Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-07-21
PRACTICAL CHARITY.
REV. DR.. TALMAGE ExTOLS BENEVO-
LENcE OF DORCAS.

Contrasts Her Work With Present
Day Methods-Woman Gods Hand
maiden In the Alienation of MIS-
ery-A Record of Self Denial.
WASHINGTON, July 15.-Dr. Talmage,
who is still travelling in northern Eu-
rope, has forwarded the following re-
port of q sermon in which he utters
helpful words to all who are engaged
In alleviating human dlstresses ana
shows how such work will be crowned
at the last; text, Acts TX, 80, land all
the widows stood by him weeping and
him the coats and garments
which Dorcas made while she was
with them"
Joppa Is a most absorbing city or
the orient. Into her harbor once fioat-
ed the RATS of Lebanon cedar from
which the temples Of Jerusalem were
builded, Solomon's oxen drawing the
logs through the town. Here Napo-
leon had 500 prisoners massacred. One
of the most magnificent charities of
the centuries was started In this sea-
port by Dorcas, woman with her nee
die embroidering her name inenacea-
bly, into the beneficence Of the world.
I see her sitting in yonder home. In
the doorway 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
sult the bent form of this invalid wom-
an and to the cripple that comes crawl
ing 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 en-
couragement. 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
comingw The sick look up gratefully
In her face as she puts her hand on the
burning brow, and the lost ana the
abandoned start up with hope as they
hear her gentle voice, as though an an
gel had addressed them, and as she
goes out the lane eyes half put out
with sin think they see halo OF hght
about her brow and trail Of glory in
her pathway. That night a half paid
shipwright climbs the hill and reaches
home and sees his little boy well clad
and saws, where did these clothes
come from?" And they tell him, Dor
cas- has been here" In another place
woman IS trimming lamp; Dorcas
bought the OIL In another place
family that had not been at table for
many week are gathered now, for
Dorcas has brought bread.
Dorcas the Disciple.
But there IS q sudden pause in that
woman's ministry. They say: Where
Is Dorcas? Why, we haven't seen her
for many a day. Where Is DorcasT
And one Of these poor people goes up
and knocks ut 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 q kings disease Is more
anxiously waited for than the news
from this benefactress. Alas, for Jop-
pa there is wailing, wailing! That
voice which has uttered so many cheer
full words is hushed; that hand which
has made so many garments for the
Door Is cold and still; the star which
had poured light into the midnight OF
wretchedness is dimmed by the blind
ing mists that go up from the river OF
death. In every forsaken place In that
town. wherever there Is a sick child
and no balm, wherever there Is hunger
and no bread. wherever there Is guilt
and no commiseration, wherever there
is n broken heart and no comfort, there
are despairing looks and streaming
eyes and frantic gesticulations as they
cry. "Dorcas is dead.'
They send for the apostle Peter, VINO
happens to be In the suburbs of the
place, stopping with a tanner of the
name of Simon. Peter urges his way
through the crowd around the door and
stands In the presence OF the DEAD.
What demonstration of grief all about
him! Here stand some of the poor
people. who show the garments which
this poor woman had made for them.
Their grief cannot be appeased. The
apostle Peter wants to perform mira
Gle. He will not do ii amid the excited
crowd. so he orders that the whole
room be cleared. The apostle stands
now with the dead. Oh, it is serious
moment. you know, when you are alone
with q lifeless body! The apostle gets
down on his knees and prays, and then
he comes to the lifeless form OF this
one all ready for the sepulcher, AID In
the strength of him who is the resur-
rection he cries, "Tabltha, arise!
There Is stir in the fountains OF life;
the heart fiutters; the nerves thrill; the
cheek hushes; the eye opens; she sits
up!
We see In this subject Dorcas the
disciple, Dorcas the benefactress, Dor
cas- the lamented, Dorcas the resur-
rected.
Life's Greatest Duty.
II had not seen that word disciple
In my text. would have known this
woman was q Christian. Such music
rs that never came from heart which
Is not chorded and strung by divine
grace. Before | show you the needle
work of this woman want to show
you her regenerated heart, the source
of pure life and Of all Christian char
tiles. wish that the wives and moth
ers and daughters and sisters of all the
earth would initiate Dorcas in her dis
cipleship. Before you cross the thresh-
old Of the hospital. before you enter
upon the temptations and trials of to-
morrow, charge you In the name or
God and by the turmoil and tumult Of
the judgment day, o woman. that you
attend to the first, last and greatest
duty Of your lfe-the seeking for God