Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-10-10
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Row.
FRANK DE WITT TALnfaGE, DID,,
Pastor CT Jefferson Park Presby-
terian Church, Chicago

points out the duty of all to grasp OBJ
portunities as they come within our
reach. The text is Galatians vi. 10.
AS we have therefore opportunity, let
us do good unto all men"
do circumstances make the man or
man the circumstancesT'' is the theme
or never ending discussion. Some
people are intense in their advocacy of
the first half of this question. They
believe that no great temporal achieve
ment is possible unless that success is
the outgrowth of fortuitous combina-
ton of favorable circumstances. At
the present time they point. by way of
ILLUSTRATION, to the career of the presi-
dent of the United States and assert
that the present incumbent would not
have reached his exalted position had
not the unseen fates singled him out
as one OF their most favored children.
1t was tidal wave of municipal re-
form, over which he had practically no
control that bore him, a comparatively
unknown young man, into police
commissioners chair OF New York city;
1t was the result of the Spanish-Amer-
lean war. which he did nothing to
bring about. that made him governor
of New York state; Ii was q conspiracy
of the politicians to politically mummi-
fy and embalm his presidential aspira-
lions that shelved him, much against
his will, In the vice presidential chair.
and then it was an assassin's bullet
that opened for him almost Immediate
ly the front door of the White House.
Thus the believers in the doctrine
that circumstances make men" de-
clare that I'm four short years n star
ting series of events, unexampled in
the history OF our nation, changed q
young assistant secretary of the navy
department into the executive head of
the mightest nation I'm the world. On
the other hand, those who hold the op-
posite view and answer in the negative
the question, "Do circumstances make
the manY which has been debated in
every college literary society of the
land contend that the president owes
his elevation to his virile force. unim-
peachable character, intense conyic-
lions and never yielding grit. They
declare that no power on earth could
ever have kept him an underling.
They affirm that these characteristic
qualities would have forced him to the
front no matter In what cline he might
have lived or to what flag he might
have owed his allegiance. These two in
terpretations OF such a well known ca
reer to greater or less extent may be
applied to the worldly success OF al
most every man who has attained EMU
nence In public affairs.
But though high temporal achieve
ment can be reached only by n few. my
text distinctly implies that great spir-
ttual usefulness and great opportuni-
ties to serve mankind are attainabIe
by every true Christian. Therefore I'm
this sermon I would analyze and dis
cuss and emphasize the one Pauline
WORD, "opportunityr' With letters OF
hre would burn that one word deeply
Into every Christian heart would
have all know that all the great op-
portunities for doing good to our fell
low men come 10 the true Christian
In the same manner in which the op-
portunity for great temporal fame
came to Roosevelt, n Mckinley, n
Lincoln, Grant, Lee. an Ericsson,
Morse. Watt. n Harvey, James
Y. Simpson, n Washington, n Fred
erick the Great or n Charlemagne.
Great opportunities are willing to
knock at the door OF only the honored
Few who have previously made great
preparations 10 greet and to embrace
them. They are not friendless aud
helpless wallis OF the street. They are !
not social outcasts who have to beg a |
place whereop to lay their heads. They |
are not fugitives from justice who are |
fleeing the convict's cell or the hang |
mans moose. They are august mes |
sengers. who are particular under what |
roof they lodge and Mt what table they |
sit down and eat. Thus we find, by |
tracing history. that though all men
who have prepared themselves for sue
cess In certain line OF work do not |
necessarily get the opportunity TO
achieve that success. yet in no case do
we find the swift footed travellers call
ed great opportunities dwelling In
the home OF one who has not the men,
tai and moral capacity to welcome and
entertain them.
Almost every great man OF history
has declared that the result or his llfe's
work was not due to mere haphazard
chance. but TO years Of work, years OF
preparation and often years OF incon-
spicuous toll Read the autobiography
OF James Marion Sims, the surgeon
whose discoveries have alleviated the
sufferings OF multitudes OF the human
race. BE worked for years and years
In his peculiar department OF surgery
before the opportunity OF fame and
success came. He worked I'm obscurity
and I'm poverty. He worked until his
own health broke down and he feared
he must die. Read the testimony of
Thomas A. Edison. Did the opportu-
nifty come and knock at his laborato-
~ by mere haphazard chance? No!
Thomas A Edison distinctly and EN-.
phatically declares that he never made
any great invention without the hard
est kind Of mental toll
One OF the greatest chess players of
the world gave me the same testimony ,
In reference to his past life. He said: ,
Il came to the conclusion that no man
could make great success at any
sning. even in game, unless he gave
himself up to rigid course of prepara-
lion. SO Tor three long years 1 used !
10 sleep and eat and exercise during
the day. Then alone in the quietude ,
OF the long hours of the night. when ,
Inc whole world was asleep, I was ,
solving the different problems of the ,
chessboard. AT last by this work so ,
perfected my memory that blindfolded
have met ten and fifteen different ,
players ut the same time. / have car :
ried all these different games in NV I,
head at once and won them ALL" The ,
opportunity for great success in any :
department OF life never comes EXCEPT I
TO him who has equipped himself by ,
rigid course of preparation and inex-
orable training.
The Christians Preparation. +
This premise being true, II is essen I
tial that the Christian should conse- '
crate his life to Christ in order to be q
for the great opportunities Of q