Milford chronicle., 1904-07-22
CalnaQe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee. D. D.

.
upon many of the miracles of moderI
science" which are interpreted in tn,
light of Christs promise to his follow
ers in John xiv, u, Greater works
than these shall he do"
Man increases not his gospel faith by
lowering the standards of the cross
You might as well expect water to run
uphill of its own accord, or violets tc
grow during midwinter in a snowbank
or daylight to follow after the sinking
of the sun in the west, or the flush OF
health to be seen on the pale cheek OF
a corpse, or a hummiHg bird to volun.
tnrily make her nest in the dark laby-
rinths like a ground mole, as for a ra.
diaut faith capable of Transforming
character TO exist in any temple un-
less the chief cornerstone of that tenn
pie is Jesus Christ. And 1, if l be
lifted up from earth, will draw all men
unto me-" said Jesus Christ just a
short time before his crucitixiOn. Il
am the way. the truth and the life.
No man cometh unto the Father but by
me-" speaks our resurrected Redeemer
to the gospel workers Of the present
day.
Let it be clearly understood at the out
set that by no word or thought would
/ seek to depreciate the power and
influence of Chrlst's personality and
work. He it is who fills all created
things; he it is who gives life, natural,
mental, social. He is the inspirer, the
spring from which come all our tri-
umphs. But l want to show you that
the promise which he gave to his disci-
pies. Greater works than these shall
he do" has been fulfilled and that
man inspired with his spirit has with
the natural forces at his disposal done
more for uplifting humanity, as Christ
said he should. than did Christ him
self. Man has taken hold of the pow
e. which Christ bestowed and has ap-
piled it beyond the opportunities which
Christ had to complete the work that
he initiated. Christ fed the multitudes;
Christ opened the blinded eyes and |
siraightened the crooked limbs; Christ |
aSsuaged pain and stopped the chronic |
issue Of blood. Christ was a great |
preacher and drew the multitudeS |
about him. Christ fought against the |
hcathenish doctrine that might is
right" Christ was the greatest of all |
workers of wonders that the world had |
ever seen. There was only one Christ. |
There will never be another. Yet there
are senses. natural as well as spiritual, |
in which his promise has been kept to
his followers. and they have been en-
nbled through the power emanating
from him to do works which surpass
those he did in his life on earth. But
let it never be forgotten that these
greater works" which man has done
have been accomplished only because
Jesus has lived and Jesus prophetic
words have been fulfilled. In order to
get a better grasp Of this theme let me
read to you the full verse in which the
words Of my test are found. Verify,
verify l say unto you he that beieveth
on me the works that l do shall he do
also. and greater works than these
shall he do because l go unto my Fa-
ther"
b Christ Amazed His Generation.
Jesus Christ was the amazement of
to the people of his day
and generation as a worker of natural
phenomena. He seemed to his time
superior to all natural laws. When he
went out to visit his disciples in their
ship, he did not have to use the land,
as other people had to do. He stepped
upon the crystal pavement Of Lake
Galilee as easily as an Alpine climber
might rest his foot upon solid rock, as
easily as kinds feet might glue them
selves to mountain crag. When he
spoke the homage of obedience was
rendered to him, not alone by men in
the synagogue, by beasts Of the field
and the fowls of the air, but by the
winds and the waves. He called to the
Galilean tempest, Peace be still" At
the glance of his eye the conscious
water blushed to see the face of its
Lord" at the wedding in Cana of Cali
lee. At a word from his lip the fig
tree dried up and withered away. All
he had to say was, Let no fruit grow
On thee hencefOrward forever" At his
call came whole schools of fish to be
caught by the Galilean fishermen. BY
bis touch whole ovens full of bread
seemed to be miraculOusly created.
Wonderful were those triumphs over
natural laws and forces, but what
has man achieved since that
ime by compelling those natural laws
md forces to serve his purposes and |
ly harnessing them as his servants!
What wonder can be greater than for
nan to speak in telephone receiver,
Is / have done. in Chicago and have
ny voice heard in New York city, 1000
niles away? l do not consider it any
more of a wonder than for Theodore
Roosevelt to start the great, ponderous
in the worlds fair at st.
.Ouis by touching a Simple button.
'hrist walking upon the waves of Lake
Falilee excited the wonder of the spec
ators. but how they would have won ,,
Iered how they have seen that sub
marine boat constructed by an Ameri-
an inventor which he supplied with
uch wonderful mechanism that it can {
ALL, H,4f..., Of Tho 500 orI es,1r, I