The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1898-02-19
NOBLE MEN AND WOMEN.
lDr. TalroaGe Talks on the Rel1-
zion OF Ordinary People.
encouragement for tho Unrecognizod ana
UnrewaFded-Tho Advantage OF In
consplcuOusnsss-Gro Mon
From Humble Homes.


Dewitt Talmage calls the roll OF faith
full men and women who have gone I'M
heralded and unrecOrded to their re-
ward. The text is:
Salute Asyncritus. Phlegon. Hermas, Patro-
bas, Hermes, Philologus and Julia--Romans
xvi. 1918.
Matthew Henry, Albert Barnes, Adam
Clark, Thomas Scott, and all the COM
mentators pass by these verses without
any especial remark. The other ~
people mentioned in the chapter were
distinguished for something, and were
therefore discussed by the illustrious
expositors; but nothing is said about
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patro-
has. Hermes, Philologus and Julia
Where were they born? No one
knows. When did they die? There is
no record of their decease. For what
were they distinguished? Absolutely
nothing, or the trait of character
would have been brought out by the
apostle If they had been very intrep-
id, or opulent, or hirsute, or musical
of cadence, or Grass of style, or in any
wise anomalous that feature would
have been caught by the apostolic
camera. But they were good people,
because Paul sends to them his high
Christian regards. They were ordi-
nary people moving in ordinary sphere.
iattending to ordinary duty and meet
ing ordinary responsibilities.
What the world wants is religion
ifor ordinary people. II there be In
the United States 10000, 600 people,
there are certainly not more than
Il 900, coo extraordinary; and there are
o9, 600, 900 ordinary, and we do well to
turn our backs for q little while upon
the disting uished and conspicuous peo-
pie of the Bible and consider in our
1ext the seven ordinary. We spend too
much of our time twisting garlands
for remarkables, and building thrones
for magnates, and sculpturing warriors
and apotheosizing philanthropists.
The rank and file of the Lords SOL
diery need especial help. 80
The vast majority of people will never
lead an army, will never write state
constitution, will never electrify q sem
ate will never make an important I'M
vention, will never introduce q new
philosophy, will never decide the fate
of q nation. You do not expect to; you
do not want to. You will not be
Moses to lead nation out of bondage.
You will not be a Joshua to prolong
the daylight until you can shut five
kings in q cavern. You will not be .
st. John to unroll an Apocalypse. You
will not be Paul to preside over an
apostolic college. You will not be =
Mary to mother . Christ. You will
more probably be Asyncritus, or Phle-
ron, or Hcrmas, or Patrobas, or Her
mes, or Philologus, or julia.
/! Many Of you are women at the head
Of households. Every morning you
plan for the day. The culinary depart
mcnt Of the household is your domin-
ion. You decide all questions OF diet.
All the sanitary regulations of your
house are under your supervision. To
regulate the food, and the apparel
and the habits, and decide the thous-
and questions of home life is q tax upon
brain and nerve and general health alb
solrsely appalling, if there be no Di-
vine alleviation.
1t does not help you much to be told
that Elizabeth Fry did wonderful
things amid the criminals at Newgate.
"a L. o., - ~