The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-06-24
EXPERIMENTATION
Rev. Or. Talmage PreaChes on
Timely Subject.
In His sermon lie Counseis the Null
tftudes Who Travel at This senson
20 De Of Good Cheer-Hays
Irust In God.

LOS ANGELES. Cal. May 10. - \
timely gospel for the great multitude
who cross the ocean AZ this season or
Who journey on any waters, whether
for pleasure or business, is today the
theme Of the preacher. The text j.
Acts XVI. S0, Then they were all OF
good cheer"
Have you ever followed the seai In
these DAYS Of multiplied facilities for
ocean travel when mammoth liners
equipped Ike floating palaces. carry
tons and hundreds Of thousands OF
passengers % and fro across the seas
with a sense of security added 10 the
maximum OF comfort we little think
Of the discomforts attendant upon the
ocean voyages Of half century ago.
Dut though the conditions Of sea travel
have so vastly improved in recent
years that g. Journey across the Auan-
lie or mo the Mediterranean is no
longer On undertaking 20 be dreaded
there are suu many traditions Of the
sea which time has not materially
changed. II you have Travelled much
upon the ocean. you must know that
there are sunorsrtous sailors who dis
Ike 10 carry ministers. or. as they call
them. sky pnots." 80 their ships Ever
since the recreaut Jonah was the cause
Of a Mediterranean cyclone. because
he would persist To going 70 Iarshish
when God told him 20 20 TO Nineveh'
there have been sailors who believe The
presence Of O. minister upon their ship
means head winds and storms and dis
astcrs and misf0rfuues. This prejudice
against carrying a minister, IKE the
prejudice against carrying "a corpse OF
the starting OF voyage on Friday
has been gradually getting less and
less as sailors have become better
educated Only a few months ago
great liner set ont from our shores FOR
the Holy Land carrying among her
messengers several hundred ministers
Of the gospel But 30 olden times the
sailors would look with very distrust-
/ ful eyes upon any man in clerical garo
who might cross their gangplank. 4be
mutter.ngs ln the forecasue We're LOUD
and deep If two or more missionaries
hanpened 10 De enrolled AZ the same
time % the ships passenger list
Rev DIT. james McGregor Alexan-
der. the hon0red missionary Of lndla'
told me that when be aud bis wife AID
i've other missionaries in $50 set san
for India the sailors were 80 almost
open mutiny 40 the idea Of carrying
such q dangerous cargo Of human
freight. but when they arrived in Cal
cutta. after O long four months voy-
ace Of unprecedented clear weather
those sailors were SO surprised that in-
stead ef considering their ministerial
passenaers "Jouahs" they looked upon
them as fair weather angels. 30
completely had their opinion changed
that they told their captain, who kne"
Of their former f0reboding that they
wished the missionaries were going
back with them on their return voyage
/ Superstition. however IS not easily
eradioated. This prejudice against
ministerial passengers has survived
for centuries Yet IN the scene OF my
toxt we have an instance OF It's being
overcome. Here Is Paul. a landsmun.
prisoner and q missionary, so win
ming the confidence Of the crew that
ther heed his warnings and follow DIS
suggestions. II was, too, n d crisis
when nautical skill was needed that
they listened 70 him. There was
storm raging Of unusual violence. The
dreaded hurricane they called eurocly-
don was lsshing the Mediterranean IN
n fury. There was darkness even az
midday. an reckoning lost, al hope
given I'D. Then the 275 persons on
beard turned 20 this little Jewish mis-
sionary for guidance and encourage
ment They had begun the voyage
against his advice. They might be
preiudiced against him as preacher
and d prisoner. but they listened 70
him when be addressed them, bidding
them De of good cheer. And when be
had thus spoken he took bread and
gave thanks 10 God IN presence Of
them an. and when be had broken il
he began 10 eat Then were they all
Of good cheer. and they also took some
ment"
WHY were the crew and the pas
sengers Of this Alexnndrian corn ship
happy of hearth First because faith
always begets faith, and confidence
confidence. and good cheer good cheer.
The belief which Paul felt that there
should be 10 loss of any mans life. but
Of The ship" was. by bis personal ex-
annie insHlled into the hearts and
minds Of those by whom be was sur
rounded. We know that cowardice is
infectious. We know that when a
ship is sinking az sea there Is liable
10 be such @ rush for the boats that O
panic may ensue Then the captain,
f. knowing well that only by order and
e1uanlmity IS there hope for the safety
Of any. will draw hls pistol, and. with
determined mien, declare that be viii
shoot the first man who disobeys or
ders IN forcing bis way into the life
boats. We know that when regiment
/ IS resisting the charge Of an enemy the
colonel VIII take his position in the
rear Of the line ana shoot down
any cowardly soldier who would turn
ana foe. II one soldier were allowed
70 run 70 the rear the whole regiment.
/ Ike a herd OF terror stricken cattle.
might De stampeded with fear. II
eowsrdlcs De infectious. why may not
hope also be infectiousi Why Is not
the calm ralen of Paul able 70 steady