Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-05-20
Caln1ase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae, D. ID.

hOcpei kOC tne great mulutuue VINO
rross the ocean at this season or who
Journey on any waters, whether for
pleasure or business. Is today the
theme OF the preacher. The text is
Acts xvii, 36. Then they were all OF
good cheer"
Have you ever followed the sea? In
these days Of multiplied facilities for
ocean travel, when mammoth liners.
equipped like floating palaces. carry
tens and hundreds of thousands of
passengers to and fro across the seas,
with sense of security added to the
maximum of comfort, we little think
OF the discomforts attendant upon the
ocean voyages Of half a century ago.
But. though the conditions of sea travel
have so vastly improved in recent
years that journey across the Allan
tic or up the Mediterranean is no
longer an undertaking to be dreaded,
there are still many traditions OF the
sea which time has not materially
changed. IL YOU have Travelled much
upon the ocean, you must know that
there are superstitious sailors who dis
like to carry ministers, or as they call
them, "sky pilots" i'm their ships. Ever
since the recreant Jonah was the cause
OF Mediterranean cyclone, because
he would persist in going TO Tarshish
when God told him to so TO Nineveh,
there have been sailors who believe the
presence Of a minister upon their ship
means head winds and storms and dis
asters and misfortunes. This prejudice
against carrying minister, like the
prejudice against carrying a corpse or
the starting of q voyage on a Friday,
has been gradually getting less and
less AZ sailors have become better
educated. Only few months ago
great liner set out from our shores for
the Holy Land carrying among her
passengers several hundred ministers
OF the gospel. But In olden times the
sailors would look with very distrust-
full eyes upon any man in clerical garb
who might cross their gangplank. The
mutterings in the forecastle were loud
and deep II two or more missionaries
happened to be enrolled at the same
time on the ships passenger list.
Rev. DR.. James McGregor Alexan-
der, the honored missionary OF India.
told me that when he and his wife and
five other missionaries I'm 1865 set sail
for India the sailors We're in almost
open mutiny at the idea of carrying
such dangerous cargo of human
freight, but when they arrived in Cal
cutta, after long four months voy-
age OF unprecedented clear weather.
those sailors were so surprised that in
stead OF considering their ministerial
passengers "Jonahs'' they looked upon
them as "fair weather" angels. So
completely had their opinion changed
that they told their captain, who knew
or their former foreboding, that they
wished the missionaries were going
back with them on their return voyage.
Paul In the storm.
Superstition, however, is not easily
eradicated. This prejudice against
ministerial passengers has survived
for centuries. Yet in the scene of my
text we have an instance of its being
overcome. Here is Paul. n landsman.
u prisoner and n missionary, so win
ming the confidence of the crew that
they heed his warnings and follow his
suggestions. 1t was. too, in n crisis
when nautical skill was needed that
they listened TO him. There was a
storm raging OF unusual violence. The
dreaded hurricane they called eurocly-
don was flashing the Mediterranean in
10 fury. There was darkness even at
midday; all reckoning lost, all hope
given up. Then the 2I5 persons on
board turned to this little Jewish mis-
sionary for guidance and encourage
ment. They had begun the voyage
against his advice. They might be
prejudiced against him as n preacher
and a prisoner, but they listened to
him when he addressed them, bidding
them be OF good cheer. And when he
had thus spoken he took bread and
gave tha~ks TO God in presence OF
them all. and when he had broken IL
he began TO eat. Then were they all
or good cheer, and they also took some
meat
Why Were the crew and the pas
sengers OF this Alexandrian corn shin
happy OF heart? First. because faith
always begets faith. and confidence
and good cheer good cheer
The belief which Pant felt that "there
should be no loss or any mans life. but
or the ship" was. by his personal ex-
ample. instilled into the hearts and
minds OF those by whom he was sur
rounded. We know that cowardice Ia
tnfectious. We know that when a
ship Is sinking at sea there Is liable
20 be such rush for the boats that a
panic may ensue. Then the captain,
knowing we'll that only by order and
eQuanimity is there hope for the safety
or any. VIII draw his pistol. and. with
determined mien. declare that he will
SHOOT the first man who disobeys ar
ders In forcing his way into the life
boats. We know that when a regiment
is resisting the charge OF an enemy the
colonel Will take his position IN the
rear or the line and shoot down
WY cowardly soldier who would turn
and fiee- II one soldier were allowed
TO run to the rear, the whole regiment
Ike herd OF terror stricken cattle.
might be stempeded with fear. II
cowardfce be infectious. why may not
hope also be infectious2 Why is not
the calm mien OF Paul able to steady
the nerves and make hopeful the
hearts or those who before had no hope
Or being saved from a watery grave?
what Makes Men Heroes.
In the storms and trials OF life how
often have courage and fortitude been
inspired by the example of some man
strong In faith and undaunted in his
confidence in God! Men will believe
In Chr1sts power to save when they |
see a man whose reliance on him keeps |
them calm In the presence OF death. |
when Hugh Lstimer, the dying mar
Tyr. turned TO the trembling Ridley.
who was being tied to the stake at the
same time that he was being tied. and
said. BE OF good comfort, Master Rid
ley, and play the man; we shall this
day 'sht such candle by Gods grace
In England as trust shall never be
put out" at once Nicholas Ridley be-
came man. His nerves ceased their
and he was able to die as a
Christian hero When the frightened
patriot Herault de Sechelles assembled