The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-12
PUBLIC MEN NEED PRAYER.
TALMAGE URGES sUCCOR FOR THE
FAAIIsHING IN INDIA.

Four or Five Reasons Given why
the People of the United states
Shout Pray For Those in Eminent
plnce-ReasOns why the Pauline
Injunction should BE Obeyed.
Washington. April l1.-This discourse Of
DR.. Talmage. delivered before mighty
throug. goes forth from the capital call
ing the nation to its knees. Before be-
ginning his sermon DR.. Talmage made an
eloquent appeal for American aid for the
suffering millions of India. Eighty mil
lions are affected by the famine and un-
less America generously comes to the res
cue. millions of lives will be sacrificed.
His text was, l. Timothy p: I exhort
therefore. that first of all, supplcations,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men; for kings,
and for all that are in authority.
That which London is to England, Paris
70 France, Berlin TO Germany, Rome to
italy, Vienna to Austria, St. Petersburg
TO Russia, Washington is to the United
States republic. The people who live here
see more of the chief men of the nation
than any who live anywhere else between
Atlantic and Pacific oceans. If a senator,
or member of the House of Representa-
tives, or supreme court justice, or secre-
tary of the cabinet, or representative of
foreign nation enters a public assembly in
any other city, his coming and going are
remarked upon and unusual Difference is
paid to him. In this capital there are so
many political chieftains in our churches.
out streets. our halls, that their coming
and going make no excitement. The Swiss
seldom look up to the Matterhorn, or
Jungfrau. or Mt. Blanc, because those
people are used to the Alps. so we at
this capital are so accustomed to walk
among mountains of official and political
eminence that they are not to us a great
novelty. Morning, noon, and night we
meet the giants. But there is no place on
earth where the Importance of the Paul
inc injunction to prayer for those in emf
nent place ought to be better appreciated.
Al this time, when our public men have
before them the rescue OF our national
treasury from appalling deficits, and the
Cuban question, and the arbitration ques-
ton, and in many departments men are
taking important positions which are to
them new and untried | would like to
quote my text with a whole tonnage of
emphasis-Words written by the SCARED
missionary to the young theologian Tim
othy: Il eXhort, therefore, that first of
all. supplications, prayers, intercessions
and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
for kings, and for all that are in authori-
ty."
If have the time, and do not forget
some of them, before l get through | will
give you four or five reasons why the peo-
pie of the United States ought to make
earnest ana continuous prayer for those
in eminent place
First, because that will put us in proper
attitude toward the successful men of the
nation. After you have prayed for a man
you will do him justice. There is a bad
streak in human nature that demands US
to assail those that are more successful
than ourselves. 1t shows itself in boy
hood, when the lads all running to get
their ride on the back of a carriage, and
one gets on, those failing to get on shout
TO the driver, "Cut behindr Unsuccess-
full men seldom like those who in any
department are successful. The cry is HE
is a political accident" or HE bought
his way up or 1T just happened So" and
there is an impatient waiting for him to
come down more rapidly than he went up.
The best cure for such cynicism is prayer
After we have risen from our knees we
will be wishing the official good instead
of evil. We win be hoping for him bene-
dictiop rather than malediction. If he
instead of malfeasance in office And
OH how much happier we will be; for
wishing one evil is diabolic, but wishing
one good is sanity, is angelic, is God-like
When the Lord drops a man into depths
beyond which there is no lower depth,
he allows him to be put on an investigat-
ing committee with the one hope of find
ing something wrong. In general assem-
blies of the Presbyterian church, in con-
ferences of the Methodist church, in con-
ventions of the Episcopal church, In
House of Representatives and in Senate
of United States, there are men always
glad TO be appointed on the committee
of Malodors, while there are those who
are glad TO be put on the committee OF
eulogiums. After you have prayed, In
the words of my text, for all that are in
authority, you will say, Brethren, Gem
Jlemen, Mr.. Chairman, excuse me from
serving on the committee of malodors, for
last night, just before l prayed for those
in eminent position, ! read that CHAPTER
in Corinthians about charity which hop
eth all things and "thinketh no evil.'-
The committee of malodors is an import
ant committee, but l here now declare
that those are incompetent for its work
who have, not in spirit of conventionalitY
but in spirit of earnest importantly, pray
ed for those in high position. / cannot
help 1t, but do like a ST. Bernard better
than bloodhound, and l would rather be
a hummng-bird among honeysuckles than
crow swooping upon field carcasses."
Another reason why we should pray for
those in eminent place IS because they
have such multiplied perplexities. This
city at this time holds hundreds of men
who are expectant Of preferment and
United States mail bags, as never before.
are full of applications. Let me say
have no sympathy with either the uttered
or printed sneer at what are called OF
fce-seekers." If had not already received
appointment as minister plenipotentiary
from the high court of heaven-as every
minister of the gospel has-and l had at
my back family for whom / wished 10
achieve a livelihood, there is no employer
whose service / would sooner seek tnan
city, state or United States government.
Those governments are the promptest III
their payments, paying just as well in
hard times as in good times, and during
summer vacation as during winter wo~k.
Beside that, many OF us have been pay
ing taxes TO city. and state, and nation,
for years. and while we are indebted for
the protection of government, the gov.
eminent Is indebted to us for the honeGt
support We have rendered It. SO ] wlsn
.uaeaec "a "a n onrpaas and pornpatapt ft,o-,