Launch out into IL
deep
The advice that my Lord gave to
mon is as appropriate for us all in
spiritual sense. The fact is that most (
us are just padding along the shor
We are afraid to venture out into II
great deeps of God and Christian e
perience. We think that the boat Wi
be upset, or that we cannot ''clew dow
the mizzen tOpsail," and our cOwardl
makes us poor fishermen. l think he
the voice of Christ commanding us,
he did Simon on that day when brig
GaIilee set in among the green hills
Palestine, like water flashing in {
emerald cup, Launch out into t
deep"
This divine council comes first to {
those who are padding in the margin
Bible research. Ny father read t
Bible through three times after he W
eighty years of age and without spect
CleS-nOJ IOT Ine Lle1e pun pOSS VI Soy ~
he had been through it so often, but
his eternal profit. John Colby, t
brother-in-law of Daniel Webst'
learned to read after he was eighty-fo
years of age in order that he might
come acquainted with the Scripture
There is no book in the world that {
mands so much of our attention as
Bible. Yet nine-tenths of Christi
men get no more than ankle deep. TIL
think it is good sign not to venture
far. They never ask how or why, a
if they see some Christian becoming
quisitive about the deep things OF q
they say, "Be careful; you had bet
not go out so far from shore"
My answer is: The farther you
from shore the better if you have
right kind of ship If you have M
worldly philosophy for the hulk,
pride for sail, and self conceit for