Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-10-04
REV. DR. TALMAGE
The Eminent New York Dlvlne'S Sun
day Sermon.
Subject: CROUCH Sailing"

Tiberias, Galilee and Gennesaret were
three names for the same lake. 1t lay in 6
scene of great luxuriance. The surrounding
hills, high, terraced, sloping. gorged, were
so many hqnging gardens of beauty. The
streams tumbled down through rocks of gray
and red limestone, and flashing from the
hillside bounded to the sea. In the time oil
our Lord the valleys, headlands and ridges
were covered thickly With vegetation. and so
great was the variety Of climate that the
palm tree OF the torrid and the walnut tree
OF rigorous climate were only little way
apart Men in vineyards and olive gardens
wero gathering up the riches for the oil
press. The hills and valleys were starred
and crmsoned with flowers. from which
Christ took Histext, and the disciples learned
lessons Of patience and trust. II seemed as
if God had dashed wave of beauty on all
the scene until it hung dripping from the
rocks, the hills, the oleanders. On the back
OF the Lebanon range the g DRY the earthly
scene was carried up as if to set il in range
with the hills of heaven.
No other gem ever had so exquisite set
ting as beautiful Gennesaret. The waters vera
clear and sweet and thickly inhabited tempt
ing innumerable nets and affording q liveli-
hoodfor great populations. Bethsaida, Choir
azin aud CaDernaum stool on the bank roar
ing with wheels of traffic and flashing with
splendid equipages, AID shooting their YES
sells across the lake. bringing merchandise
for Damascus and passing great cargoes OF
wealthy product. Pleasure boats Of Roman
gentlemen and fishing smacks o. the coun-
try people, who had come down TO cast Il net
there, passed each other with nod and shout
and welcome, or side by side swung idly at
the mooring. Palace and luxuriant bath
and vineyard. tower and shadowy arbor,
looking of uDOn the calm sweet scene as the
evening shadows began to drop, ami Her
mon, with its hea covered with perpetual
snow, in the glow OF the setting sun looked
like white bearded prophet rea ly to ascend
in chariot of fire. think we shall have a
quiet night Not leaf winks in the air or
a ripple distur6s the surface Of Gennesaret.
The shadows OF the graf heaiauis stalk
clear across the water. The voices OF
eveningtide, how drowsily they strike
the ear-the splash Of the boatman's oar, and
the humping of the captured fish on the
boats bottom. aud those indcscribable
sounds which fill the air at nightfall. You
hasten up the beach OF the lake a little way.
and there you find an excitement as OF an
embarkatioD. 4 flotilla is pushing out from
the western shore Of the lake-not p squad
ron with deadly armament, not clipper to
ply with valuable merchandise, not piratic
vessels with graphing hook to hug to death
whatever they could SEIZE. hut a fotilla
laden with messengers OF light and merry
and peace. Jesus is in the front shin. HE
friends aud admirers are in the small boats
following after. Christ, by the rocking of
the boat and the fatigues of the preaching
exercises OF the day, is induced to slumber,
and see Hin in the Stern OF the boat, with
q pillow perhaps extemporized out Of fish
ermans coat, sound asleen. The breezes OF
the lake run their fingers through tho locks OF
the wornout sleeper. aud on its surface there
riseth and falleth the light s1ip. like 4 child
on the bosom Of its sleeping mother! Calm
night. Starry night. Beautiful night. Run
up all the sails, and ply all the oars. an let
the boats-the big boat aud the sm1ll boats
go gliding over gentle Gennesaret.
The sailors prophesy change in the
weather. Clouds begin to travel up the sky
and congregate. After awhile. even the
passengers hear the moan OF the storm.
which comes on with rapid strides and with
all the terrors OF hurricane and darkness.
The boat, caught in the sudden fury. tremble5
like deer at bay amid the will clangor OF
the hounds. Great patches OF foam are
flung through the air. The loosened sails,
tapping in the wind. crack like pistols. The
small boats poised on the white cliff OF the
driven sea trembe like ocean netre's, and
then plunge into the trough witt terrific
swoop until wave strikes them with thun-
der crack, and overheard go the cordage,
the tackling and the masts, and the drenchsl
disciples rush into the stern OF the Boat aud
shout amid tho hurricane, "Master. carest
Thou not that we perish?" That great per-
sonage lifted his head from the fisherman's
coat and walked out to the PROV OF
the vessel and looked upon the storm.
On all sides wero the small boats tossing
in helpleSsaess. an1 from them came
the cries OF drowning men. BY
the flash of lightning see the calmness OF
the uncovered brow OF Jesus AMI the spray
Of the sea dripping from His beay1. He has
two words OF command-one for the wind
the other for the sea. He looks into the tenn
pestuous heavens aud He cries "PeaceD all
Their He looks down into the infuriate waters
and He Says, ''Be still" The thunderS beat
a retreat. The waves fall fiat on their faces.
The extinguishel stars rekindle their torches.
The foam melts. The storm is deal. And
while tho crew are untangling the cordaga
and the cables and baling out the water
from the hold of the ship the disciples stand
wonder struck, now gazing into the calm
sky, now gazing into the calm sea,
now gazing into the calm face of Jesus,
and whispering one to another "What man.
ner of man is this, that even the winds and
the sea obey Him?'
learn, first from this subject that when
you arc going 10 take voyage OF any kind
you ought to have Christ in the ship. Tho
fact is that those boats would all have gona
20 the bottom if Christ had not been there.
Now, you are about to voyage out into some
new enterprise-into some new business re-
lation. You arc going to plan some great
matter OF profit. hope it is 50. 1t you are
content to go along in the treadmill course
and plan nothing new, you ere rot fnlhlljag
your mission. What you can do by the ut
most tension OF body, min aui soul thai
you are bound to do. You have no right TO
be colonel of regiment If God calls you to
command an army. You have no right to be
Aroker IN a steamer II UoI commands you 10
be admiral Of the navy. You have no
right to engineer ferryDoat from river bank
to river bank if Col commands you to en-
gineer a Cunarder from New YORK to Liver
pool. But whatever enterprise you under
take. and on whatever voyage you start, be
sure to take Christ in the ship. Here are men
largely prospered. The seed ola small en-
terprise grew into an accumulated and over
shadowing success. Their cup of prosper
~ is running over. Every day sees u COM
nercial or mechanical triumph. Yet they
are not pulled up. They acknowledge the
God who grows the haryests and gives them
ri their prosperity. When discSter comes
that destroys others, they are only helped
into higher experiences The coolest winds
that ever blew down from snow capped Her
mon and tossed Genncsaret in:o foam and
agony could not hurt them. Let the
winds blow until they crack their cheeks.
Let the breakers boom-a is well,
Christ is in the ship. Here are other men,
the prey of uncertainties. When they sue
oee1. they strut through the world in grea
vanity and wipe their feet on the sensitive
ness of others. Disaster comes, and they
are utterly down. They are good sailors oa