The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-06-07
DR.. TALMAGES SERMON
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY The NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject; Duty OF the oae WITH q single
Talent - Try 10 Make an Accurate Es-
umate of Yourself - The Value of
sympathy.
Iccrrr.htferl

bg Dr lalmage Tor those given 10 de-
pTeciate themselves and who have an idea
that their best attempts amount TO lit
tle or nothing; text, Matthew XIV. Is.
To another one
Ezpel first from this parable OF the
talents the word "usurv' IL ought 70
have been translated interest" j" "I'sury'
Is finding a man IN tight place aud com.
peLlng him TO pay an unreasonable sum
70 get out. Interest" Is q righteous nav.
ment for the use of money. When The
capitalist OF this parable went off home.
he gave to MS stewards certain sums OF
money, wishing 70 have them prohtablv
invested. Change also your idea as ~
the value OF one talent. You remember
the capitalist gave TO one of ms men for
business purposes iive talents, 10 another
Two, 70 another one. What a small amount
10 last, you think, and how could he be
expected 70 do anything with only one
talent! l have 10 tell you that one talent
was about $500, so that when my text
says, 10 another one, il implies that
those who have the least have much
W c bother ourselves A great deal aho,,t
those who are highly gifted or have large
hnancial resources or exalted official posi-.
tlon or vide reaching opportunity We
are anxious that their wealth their elo-
quence, their wit, be employed on the
right side. One OF them makes a mis-.
take and we say, What an awful disas.
NNA' " ucu one OF tQcm QeNOtes AL
great ability TO useful purposes, we cele-
brate It, we enlarge upon It, we speak OF
II as something for gratitude 70 God
Meanwhile we give no time at all to con-
sIder what people are doing with their
one talent, not realizing that ten people
OF one talent each are quite as important
as one man with ten talents In the one
case the advantage or opportunity is con.
centrated IN single personality, while
IN another II Is divided among ten in.
dlviduals. Now, what we want to DO In
this sermon Is TO waken people of only
one talent 70 appreciation OF their duty.
Only few people have five talents or ten
talents, while millions have one. NJ short
text Is like galvanlc shock, TO another
one"
The most difficult thing in the world is
TO make an accurate estimate OF ourselves.
Our friends value Us too high, our enc.
mics too low. To find out what we are
worth morally and mentally is almost
impossible. We are apt to measure our.
selves by those around US, but this is
not tar, as they may be very brilliant
or very duIl, very good or very bad. In
deed there are no human scales that can
tell our exact moral and mental weight,
nor Is there a standard by which we can
measure our exact intellectual height. so
the hardest thing 10 do Is 10 calculate our
real stature or heft. But il will be no
evidence OF egotlsm IN any OF Us If we
say that we have at least one talent
What is 1t and, finding what it is, what
use shall we make of it! The most OF
the people, finding that they have only
one talent, do as the man spoken of in
the parable, they hide it. But if all of
the people who have one talent brought IL
out Tor use before this century is half past
and correspondents begin TO write at the
head or their letters 1850, the earth would
be one OF the outskirts of heaven. | ask
you again, What is your one talent?
Is It a cheerful look! Carry that look
wherever you 90. 1t must come from a
cheerful heart. 1t Is not that inane smile
which we sometimes see which Is an irri-
taton. In other words, it must be a
hight within US so bright that it illumines
eye, cheek, nostril and mouth. Let ten
men who are accustomed to walking a
certain street every dag resolve upon
cheerful countenancc as result OF a
cheerful heart, and the influence of such
a facial IrradIatlon would be felt not only
IN that street, but thrc Ighout the town
SheGItuines5 Is catching But a cheerful
look Is exceptional. Examine the first
twenty faces that you meet going through
IennsyIEanla avenue or Chestnut street
or broadway or State street or La Sale
street or Euclid avenue, and nineteen out
OF the twenty faces have either an anxious
look or a severe look or a depressing look
or vacant look. Here Is a missionary
work for those who have trouble. Arm
yourself with gospel comfort Let the God
who comtorted Mary and Martha at the
loss OF their brother, the Cod who soothed
Abraham at the loss or Sarah and the God
OF David, who consoled his bereft spirit
al the loss OF his boy By saving, Il shall
go to him. the God who nlled ST. John
with doXology when an exile on barren
Patmos and the God who mas given hap.
plness TO thousands OF the bankupted
and prosecuted, filling them with heavenly
riches which were more than the earthly
advantages that are wiped outlet that
God help them. IL He takes full pos
session OF your nature, then YOU will 20
down the street benediction to all VINO
see you, and those who are in the tough
places OF lie and are run uDOn and beutl
and had their homes destroyed will say.
II that man can be happy ! can be hap.
py. lie has been through troubles as big
as nine, and he goes down the street with
tace IN every lneament OF which there
are JOY and peace and heaven. What an
/ groaning about; From the same place
that man got his cheerfulEess / can get
n.lc. Why are thou cast down, = my
sdul and why art thou disluietei within
me! Hope thou in God, for / shall yet
praise Him who Is the health OF my coan-
tendEce and my God
humOr; Use 1t for God Mucn OF the
worlds wit Is damaging. Most Of satire
has a sting in II. Much OIL caricature is
vltrIOhc. In order TO say smart things
how many will sacrifice the feelings OF
others. Tie sword they carry Is keen, and
1t Is employed to thrust and lacerate But
few men IN all the world and IN all the
churches realize that If wit Is bestowed 1t
Is given them for useful, for improving, for
healthful purposes. III we all had more of
1t and knew how TO use II Alright, how
much 1t would improve our Christian con
NeTsatlon and prayer meeting talk and ser
mon Robert South and Rowland Hill
and Jeremy Taylor and Dean Swift ana
Lorenzo Dow and George Whiteheld used
thei. wit and their humor 10 gather great
audiences and then lead them into the
kingdom of God Frivolity is repuisive in
religious discussion, tut l ! kc the humoT
of Job when ne said TO MS Inso.enJ crit
les, NO doubt but ye are the people, and
wisdom shall die with you," and | like the
humor OF the prophet Elijah, who told the
BaalItes 10 pray louder, as the god was
out hunting or on an ex,ursiou or in
such loud conversation that ne CoI4G nOt
hear them. / like the sarcasm OF Christ
when He tod the sef.lIghteous Phari.
sees that they were so good they needed
no help. the whole med not a physi-
clan but they that are SICK OF wre.. Iu
mir;hfll hyperbole He ARA gns the hypo-
critical teachers OF His day who were so
particular about little thiags and care.
less about big things, saying. "Ne bind
guides that strain at a gna; and swallow
a camel and the Bible u aIi aD.aze Ultn
epigram, words surprisingly Tut and
phrase).ozy that must have made the au.
d,ences OF Paul and Christ nudge eacn
other and exchange glanccs and smile and
then appropriate the tremendous truths Of
the gospel. There are some evils YOU can
lau.h down ersIcr than YOU can pTrach