The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-10-12
THESTORY OF D0RCAS
Dr.. Talmage Draws a Lesson from
a Noble WOman'S Life.
seIf-sacriicing work Assured OF "A
Eich Reward Hereafter-Help-
full words for Those Who
Alleviate suffering.
Copyright 1900 by Louis Klopsch.l
Washington, JULY 10.

Dr. Ta.magc. who is still travelling in
northern Europe has forwarded the
following report Of sermon in which
le uticrs helpful words to al who are
engaged i'm a.leyiat.ng human dis
tresscs and shows how such work viii
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
Jonpa is O most absorbing city Of
The orient. Into her harbor once float
ed the rafis of Lebanon cedar from
which the temples of Jerusalem were
built. Soiom0n'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. a woman with her needle en-
broidering her name inetfaceably into
The benehcence of the world. ] see her
sitting in youder home. in the door
Way and around about tho buldine aai.
iu 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 10
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 an 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 BURR
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 a halo of light about her
brow and O trail OF glory in her path
wav. That night half paid ship
wright climbs the hiil and reaches
home and sees bis little boy well clad
and SAYS: "Whcre did these clothes
come from?" And they tell him: Dor
cas- has been here" In another place a
woman is trimming lamp. Dorcas
bought the oil. In another place a
family that had not been at table for
many weeks are gathered now, for
Dorcas has brought bread.
But there is a sudden pause in that
woman's history They say: "Where
is Dorcas? Why, we haven't seen her
for many a 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
hannts of wretchedness the news
comes: "Dorcas is sick." No bulletin
flashing from the palace gate telling
the stages of a kings disease is more
anxiouslv waited for than the news
/ from this benefactress. Alas, for
Joppa there is wailing. wailing. That
voice which has uttered so many cheer
ful words is hushed; that hand which
has made so many. garments for the
/ poor is cold and still; the star which
/ had poured light into the midnight OF
wretchedness is dimmed by the blind
inc mists that 60 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 a
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, who
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 dooi
and stands in the presence of the dead
What demonstration of grief all about
him! Here stand some of the poor peo
4 ple. who show the garments whicl
! this poor woman had made for them
Their grief cannot be appeased. Ih'
apostle Peter wants to perform
miracle. He viii not do it amid the ex
cited crowd, so he orders that th
whole room be cleared. The door d
shut against the populace. The apostle
stands now with the dead. Oh. it is
serious moment, you know, when yol
are alone with a lifeless body! Tn
apostle gets Gown on his knees ant
Dravs. and then he comes to the life
less form of this one all ready for th
sepulcher. and in the strength of Hin
who is the resurrection, he cries
"Tabitha. arise!" There is a stir in IN
fountains Of life; the heart futters; tn
nerves thrill; the cheek fushes; tn
eve opens; she sits upl
We see in this subject Dorcas the dis
ciple. Dorcas the benefactress, Dorca
the lamented. Dorcas the resurrectec
HJha not seen that word discipl
in nv text I would have known thi
woman was a Christian. Such music
that never came from a heart which
net chorded and strung by Divin
grace. Before 1 show you the needle
work Of this woman want 10 sho'
YOU Her regenerated heart the soure
Of pure life and Of all Christian char
/ tiles. wish that the wives and mott
ers and daughters and sisters ofau th
earth would initiate Dorcas in her dii
cipleship. Before you cross ia
threshold of the hospital. before yo
enter upon the temptations and tria
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