Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-10-07
BEHOLD THE SHIPS"
DR.. laimage breaches on the Glory
of the Navy.
An Appropriate sermon for Admiral
DsNvey'- Home Coming - Use
full Lessons from the Lives
OF Naval Heroes.
Ccopyrsh,. 1899. BY Louis K;opsehl

stirred with patriotic emotion at the re-
turn OF Admiral George Dewey anu his
gallant men on the cruiser Olympia and
the magnificent reception accorded TO
them, Rev. DR.. I. Dewitt Talmage, in
this sermon, preaching 20 q vast audi
enec. appropriately recalls for devout
and patriotic purposes some OF the
great naval deeds Of olden end more re-
cent times. Text, James iii, 4; Behold
also the ships"
IL this exclamation was appropriate
about 1872 years ago. when il was writ
ten concerning the crude fishing smacks
that sailed Lake Galilee, how much
more appropriate in an age which has
launched from the drydocks for pur-
poses Of peace the Oceanic, Of the White :
Star line; the Lucania, Of the Cunard /
line. the ST. Louis, Of the American \
line: the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse. \
Of the North German Lloyd line; the |
Augusta Victoria. OF the Hamburg |
American line. and in IN age which for
purposes OF war has launched the Ore
gou. the brooklyn. the Texas. the Olym-
pia. the Iowa. the Massachusetts, the
Indiana. the New York. the Marietta OF
the Iowa. the Massa chusetts. the In
diana. the New York. the Marietta OF
the last war. and the Scared veterans
Of war shipping. like the Constitution.
or the Alliance. or the Constellation,
that have swung into the naval yards
10 spend their last days, their decks
now all silent OF the feet that trod them,
their rigging all silent Of the hands
that clung 10 them. their portfolios 81
lent OF the brazen throats that once
thundered ont OF them.
II in the first century. when war YES
sells were dependent on the oars that
padded at the side OF shem for propul-
sion. my text was suggestive, with how
much more emphasis and meaning and
overwhelming "Reminiscences we can cry
out as We see the Kearsarge lay across
the bows OF the Alabama and sink H.,
teaching foreign nations they had bet
ter keep their hands oil our American
fpht. or ns we see the ram Albemarle
OF the confcderates running out and in
the Roanoke and up and down the coast,
throwing everything into confusion rs
no other craft ever did, pursued 10y the
Miami. the Ceres. the Southfeld. the
Sassacuss. the Mattabesett, the White
head. the Commodore Hull. the Louisi-
sells. all trying ia vain 10 catch her. un-
til Capt. Gushing, - years of age, and
his men blew her up. himself and only
one other escaping. and as see the flag
ship Hartford. and the Richmond. ano
the Monongahela. with other gunboats
sweep past the batteries % Port Hud
son. aud the Mississippi flows forever
free 10 all northern and southern craft
and under the fire Of Dewey and his mel
the Spanish ships at Manila burn o
sink. and the fleet rushing out OF San
tiaCo harbor are demolished by on
guns. and the brave Cervera surrenders
cry out with patriotic emotion tha
I cannot suppress If l would. and woul
not if could: Behold also the ships!
Full Justice has been done 20 the me
who at different times fought on IN
land but not enough has been said c
those who on ships deck dared and su
fered all things. Lord God OF the river
and the sea. help me In this sermon
So. ve admirals, commanders, captain
pilots, gunners, boatswains, sailmal
ers, surgeons, stokers, messmatos al
eeamen of oil names, TO use your ON
parlance. we might as well get und
way and stand out 10 sea. Let all Ian
lubbers go ashore. Full speed nov
Four bells!
Never since the sea fight of Lepani
where 800 royal galleys. manned by 8
600 warriors, at sunrise September
1871. met ESQ royal gallsys, manned
125,0O0 men, and in the four hours
battle 5000 fell or one side and ESQ
on the other; yea, never since the q
when at Actium, 81 years before Chri
Augustus with 26O ships scattered
200 ships OF Mark Antony and gain
universal dominion as the prize; y
since the day when at Salamis the IL
palleys Of the Persians, manned
100000 men, were crushed by Gree
with less than a third of that force; y
never since the time of Noah, the II
ship captain, has the world seen 81
n miraculous creation as that OF
American navy in 1861.
There were about 200 available
men in all the naval stations and
ceiving ships, and here and there
old vessel. Yet orders were given
blockade $500 miles OF seacoast. grea
than the whole coast of Europe; a
besides that. the Ohio, Tennessee, u
berland. Mississippi and other g
rivers, covering an extent OF 1000 n
miles were TO be patrolled. Nc "
der the whole civilized world burst
ruf>lws OF laughter at the seeming
feasibility. But the work was a.
done almost Immediately, done
ouohlv and done with speed and