The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-10-04
TROUGH SAILING"
Rcv. DR.. Talmage Discourses on
Christ Among the Fishermen.
xsssons to be Drawn From the Miracle on
ahe Sea OF GaliIee-Followors 81
jesus Must Expoot Some
Buffettags.

soiourn among the fishermen of Cali
Ice. is prepared by Rev. I. Dewitt Tai
mage for publication this week. 1t is
based upon the text:
And there were also With him other little
ships, and there arose great storm OF wind
Mark w., 36-S7.
Tiberias, Galilee and Gennesaret
were three names for the same lake.
1t lay in scene Of great luxuriance.
THE surrounding hills. high, terraced.
sloping, gorged, were SO many hang
ing gardens of beauty. The streams
rum bled down through rocks of gray
and red limestone, and flashing from
the hillside, bounded to the sea. In
the time Of our Lord the valleys, head
lands 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 were gathering up the
riches for the oil press. The hills and
valleys were starred and 'crimsoned
with flowers, from which Christ took
sons of patience and trust. 1t seemed
as il God had dashed wave of beauty
on all the scene until it hung dripping
from the rocks, the hills, the clean
ders. On the back of the Lebanon
range the glory of the early scene was
carried up as if to set it in range with
the hills of Heaven.
No other gem ever had SO exquisite
n setting as beautiful Gennesaret.
The waters were clear and sweet, and
shickly nkabited, tempting innumera-
ale nets, and affording livelihood for
great populations. Bethsaida, Cho-
rain and Capernaum stood on the
bank, roaring with wheels of traffic
aud flashing with splendid equipages.
and shooting their vessels across the
lake, bringing merchandise for Damas-
GUS and. passing great cargoes of
wealthy product Pleasure boats Of
Roman gentlemen. aud fishing smacks
of country people who had come down
TO cast 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 vine |
yard, tower and shadowy arbor, looked |
off upon the calm. sweet scene as the !
evening shadows began to drop and |
Hermon, with its head covered |
with perpetual snow. in the glow |
of the setting sun looked like a
white bearded prophet ready to ascend
in chariot of fire. think we shall |
have a quiet night Not leaf winks
in the air, or q ripple disturbs the sur
face of Gennesaret. The shadows Of
the great headlands stalk clear across
the water, The voices of evening
tide, how drowsily, they strike the ear
the splash of the boatman's oar, and
the humping of the captured fish on
the boats bottom. and those indie
scribable sounds which FIJI the air ut
nightfall.
You hasten up the beach of the lake
n little way, and there you find an ex-
element as of embarkation. A f1otilla
is pushing out from the western shore
of the lake-not a squadron with a
deadly arma ment; not clipper to ply
with valuable merchandise; not pirate
vessels with graphing hook, to hug to
death whatever they could seize, but
fotilla laden with messengers of light.
and mercy, and peace. Jesus is in the
front ship; His friends and admirers
are in the small boats following after.
Christ, by the rocking of the boat and
Che fatigues of the preaching exercises
of the day, is induced to slumber, and
see Him in the stern of the boat,
with a pillow perhaps extemporized
out of a frsherman's coat, sound
asleep. The breezes of She lake run
their fingers through the locks of the
sleeper, and on its surface
there riseth and falleth the light ship,
like child on the bosom of its sleep
ing mother! Calm night Starry night
Beautiful night. Run up all the sails.
and ply all the oars, and let the boats
the big boat and the small boats-go
gliding over the gentle Gennesaret.
The sailors prophesy . change in the
weather. Clouds begin to travel up
The sky and congregate. After awhile,
,ven 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,
;aught In the sudden fury, trembies
ike deer at bay. amid the wild
;langor OF the hounds Great patches
If foam are flung through the air.
The loosened sails. Tapping In the
Wind. crack like pistols. The small
,oats poised on the white cliff of the
Iriven sea tremble like ocean petreIs,
md then plunge into the trough with |
errific swoop until a wave strikes I
hem with handkerchief, and over 8
'oard go the cordage. the tackling.