The age-herald., 1902-01-19
Dr. 'Talmage's Sermon.

Washington. January 1Z-In this Dr. Talmage's first discourse for the new year he speaks words of encourage ment to all the timid and doubting. The text is Exodus xii. ?, "9rhis month shall be unto you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.'
 The last month of the old year has passed out of sight and the first month of the new year has arrived. The mid night gate last Wednesday opened, and January entered. She deserves bet ter name, for she is called after Janus the heather deity, who, they supposed presided over doors and so might be ex- pected to preside at the opening of the year. This month was of old called the wolf month because, through the sever ity of it's weather, the hungry wolves came down seeking food and devouring human life. In the missals of the middle ages January was represented at aetireo in white suggestive of the snow and blowing the fingers, as though suffering from the cold. and having a bundle or wood under the arm, suggestive or the warm tn that must be kindled.
 Yes January is the open door or the year, and through that door will come what long processions, some of them bearing palm leaves and some myrtle, others with garlands of wheat and others with cypress and misteltoe They are coming. and nothing can keep them paek the event of twelvemonth. It will think be one of the greatest years or all time. It will abound with blessings and disaster. National and international controversies of momentous import will lf ion thronement, year that will settle Cuban and Porto Rican and Philippine and South African and Chinese destines. The tamest year for many a decade past has dug it's millions of graves and reared It's millions of marriage altars.
 We can expect greater events in this year than ever before, for the world E population has so vastly increased there are so many more than in any other year to laugh and weep and triumph anc perish. The mightier wheels of merchan- Ism have such wider sweep. The fires arc kindled in furnaces not seven times but seventy times heated. The velocities whir' ling through the air and sailing the sea: and tunneling the mountains will make unprecedented demonstrations. Would tC God that before the now opening veal has closed the earth might cease to trem' ble with the last cannonade and the heav. ems cease to be lighted up with any more confagration of homesteads and the foun- dries that make the swords be turned in to blacksmith shops for making blow. shares.
 Grasp Present Opportunities.
 The front door of a stupendous year has opened. Before many of you there will be twelve months of opportunity for making the world better or worse, hap h Tat, hal it may be year that will indicate the speedy redemption of the hemisphere Wo.ld to God that this might be the year in which the three great instru- ments now chiefly used for secular pur- poses might be put to their mightiest use in the worlds evangelization-the telegraph, the telephone. the photograph! Electricity has such potent tongue, such strong arm. such swift wing, such light ming foot, that it occurs to me that 1t may be the angel that St. John saw and heard in apocalyptic vision when he started back and cried out, T saw an- other angel flying in the midst of heav- en having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people!" they were tongues Of fire that sat on the heads of the dis ciples at the Pentecost and why not tn, world called to God by tongue of cleo tric fire? Prepare your batteries an, make ready to put upon the wires tn world wide message of whatsoever will
 Furthermore, this month of Januar, has the greatest height and depth of cold The rivers are bound in crystal chains The fountains that made highest leap il the summer parks now toss not one jet for every drop would be a frozen tear The sleds craunch through the har, snow Warmest attire the wardrobe cal afford is put on that we may defend our selves against the fury of the elements Hardest of all the months for the poor let 1t be the season of greatest gener osity on the part of the prosperous Hoy much scuttle of coal or pair of shoe or coat or a shawl may do in assuage ment of suffering between the 1st 0 January and the 1st of February Go, only knows Seated by our warm reg isters or wrappe- in furs which make us independent of the cutting Januar, blast. let us not forget the fireless heartl and the thin garments and the hackin,