Milford chronicle., 1902-04-25
FILIAL TRIBUTE TO
LATE DR.. TALMAGE
Memorial Sermon by Rev. Frank
De Witt Talmage, D. D.
HRBAT DIVINE AS Els SON SAW HIN.

thS ASfs iduh ne VIII IdluldSes u,
D., delivered sermon, in which he
paid touching and timely tribute to
his late distinguished father. The text
vas l Kings xix. 20, Let me, ! pray
thee. Hiss my father"
Affections most sacred form Of salu
tatiOn is kiss. We bow to an ac
ouaintance, we shake hands with G
friend, but we press the lip against the
lip Of one whom we love. This state
r1ent is especially true when applied t.
Elisha, the son Of Shaphat, who was
about to leave home and 90 forth into
the great wide world. Elisha was sum
mOned to carry on the work of Elijah
Already the horses were being harness
ed to the chariot of fire for the ole
prophets famous journey from earthly
struggle to heavenly triumph. His sue
cessOr, starting out on his arduous
task, desires first to imprint on his IA
theirs face the kiss of farewell.
The salutation of the kiss is ever
more sacred when used by one who is
standing by the open casket Of father
whose eloquent tongue has so offer
spoken the golden words Of the gOspe
to countless throngs-who. with a pei
guided by Spirit sprinkled with the
blood Of the Lamb. has every week pro
claimed the divine message TO millions
upon millions of readers who were
wearied with sin and heavy with trOu
bic. My fathers work for nearly TWEEN
ty years has been the pillar of cloud by
day and the pillar Of fire by night t
guide great multitudes through thu
dark wilderness Of earth toward the
brightness of the promised land
Many pens are writing eulOgles upon
che lifewOrk Of Rev. 7 De Witt Tai
mage. Perhaps few words may be
welcome from hi~ son. ! speak as one
having authority. For over twenty
years l WIS his constant companion
When he was at home, ] rarely left his
study Until after the midnight hour
Twice with him | visited the European
cities Once we circled the globe. To.
gether we sailed forth from the Golden
Gate Of the Pacific. Side by side we
Rave seen the light at the entrance OF
New York harhor beckon us into the
NarrOws. welcome 20 us as was the
star Of Bethlehem to the three astrOlO
gers wandering over the sea of sand
But no more shall we have sweet com
partnership. The world becomes in
stantly changed to the son who is com
PEELED to let his parent sleep among
the flowers and who hears a summons
to more strenuous service. BEFORE
start forth anew for my life's worE
I would. With Hlial emotion. ash mo
lnent for the tribute of personal af
fection. as Elisha spake to Elijah il
reference to Shaphat: let me. | pray
thee. kiss my father. Then / will fol
low thee"
An Original and Natural Man.
NV father was the most original ant
yet the most natural man ever knew
original in the sense that he always
did everything in a way different from
any one else He wrote differently, h,
lectured differently. he preached differ
emily. If two persons stood before hin
ut the nuptial altar. his marriage cere
mcny was unique. 1t was impossible
to compare him TO any one else Th
mold used for the formation of hi
character was a special one. Their,
has never been made another like unit,
it since he lay in his humble cradle il
the Bound Brook farmhouse.
Yet my father was natural i'm III
sense thar he never strove to be orig
nal and different from every one else
1t was in his personality that he wa
different. He was the same in tn
home as IN the pulpit. on the street a
upon the lecture platform. He was tn
same original and yet natural charaC
ter when writing to one Of his childre
as he was when penning an article 70
the press. He uttered the MESA 9
which was given to him as natural
and yet with the dissimilarity tina
characteriZes the notes of the birds q
the forest. AS the brown winged thrus
lifts his treble note when he is awaken
ed by the rising sun, as a goldfnc
chirrups when hopping between tn
garden rows. as a Baltimore Oriol
sings when he swings backward an
forward upon the tree branch whic
Overhangs the brook, each bird is mel,
fiOns in its own way, yet each Singh
different song. He was so natur;
that he could not recognize his peculia
traits. One day he turned to me an
sa.E: Frank, people say am differer
from other ministers; that / am diffe
ent even in giving out my notices an
thereading of Scripture. Show me no,
! All different" When | attempted [
show him the difference, he Innocent
remarked. why. do not see anythi.
peculiar about that" He was so diffe
ent from other men that for mar
years the American pulpit could n
understand him. Under the scrutini
ing eye of the theological critic the
could be found no heretical flaw in b
sermons. When he arose to preach,
solemn Stiffness like the expectant hu!
of the coming Judgment day silence
!, his auditors Every eye was focus'
q upon that tall. straight form and brOa
!. massive brow. Each ear was alert
s catch the first word which fell fro
! those wonderful lips. But though Il
s buildings in which ne preached in o
own and o;hpr lands were alwa
r crowded to hear him. though great MI
dtudes were brought to decision I
l Christ under his preaching in /
Brooklyn tabernacle, where he pass
:. the most active years of his life's m
istry, yet for years he was 3 misund
stood Ihad.
Swept Away All 81 lait CObwebs
= With Que wave Of his hand he swe
away all the cObwebs which had &C,
INFLATED around the traditional me
DDS of sermOnic Oratory. With
mighty original personality he bro
- the shackles of ecclesiastical slave
/, He proved to the world that the min
ters of the twentieth century col
plead with sinners to come to Chr
al with the energy and enthusiasm a
intensity with which the lawyer COZ
plead for the life of a defendant fal
~ charged with murder. He proved
u the religious world that it was not
important what kind of a white lin
operating gown the gospel surge
z wore as it was that the nerve of
operator be firm and the hand stea
4 that held the keen, sacred blade W