Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-04-16
A NATION IN PRAYER.
DR.. TALMAGE'S PLEA FOR THOSE IN
HIGH PLACES.
why They Should Receive the Prayers Of
the People-The Office Seeker and the
Public servIce-God's Guidance Needed
Amid Many Perplexities of Moment.


Amid Many Perplexities of Moment.
WASHINGTON. April 1l.-This dis
course Of DIR. Talmage, delivered before
a mighty throng, goes forth from the
capital, calling the nation to its knees.
Before beginning his sermon DR.. Tai
mage made an eloquent appeal for
American aid for the suffering millions
of India Eighty millions are affected
by the famine, and unless America gen
erously comes to the rescue millions OF
lives will be sacrificed. His text was, l
Timothy ii. /, Il exhort, therefore, that,
first of all, supplications, prayers, inter
cessions 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 to France, Berlin TO Germany,
Rome to Italy, Vienna to Austria, ut.
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 any
where else between Atlantic and Pacific
oceans If a senator or member Of the
I house Of representatives or supreme
court Justice or secretary Of the cabinet
or representative of foreign nation en-
ters 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 politi-
cal chieftains in our churches, our
streets. our halls, that their coming and
going make no excitement
The Swiss seldom look up TO the Mat
terhorn or Jungfrau or Mont Blanc,
because those people are used to the
Alps. So we at this capital are so ac-
customed to walk among mountains OF
official and political eminence that they
are not to US a great novelty. Morn
ing. neon and night we meet the giants.
But there is no place on earth where
the importance Of the Pauline injunc-
tion TO prayer for those in eminent
place ought to be better appreciated
At this time, when our public men
have before them the rescue u our ma
tional treasury from appalling deficits
and the Cuban question, and the arb.
tration question, and in many depart
ments men are taking important po'
sitions which are to them new and un-
tried, would like to quote my text
with a whole tonnage Of emphasis
words written by the SCARED mission
ary to the Young theologian Timothy,
II 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 author
ity."
Prayer For the Eminent.
If have the time and do not forget
some of them before get through, l
will give you four or five reasons why
the people of the United States ought
TO make earnest and 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
nrayed for man you will do him JUS
tice There is bad streak in human
nature that demands US to assail those
that are more successful than ourselves
1t shows itself in boyhood, when the
lads, all running to get their ride on the
hack of a carriage, and one gets on
those failing to get on shout on the drlv-
or. "Cut behindr' Unsuccessful men
seldom like those who in any depart
ment are successful. The cry is, HE Is
a political accident" or, He bought
his way up" OF, at just happened SO,
and there is an impatient waiting foI
him to come down more rapidly than
he went up.
The best cure for such cynicism is
PRAYER. After we have risen from oul
knees we will be wishing the official
good instead Of evil We will be hoping
for him benediction rather than male
diction. II he makes a mistake, we viii
call it a mistake instead Of malfea'
sance in office And, oh, how much nap
pier we will be, for wishing one EVIL Il
diabolic, but wishing one good is saint
". is angelic, is godlikel When the
Lord drops a man into depths beyont
which there is no lower depth, ne al
lows him to be put on an investigating
committee with the one hope OF fndlpl
something wrong. In general assembile
} of the Presbyterian church, IN CONFER
ences Of the Methodist church, III con
ventions Of the Episcopal church, IL
house of representatives and IN senat
r of the United States there are men al
, ways glad to be appointed on the com
y, mittee of malodors, while there ar
i those who are glad to be put on tn
3. committee of eulogiums. After yo'
= have prayed, in the words OF my text
for all that are in authority you VII
saw. Brethren, gentlemen, MIR. Chalr
man, excuse me from serving on ID
7 committee Of malodors, for last night
4 lust before prayed for those in emlnen
position, read that chapter IN Corn
thians about charity which 'hopeth AZ
'' things and 'thinketh no evil. In
It committee Of malodors is an importan
committee, but mere 10" ue0i"i0 VIZ
those are incompetent for its work wh
have, not in spirit of conventionalitS
< but in spirit Of earnest importantly
J. nrayed for those in high position.
cannot help it, but I do like st. Be-
pard better than a bloodhound, and
: would rather be humming bird anon
7. boneysuckles than a crow swooplng VI
on field carcasses.
The Public Service.
Another reason why we should pra
~ for those in eminent place is becau'
L tbev have such multiplied perplexitie
This city at this time holds hundreds
men who are expectant of prefermen
!, and United States mail bags as nev'
before are full Of applications. Let n
y saw have no sympathy with either IL
altered or printed sneer at what al
:. tailed "ofiice seekers" II had not a
n ready received appointment as minist
plenipotentiary from the high court
"a heayen-as every minister of the &c
ut nei bas-and had at my back fami