The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-09-15
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.

solace to People Who Are in Trouble
The Storm, the Calm and the Harbor'
TEXT: "And there were also with Him
other little ships, and there arose great
storm of wind. And the wind ceased and
there was great calm."-Mark w., Sc.
Tiberias. Galilee, Gennesaret - three
names for the same lake. No other gem
ever had so beautiful a setting. 1t Law in n
scene OF great luXuriance-the surround
Ing hills high, terraced. sloped, groved, so
many hanging gardens Of beauty; tho wa
ter rumbling down between rocks Of gray
and red limestone flashing from the hills
and bounding into the sea. On the shore
were castles, armed towers, Roman baths.
everything attractive and beautiful. all
styles of vegetation in shorter space than
in almost any other space in all the world,
from the palm tree Of the forest to the
tree of rigorous climate.
1t seemed as II the Lord had launched
one wave of beauty on all the scene, and 1t
hung and swung from rock to rock and hill
and oleander. Roman gentlemen in pleas
ure boats sailing the lake and countrymen
in fish smacks, coming down to drop their
nets, pass each other with nod and shout
and laughter or singing idly at their moor
ings. Oh, what wonderful. what beau
tiful lake!
1t seems as il we shall have quiet night.
Not leaf winked in the air. not a ripple
disturbed the face Of Gennesaret, but
there seems to be little excitement up the
beach, and we hasten to see what it Is, and
we find it an embarkation.
From the western shore hotilla pushing
out, not squadron or deadly armament,
nor clipper with valuable merchandise. nor
piratic vessels ready to destroy everything
they could seize. but q flotilla, bearing mes
sengers Of life and light and peace. Christ
is in the front of the boat. His disciples
are in smaller boat. Jesus, weary with
much speaking to large multitudes, is put
into somnolence by the rocking Of the
waves. If there was any motion at all.
the ship was easily righted: if the wind
passed from one side, from the starboard to
the larboard or from the larboard to the
starboard, the boat would rock, and by the
gentleness Of the motion putting the Mas
ter asleep. And they extemporized pill
low made out OF a flsherman's coat.
think no sooner is Christ PROSTATE and His
head touching the pillow than He is sound
asleep. The breezes OF the lake run their
fingers through the locks OF the worn sleep
er, and the boat rises and falls like Sleep
ing child on the bosom Of sleeping moth
or.
Calm night, starry night, beautiful
night. Run up all the sails, ply all
the oars, and let the large boat and the
small boat glide over gentle Gennesaret.
But the sailors say there is going to be
change OF weather. And even the passen-
gers can hear the moaning Of the storm as
it comes on with long stride, with all the
terrors Of hurricane and darkness. The
large boat trembles like a deer ut bay
trembling among the clangor Of the hounds;
great patches OF foam are flung into the
air; the sails OF the vessels loosen, and the
sharp winds crack like pistols; the smaller
boats like petrels poise on the cliff Of the
waves and then plunge. Overheard go
cargo. tackling and masts, and the
drenched disciples rush into the back part
of the boat and lay hold OF Christ and say
unto Him, master, carest thou not that
we perish?" That great parsonage lifts
his head from the pillow Of the flsherman's
coat walks to the front Of the vessel and
looks out into the storm. All around him
are the smaller boats, driven in the temp
est, and through it comes the cry of drown
ing men. By the flash of the lightning I
see the calm brow Of Christ as the spray
dropped from His beard. He has one word
for the sky and another word for the waves.
Looking upward. He cries. "Peace!' Look
ing downward, He says, "Be stillp'
The waves fall fiat on their faces. the
foam melts the extinguished stars rellght
their torches, the tempest falls dead, and
Christ stands with His foot on the neck Of
the storm. And while the sailors are bail
ing out the boats and while they are trying
- to untangle the cordage the disciples stand
In amazement, now looking into the calm
sea, then into the calm sky, then into the
calm Of the Saviours counteuance, and
they cry out, "What manner OF man is this,
that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
The subject in the first place impresses
me with the fact that it is very important
to have Christ in the ship, for all those
boats would have gone to the bottom OF
Gennesaret if Christ had not been present.
Oh, what a lesson for you and for me to
learn. Whatever voyage we undertake, in
to whatever enterprise we start. let US al
ways have Christ in the ship. Many of you
starting out in new financial enterprises.
bid YOU good cheer. Do all you can do.
Do 1t on as high plane as possible. You
have no right to be stoker in the ship If
you can be an admiral Of the navy. You
have no right to be colonel Of a regiment
II you can command brigade; you have
no right to be engineer Of boat on river
banks or near the coast il you can take the
ocean steamer from New York to Liver
pool. All you can do with utmost tension
of body, mind and soul, you are bound to
do; but, oh. have Christ in the enterprise,
Christ in every voyage, Christ in every
ship!
There are men who ask God to help them
at the start Of great enterprises. He has
been with them in the past No trouble
can overthrow them. The storms might
come down from the top Of Mount Hermon
and lash Gennesaret into foam and into
agony, but it could not hurt them. But
here Is another man who starts out in
worldly enterprise, and he depends Upon
the uncertainties Of this life. He has no
God to help him. After awhile the storm
comes and tosses off the masts Of the ship.
He puts out his lifeboat The sheriff and
the auctioneer try to help him of. They
can't help him off. He must 60 down-no
Christ in the ship. Here are young men
just starting out in life. Your life will be
made up Of sunshine and shadow. There
may be in it arctic blasts or tropical lorna
does. I know not what is before you, but
know If you have Christ with you all shall
be well.
You may seem to get along without the
religion Of Christ while everything goes
smoothly, but after awhile, when sorrow
hovers over the soul, when the waves OF
trial dash clear over the hurricane deck
and the bowsprit is shivered and the hal
yards are swept into the sea and the gang
way is crowded with piratical disasters
oh, what would you then do without
Christ in the ship? Young man, take God
for your portion, God for your guide, God
for time, all shall be we'll forever. Blessed
is that man who puts in the Lord his trust
He shall never be confounded.
But my subject also impresses me with
the fact that when people start to follow
Christ they must not expect smooth sailing
These disciples got into the small boats
and 1 have no doubt they said: What {
beautiful day this Is! What a smooth sea
What bright sky this is! How delightful
is sailing in this boat! And as for the