The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-22
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
aY re REv. Drank ng VIII rALMAaE. Q. Q.

Chicago, March 15.-How much OF real
heroism and true nobility are displayed
in ordinary, ineonspicuous lives is shown
by Rev. Frank De Witt Taimage In this
sermon on the text Matthew !, 4. And
Naasson begat Salmon"
Why did Thomas Carlyle entitle one OF
his books Heroes and Hero Worship"
He knew that the vast majority of the
human race loved to study the lives Of
its great men and women. Most people
are Boswels bowling before some john
sonian shrine. We want to see the hero
as a divinity, a prophet priest man
c. letters or a king. What Dante or
Shakespeare or Luther or Rousseau or
Burns or Cromwell or Napoleon was i'll
public and private life has for most Of
us an absorbing interest. We are not as
rule, over-wrought with excitement
when we come in touch with seeming
nobody" but we will travel far to sit
at the feet of a great orator or to clasp
ands with a Goethe or Victor Hugo
or to see one whose dictum may influence
the destiny of nation.
genius and to take an intense interest III
the characteristics of the great man, but
we ought not to overlook the heroic ele-
ments in ordinary lives. There are men
among us. inconspicuous and unknown,
who are living valiant lives, overcoming
the evil within them and around them
and exercising a benehcent influence on
t1eir own contracted circle. These are
men who, If great crisis came or great
onnortunity opened, would achieve fame
hut without 1t will die unhonored save by
the few who know them well. II is such
men l would hold up for your admiration
TODAY, and / choose at random as an IL
lustration of the class an obscure name
from genealogical table.
The Cradles Influence.
First. Naassons cradle must have been
an imnortant part of his life's ministry.
1t is very common custom for peop-s 10
sheer at the helpful influence OF eradie.
Many critics are apt to say that all
baby Is good for Is to eat and sleep, TO
cry and get sick and keep the house in
uproar from the time he gets into IL until
as a young man, he goes forth TO start
a home of his own. For nearly two years
at least the mother is bound to that
cradle as firmly rs if she were linked
to 1t with a chain of steel. For four or
FIVE years the baby is utterly helpless.
II turned out in the cold he would not
be able to take as much care of himself
as a five-months-old puppy. For the hrst
fifteen years of a child's life his opinion
upon any subject Is practically valueless.
The first twenty years are for the most
part preparation for lifes work rather
than the achievement of any high pur-
pose Therefore" some one says to me,
off a
Naasson's cradle could have been a very
important part of his llfe's ministry"
While admitting these facts, / still con-
tend that the first few years of a child
life have a momentous influence. They
are important not only to the child, but
to his parents Who has not witnessed
the influence of a cradle in the house?
appeal to your own experience. 1t must
be in essential principles parallel OF
mine. MY cradle and the cradle of my
brother and sisters had a hallowing in
fluenoe in our home. They were an in
SEPARATION to my father and mother. My
father preached better sermons on Sum
day because he knew that in his nursery
the children with whom he romped during
the week would look to him as an ex-
ample and a model My mother was all
the more consecrated and circumspect
because her daughters were looking to
her for guidance and maternal training.
And, my brother, when anyone says that
your childhood amounted to nothing, you
deny It, BY the santed graves of your
dead father and mother you declare that
you know they were better Christians and
better citizens because you, as a 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 on your account, re-
newed their conservation vows to the
Christ who loved their little child.
A Child in Camp.
The purifying, ennobling and Christian
izing influence of a little child was once
illustrated by a brother minister In the
following story: One day. in the far west
a stalwart Aminer was returning to his
eneampment when he found a lost child
She was a beautiful little girl of about
five summers. Where are your father
and mother, little one?" asked the miner.
Don't know" said the baby. What are
you going to do?" We'll" she answered,
not the least abashed Il guess l will go
home with you and wait until mama
comes and gets me-" The miner with a
laugh picked her up in his strong arms
and started up the mountain side. The
little girl in his embrace was not a bit
afraid. She laughed and sang and chat
tered all the way. When the miner came
to camp he asked the men what he should
do with her. and they said. Let her
stay here over night and then some one
will take her to town in the morning"
After supper the little girl suddenly
stopped her chattering and said: Now
1t Is time for me to go to bed. Who will
undress me?" That was a new task for
those hQ rd -fetp1 ot
know what to do. At last the man who
had found her said, Little one, come
Mere; l will undress you" He got out a
WOODEN shirt and used it for her night
gown. Then she looked up in her sweet.
innocent way and said Now | must saw
my prayers. Who VIII | say them top
This was harder proposition for the
men to solve than the other At last one
miner said, Come. my darling, and saw
| your prayers to me-" When the little one
| knelt. the tears came yelling out of tho
miners eyes. He pushed her off as he
said, mo, my little one; I am not good
| enough for You to say your prayers to
me-" Another miner tried it, He broke
| down. At last the little girl knelt by her
bunk. When she commenced to pray the
| old prayer
Now lay me down to sleep,
l pray the Lord my soul to keep
and ended up that prayer with the plea
| that God would bless the good men who
were looking after her. there was not a
| dry eye In that cabin. Many o. those
rough, stalwart men, through that child S
| example, were led to give their hearts to
| God. AS a result of that little girls visit
| these rough miners built church They
| brought to that church a minister. The
minister declared that in all his life he