The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1903-08-21
NAASS0NS OF TODAY.
Rev. Frank De Witt Talmage
Talks of the Humble.
Taking the Obscure bible Character
as a type of the LowIy, He
Pleads For Faithful, Ear
nest work.

played in ordinary. inconspicuous lives
is shown by Rev Frank De witt Tai
mage in this sermon Oh the text Mat
thew T. 4, And Naasson begat Sal.
mon"
Why did Thomas Carlyle entitle one
OF his books Heroes and Hero Nor-
shipt" lie knew that the vast major
ity OF the human race loved 10 study
the lives of lis great men and women.
Most people are BOswells, bOwing be-
fore some JOlnsOuian shrine. We want
to see the hero as divinity. a prophet,
priest. "a man of letters or a king.
What Dante or Shakespeare or Luther
or Rousseau or Burns or Cromwell or
Napoleon was in public and private
life has for most Of us an absorbing ln-
terest We are not, as a rule, over
wrought with excitement when we
come i'm touch with seeming "no-
body" but We will travel far 10 sit at
the feet Of great orator or 20 clasp
hands with Goethe or Victor Hugo
or 10 see one whose dicium may iuru-
ence the destiny of nation.
We do we'll TO honor the transcendcnt
/ genius and TO take an intense interest
/ In the characteristics of the great man,
/ but we ought not TO overlook the heroic
elements in ordinary lives. There are
men among us inconspicuous and un-
/ known. who are living valiant lives.
overcoming the evil within them and
around them and exercising a beneh-
cent influence on their own contracted
circle. These are men who, If great
crisis came or great opportunity
opened. would achieve fame, but with
out IT will die unhonored save by the
few who know them well. II is such
men would hold up for your admira-
ton today. and choose at random as
an Illustration of the class an obscure
name from a genealogical table.
First. NaassOn's cradle must have
been an important part of his life's
ministry. 1t is a very common custom
for people to sneer at the helpful in-
nuence OF a cradle. Many critics are
apt 10 say that all baby IS good for
Is to eat and sleep, TO cry and get sick
and 10 keep the house in uproar from
the time he gets into IT until, as
young man, he goes forth TO start
home OF his own. For nearly two
years at least the mother is bound TO
that cradle as firmly as II she were
linked to it with a chain of steel For
four or five years the baby is utterly
HELPLESS. II turned out I'm the cold, he
would not be able 10 take as much care
NJ himself as fivemonth-old PUPPY.
For the first fifteen years Of child s
life his opinion upon any subject is
practically valueless. The first twenty
years are for the most part preparation
for life's work rather than the achieve
ment OF any high purpose. There
fore" some one says TO me, 81 do not
see how you can affirm that Naasson's
cradle could have been a very impOr-
tant part of his life's ministry
While admitting these facts, ! still
contend that the first few years Of a
Ichild's life have a momentous infu-
lence. They are important not only to
the child, but TO his parents. Who has
not witnessed the influence Of cradle
In a house? ! appeal TO your own ex-
lperience. IL must be I'm essential prin-
ciples a parallel of mine. My cradle
and the cradles Of my brother and sis
ters had . hallOwing influence in our
home. They were an inspiration 10 my
father and mother My father preach
ed better sermons Oh Sunday because
he knew that I'm his nursery the chill
dren with whom he rOmped during the
week would look TO him as an example
and a model My mother was all the
more consecrated and circumspect be-
cause her daughters were looking to
her for guidance and maternal train
Ing. And, my brother, when any one
saws that your childhood amounted 10
nothing. you deny it, by the sainted
graves Of your dead father and mother
YOU declare that you know they were
better Christians and better citizens
because you. as little stranger once
crept into their hearts. Your parents
not only gave you to the Lord Jesus
Christ when they stood with you at
the baptismal altar, but they also at
the same time, OH your account re-
newed their conservation vows 10 the
Christ who loved their little child.
The purifying, ennobling and Chris
tianizing influence Of little child was
once illustrated by brother minister
in the following story: One day, in the
far west. a stalwart miner was return-
ing TO his encampment when he found
lost child She was a beautiful little
Girl OF about five summers. "Where arC
your father and mother, little oneT
asked the miner. Don't know said
the baby. what are you going "a
, doyv well" she answered, not the
least abashed. Il guess | will 60 home
with you and wait until mamma comes
and gets me-" The miner with laugh
picked her up in his strong arms and
started up the mountain side. The III
tle glri I'm his embrace was not bl'
afraid. She laughed and sang anC
chattered all the way. When the min
er came TO camp, he asked the mel
what he would do with her, and thel
said. 'Tet her stay here over night, anC
then some one will take her TO town II
the morning" After supper the littl'
girl suddenly stopped her chatterin'
and said: "Now IT is time for me TO e
"a he'd Who will undress me| Tha
was new task for those hard fste'
workmen. They did not know what t
do. At last the man who had foun'
her said, Little one, come here; l vii
undress you" He got out a woolei
shirt and used II FOR her nlghtgown
Then she looked mp in her sweet, limo
cent way and said: Now ! must sa!
my prayers. Who will say them tof
This was a harder proposition for th'
men TO solve than the other. At las
one miner said. Come, my darling an'