Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-29
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT rALMACE. DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby-
terrain Church, Chicago

specially addressed to the graduates of
Il single profession there are many sug-
gestions that must prove helpful and
inspiring to oil young people. irrcspec-
live of sex or calling who are about to
enter upon Il life career. The text is
Eolossians iv, II, Luke, the beloved
physician"
Have you ever explored the east side
of New York cty-that is, where the
Bowery is situated? There many poor
live. There the masses are huddled to-
gethcr in tcnements. 1t is the home of
hundreds of thousands of men and
women who every winter are fighting
the two man eating bloodhounds, cold
and hunger. which are Snarling and
swapping at them like famishcd wolves.
But though the east side of New
York city may he the home of the poor
and, in many places, of the social out
cast, yet in 1896 there was seen upon
its streets most remarkable funeral.
That day 10000 human hearts were
aching. At least 500 mon were walk
ing in line behind that hearse. There
were sixty pallbearcrs, every one Of
whom to moro or less extent was in.
dcbtcd for his health or life to the man
whose body was then sleeping in the
casket. "Who is this man about to
DC buried asked an eyewitness, "a
king or warrior, a statesman, an ora
Tor. governor, city ofiicial?" No
lie was n plain, simple physician. He
was DR.. Aronson, who had given up
his whole life to work among the poor
lie not only cared for the sick body,
but also for the sick soul. He had in
herlted a small fortune from his IA
Their. and when he entered the homes
of the destitute he would leave here a
little and there little along with his
prescriptions. While he lay sick hun
'lreds and thousands of poor people
whom he had bcfriendcd came to in
puire at his door. They knelt by hun
dreds in the street about his house,
praying to God to restore to them their
good physician. When he was dead.
with their own hands the poor carried
him out to his last resting place.
DR.. Aronson was only a beautiful
type Of Luke, "the beloved physician"
Paul would never have written so ten
derry about him unless DR.. Luke had
been that kind of a man. In magma
ton | can see Paul coming to his room
at night and saying: "Where is Luke?
Where is DR.. Luke Then some one
would answer: paul, after you had
finished preaching 10 that great audi
cnce this evening and Luke had closed
the service with prayer, some one told
s)r. Luke about an old Christian saint
who was sick and could not get out to
the service. Then DIR. Luke immedi-
ately said, Why, | will go at once and
sec her. So he took along his medi-
cine bag in one hand and his Bible in
the other He told me to tell you not
10 sit up for him. He did not know
when he could get back" Yes, yes"
half disappointedly answers the mis-
sionary; that is just like DR.. Luke. |
never seem TO be able to have him at
all for myself. He is always calling
upon some one that is poor and sick
and in trouble. My, how tired he must
get" Then some morning | see Paul
wake up. He looks over to the other
side of the room, where Il bed is all
nussed up and yet without an occu-
pant. We'll" says Paul, 81 guess
Luke is off again on one OF his calls.
l do hope he will be back in time to
take ship for Corinth. We certainly
must sail today" Then in IMAGINATION
| see the companion of Paul running
down 10 the wharf just before the
ganSplank is drawn in. He has been
employing every moment of the time
to visit the sickroom, to give n last
prescription and to offer Il last prayer,
and rs he PUSHES up TO the ship | can
see scores and scores of men and wOm-
Ell whom he has helped reach forth
their hands as they cry: "Goodby, DR..
Luke. Goodby. Goodby, May God
bless and keep and reward YOU for
what You have done for us. Cioodby,
Goodby.' Then can see good old Dr.
Luke turn and say: "Goodby, my dear
Christian friends. May Christ, the Di-
vine Physician. heal your diseased
physical bodies and your sin diseased
souls, Farewell until we meet in hcav-
en-
Career of Usefulness.
have dWelt on the lives of these two
men-Dr. Luke, the beloved physician
of the early days "f Christianity, and
Or. AronSon OF our own time-becausc
l want you to realize how much the
world is indebted to conSccrated med
zeal ia lent. \ career OF unbouuded use.
fulness is open to the men who are be-
ginning the study of medicine Con
WINGED of this, | now preach to the Chi
cago medical students. over 1000 of
them are preparing for their chosen pro-
fession within II few blocks Of this
church. Would that they might 90
forth into the world not only brilliant
physicians and surgeons, but conSecrat-
ed Christian men. May God help Inc
in addressing them to speak the right
word in the right way. II may be that
OF some student within sound of my
voice some historian may write half II
century hence such tribute of esteem
as Ian Maclaren wrote of DR.. MacLurc
OF Drumtochty and DIS Paul wrote o.
his companion, Luke, the beloved ply.
sician."
The good Christian physician is today
one of the most honorcd of all men
This sentence would have been very
startling one to have been made cen
fury ago DR.. w. II. Davis in n late