The true reformer., 1900-07-25
Dr.TALMAGE SERMON
THE GREAT DIVTNE'S ELOQUENT
HESSAGEs
Subject: Practical Charity-The Benevo-
lence of Dorcas ExtOlled - Her Work
Contrasted With Present Day Methods
Woman Gods Handmaiden.
TCnnvripht lg0O.l

has forwarded the following report of a
sermon in which he utters helpful words
to all who are engaged IN allevIatlng hu-
man distresses and shows how such work
will be crowned at the last; text, Acts
TX. 30 "And all the widows stood by HIM
weeping and showing him the coats and
garments which Dorcas made while she
was with them.
Joppa is most absorbing city of the
Orient. Into her harbor once foateo the
RATS of Lebanon cedar from which the
temples of Jerusalem were builded, Solo
mons oxen drawing the logs through the
town Here Napoleon had 500 prisoners
massacred. One of the most magnificent
charities of the centuries was started IN
this seaport by Dorcas, a woman with her
needle embroidering her name lnetfaceably
into the henehcence of the world. l see
her sitting in yonder home. In the door
way and around about the building and IN
the room where she sits are the pale faces
Of the poor. She listens to their plant,
she pities their woe, she makes garments
for them, she adjusts the manufactured
articles to suit the bent form OF this lnVa-
lid woman and to the cripple that comes
crawling on his hands and knees. She
gives a coat to this one; she gives sandals
to that one. With the gifts she mlngles
PRAYERS and tears and Christian encourage
ment Then she goes out to be greeted on
the street corners by those whom she mas
blessed, and all through the street the cry
is heard, "Dorcas is comlng! The SICK
look up gratefully in her face as she puts
her hand on the burning brow, and the
lost and the abandoned start up with nope
as they hear her gentle voice, as though
an angel had addressed them, and as she
goes out the lane eyes half put out with
sin think they see a halo of light about
her brow and trail of glory in her path
way. That night half paid shipwright
climbs the hill and reaches home and sees
his little boy we'll clad and says, Where
did these clothes come from! ana they
tell him, "Dorcas has been here" In an
other place woman is trimming lamp;
Dorcas bought the oil. In another place
a family that had not been at table Tor
many week are gathered now, for Dorcas
has brought bread.
But there is sudden pause in that wom-
ans ministry. Tney say: Where Is Dor
a dav. Where is Dorcas?" And one of
these poor people goes up and knocks at
the door and finds the mystery solved. All
through the haunts of wretchedness the
news comes, ''Dorcas is sick!" No bulletin
flashing from the palace gate telling the
stGges of a kings disease Is more anXlously
waited for than the news from this bene-
factress. Alas, for Joppa there is walllng,
wailing! That voice which has uttered SO
many cheerful words is hushed; that hand
which has made so many garments TOR the
moor is cold and still; the star which hao
poured light into the midnight OF wretch
edness is dimmed by the binding mlstS
that go up from the river OF death. LII
every forsaken place in that town, wher
ever there is a sick child and no balm
wherever there is hunger and no bread
wherever there is guilt and no commlsera
tion. wherever there is broken heart an(
mo comfort, there are despairing LOOK
and streaming eyes and trantlc gestlcula
tions as they cry, "Dorcas Is dead:
They send for the apostle Peter, VIII
bannens to be in the suburbs of the place
stopning with tanner of the name OF 81
non Peter urges his way throug h tn
crowd around the door and stands IN tn
presence of the dead. What demonstra
.fion of grief all about him! Here stan
some of the poor people, who snow IN
garments which this poor woman ma
made for them. Their grief cannot be al
neased. The apostle Peter wants to pc
form miracle He will not do it amid tn
excited crowd, so he orders that the whol
room be cleared The apostle stands no
with the dead Oh, it is serious M
ment, you know, when you are alone VII
lis knees and prays, and then he comes I
the Iifeless form of this one all ready 4
+ha senulcher. and in the strength OF Ill
who is the resurrection he cries: Iablth
arise!" There is a stir IN the fountain
of life, the heart futters, the nerves thri
the cheek fushes, the eye opens, she 81
IN. :,
We see in this subject Dorcas, the dlst
nle. Dorcas the benefactress, Dorcas Il
tamented Dorcas the resurrected:
If I had not seen that word dlsclple
nv text, | would have known this won;
was a Christian. Such music as that ney
came from heart which is not chord
RPfOrP
Won the needlework of this woman wa
10 show YOU her regenerated heart, t
source Of a nure life and of all Chrlstl
Charities 7 wish that the wives and mot
ers and daughters and sisters OF all t
earth would initiate DorcaS IN her dlsclp
ship. Before you cross the Chresnoio
the hospital before you enter upon I
femptations and trials of tomorrow,
charge YOU in the name of God and by t
turmoil and tumult of the judgment d;
q woman. that you attend to the first, /;
and greatest duty of your hfe-the SEEK
for God and being at peace with iii
When the trumpet shall sound there v
he an unroar and a wreck of mount;
and continent. and no human arm can h
YOU. Amid the rising of the dead
amid the boiling of yonder sea and an
the live, leaping thuuders OF the NY
heavens calm and placid will be ev'
woman's heart who hath put her trust
Christ-calm Notwithstanding all the
multi. as though the fire in the heav'
were only the gildings OF an autumnal s.
set, as though the awful voices OF the
were but group of friends burst
through a gateway at even time W
laughter and shouting, "Dorcas the di
ple!'' Would God that every Mary a
every Martha would this day sit down
the feet of Jesus!
Further. we see Dorcas, the benefactrt
History has told the story of the GROW
epic poet has sung of the sword; the 7
toral poet. with his verses full of the re
lence OF clover tops and a-rustle with
silk of the corn, has sung the. praises
the plow [ tell you the praises of
needle. From the fig leaf robe prepa
in the garden of Eden to the last sti
taken on the garment for the Door
needle has wrought wonders of kindnt
generosity and benefaction. 1t adorI