Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-04-24
R. P. MOORE, Mexico, Mo.
Tha Inanenoe Of ralmage.

The death OF Thomas Dewitt Tai
mage will be the occasion of sorrow
and regrets throughout America and
the Englishspeaking world. More
people in the United States felt that
they 'tknew Talmage'' than pro-
fessed to know any other man OF the
last three decades. His name had
gone several times around the globe,
his sermons were published wherever
English newspapers are printed, and
his person had been seen in more pull
pits and on mose platforms than that
of any other man Of his generation.
DR.. Talmage was a great preacher.
He was nothing else. He was moth
ing else. He had no special gift as a
philosopher, no p~resclence as an origi-
nal thinker, no sort of skill as a writ
er. He was an Indifferent pastor, a
failure as an organizer, and a freak in
every venture as a practical reformer,
And yet he was a man who could not
be ignored and whose influence took
hold upon millions with a magnetic
grip and held their admiration with a
fascinating charm. Stronger, wiser
and more gifted men in the same
field with him wondered at his great
career and confessed themselves nom
plusSed TO explain his popularity.
The secret Of his eminence was, as
we have said, in the fact that he was
always and only a preacher. lie was
not a great teacher who dug well,
down 10 the hidden rivers Of truth
and drew up waters OF strange sweet
ness and refreshment I othirSty minds
He set up no school aud demonstrat
cd no system Of novelties In creed o.
conduct. Instead he stood squarely
upon the records OF revealed truth
He took unrelinquishable hold upor
the Bible and preached It's statement
OF history, experience and revelation
with all the strength OF his mind ant
power OF bis soul His faith was sim
pie as that Of a child, and his conf
dence In all that he said to men wa
as clear as the monday sun. HI
preached as faithfully as Stephen
sweetly as John and as honestly ant
helpfully asPaul.
No scientific blast ever made a riff
in his theology. No higher criticism
ever worried him for a moment. NJ
agnostic illumination ever caused hin
an ~iustant's pause. Even In a greaI
controversy with lngersoil, not Of biz
own seeking, be simply set up the
word Of the Lord and deied IngerSOl
to disproye it, and Ingers0ll coulC
not. The great power that Talmag'
had over the people was found in hil
own implicit faith In the infallibll
truth OF the plain gospel Of Christ. HI
preached that and would not preacl
anything else.
His sermons bad wings. They went
to millions every week and we're pre-
cious messages to them. For Talmag,
preached the gospel-always the gooC
news Of hope, Of faith, Of love, o.
cheerfulness and sunshine. Tn,
weak, the weary, the sick, the wrong
ed and the silent,steadfast Christians
Christians always found elixir, en-
thusiasm and ecstacy In Talmage'i
sermons. They appealed 10 the hear
and not to the head; to love and not Il
logic; to faith and not to philosophy
The millions @h0 found c0mfOrtanc
cheer in his preaching will miss hin
most. Hundreds OF thousands o.
homes will mourn because his messag,
will come TO them no more. His dealt
10 them is that OF a familiar friend, &
cheerful guide and a prophetic preach.
er. His death is a large loss to Ia,
Christian life Of the Natlon.-Atlanta
] DOusfiffd ion.