The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1900-07-27
THE STORY OF DORCAS
DR.. TalmagG Draws Lesson from
Noble Woman's Life.
self-sacrificang Work Assured of n
Rich Reward Hereafter-Help-
full Words for Those Who
Alleviate Suffering.

LIT. IalmaSe, VINO is StlIl travelling ii
northern Europe, has forwarded the
following report of a sermon in which
he utters helpful words to all who are
engaged in alleviating human dis
tresses and shows how such work will
be crowned at the last; text, Acts $3.50:
"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 a most absorbing city OF
the orient. Into her harbor once float
ed the RATS of Lebanon cedar from
which the temples CT Jerusalem were
built. Solomon's oxen drawing the logs
through the town. Here Napoleon had
500 prisoners massacred. One of the
most magnificent charities of the cen
turtles was started in this seaport by
Dorcas, woman with her needle en-
broidering her name Intellectually into
the beneficence 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 invalid 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 mingles prayers and
tears and Christian encouragement.
Then she goes out to be greeted on the
street corners by those whom she has
blessed, and all through the street the
cry is heard: "Dorcas is coming!"
The sick look up gratefully into her
face as she puts her hand on the burn
ing brow, and the lost and the aban-
doned start up with hope 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 halo of light about her
brow and trail of glory in her path
way. That night a half paid ship
wright climbs the hill and reaches
home and sees his little boy well clad
and says: "Where did these clothes
come from?" And they tell him: dor
cas- has been here" In another place
woman is trimming a lamp. Dorcas
bought the oil. In another place
family that had not been at table for
many weeks are gathered now, for
Dorcas has brought bread.
But there is sudden pause in that
woman's history. They say: "Where
is Dorcas? Why, we haven't seen her
for many day. 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 stages of a kings disease is more
anxiously waited for than the news
from this benefr ctress. Alas, for
Ioppa there is wailing. wailing! That
voice which has uttered so many cheer
ul words is hushed; that hand which
las made so many garments for the
Door is cold and still; the star which
lad poured light into the midnight of
vretchedness is dimmed by the blind
ng mists that go up from the river of
'eath. In every forsaken place in that
own, wherever there is sick child and
10 balm, wherever there is hunger and {
10 bread. wherever there is guilt and G
10 commiseration, wherever there is |
'roken heart and no comfort, there are I
espairing looks and streaming eyes |
nd frantic gesticulati as they cry; a
Dorcas is dead!"
They send for the apostle Peter, who q
appens to be in the suburbs of the T
lace, stopping with tanner of the S
anne of Simon. Peter urges his way n
Trough the crowd around the door d
nd stands in the presence of the dead. o
What demonstration of grief all about n
i'm! Here stand some of the poor peo- l
lie, who show the garments which +
his poor woman had made for them p
heir grief cannot be appeased. The p
postle Peter wants to perform t.
Iiracle. He will not do it amid the ex- s.
ted crowd, so he orders that the a
hole room be cleared. The door is o
nut against the populace. The apostle Il
ands now with the dead. Oh, it is a Il
.rious moment, you know, when you a
Re alone with lifeless bodyi The r
postle gets down on his knees and Il
rays, and then he comes to the life d.
SIS form of this one all ready for the fc
pulcher, and in the strength of Him W
ho is the resurrection, he cries: W
arise!" There is a stir in the IL
untains of life; the heart fiutters; the ii
,rves thrill; the cheek fiushes; the fo
re opens; she sits up! ty
We see in this subject Dorcas the dis Ell
pie, Dorcas the benefactress, Dorcas SO