Connecticut western news., 1897-04-15
A NATION IN PRAYER.
pR. TALMA0s's PLEA FOR THOSE IN
 HIGH PLACES.

hl0H PLACES.
 Why They Should Receive the Prayers of
 the People-The Once Seeker and the
 Public service--God's Guidance Needed
 Amid Many Perplexities of Moment.
 WASHINGTON. April 11.-This dis course of Dr. Talmage, delivered before a mighty throng, goes forth from the capital. calling the nation to it's knees. Before beginning his sermon Dr. Tal- 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, I Timothy ii, l, 1T exhort, therefore, that, first of all, applications, prayers, inter sessions 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, 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 any where else between Atlantic and Pacific oceans. If senator or member of the house of representatives or supreme court justice or secretary of the cabinet or representative of foreign nation en- ters public assembly in any ether city, his coming and going are remarked upon, and unusual deference 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 &C., customed to walk among mountains of official and political eminence that they are not to us great novelty. Morn ing. noon 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 of our na- tional treasury from appalling deficits, and the Cuban question, and the arbi- tration question, and in many depart ments men are taking important po- sitions which are to them new and un- tried. I would like to quote my text with whole tonnage of emphasis words written by the scared mission ary to the young theologian Timothy, 'I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, applications, 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, 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 prayed for a 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 It shows itself in boyhood, 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 on the driv- CT, "Cut bebindp' Unsuccessful men seldom like those who in any depart ment are successful. The cry is, "He is . political accident" or, He bought his way up," or, Ut 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 will be hoping for him benediction rather than male- diotion. If he makes mistake, we will call it a mistake instead of malfea- sance in office. And, oh, how much hap pier we will be, for wishing one evil is diabolic, but wishing one good is saint ly, is angelic. is godlikel When the Lord drops a man into depths beyond which there is no lower depth, he al- lows him to be put on an Investigating committee with the one hope of finding something wong. In general assemblies of the Presbyterian church, in confer ences of the Methodist church, in con- ventions of the Episcopal church, in house of representatives and in senate of the United States there are men al- ways glad to be appointed on the com mittee of malodors, while there are those who are glad to be put on ths committee of eulogiums. After you have prayed, in the words of my text, for all that are in authority you will say, Brethren, gentlemen, MT. Chair man, excuse me from serving on the committee of malodors, for last night, just before prayed for those in eminent position, read that chapter in Corin- thians about charity which 'hopeth all things and thinketh no evil. l'" The committee of malodors is an important committee, but here now declare that those are incompetent for it's work who have, not in spirit of conventionality, but in spirit of earnest importantly, prayed for those in high position. I cannot help it, but I do like St. Der Dard better than a bloodhound, and I would rather be humming bird among honeysuckles than a crow sweeping up- on field carcasses.
 The Public Service.
 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 expeotant 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 sheer at what are called "offlce seekers.' If had not al. ready received appointment as minister plenipotentiary from the high court of