Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-07-23
Caln,a9e
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmage. d. ID.


science" which are interpreted i'm the
light of Christ's promise TO his follow
ers I'm John xiv. II. 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 to
grow during midwinter in a snowbank,
or daylight To follow after the sinking
Of the sun i'm the west. or the flush of
health To he seen on the pale cheek Of
a corpse. or n humming bird To volun-
tarily make her nest in the dark iaby-
rinths like n ground MOLE as for ra-
diant faith capable of transforming
character to exist in any temple I'M
less the chief cornerstone of that tenn
pie is Jesus Christ. And l. IL I be
lifted up from earth will draw all men
unto me-" said Jesus Christ just a
short time before his crucifixion. Il
am the way, the truth and the life
No man comcth unto the Father but by
to the gospel workers of the present
day.
Let 1t be clearly understood ut the out
set that by no word or thought would
i seek TO depreciate the power and
influence of Christ's personality and
work. He il is who fills all created
things: he II 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
er which Christ bestowed and has ap-
piled it beyond the opportunities which
Christ had to complete the work that
Christ opened the blinded eyes and
Strengthened the crooked limbs: Christ
assuaged pain and stopped the chronic
issue of blood. Christ was n great
preacher and drew the multitudes
about him. Christ fought against the
heathenish 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-
abled through the power emanating
from him to do works which surpass
those he did I'm his life on earth. But
let II 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 better grasp of this theme let me
read TO you the full verse in which the
words of my test are found. Verify.
verify say unto you he that believeth
on me the works that do shall he do
also. and greater works than these
shall he do. because I go unto my Fa-
Their"
Christ Amazed His Generation.
Jesus Christ was the amaZement Of
amazements 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
lee. At 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 Galilcan fishermen. BY
his touch whole ovens full of bread
seemed to be miraculously created.
Wonderful were those triumphs over
natural laws and forces. but what
triumphs has man achieved since that
time by compelling those natural laws
and forces TO serve his purposes and
by Harvesting them as his servants.
What wonder can be greater than for
man to speak in n telephone receiver.
as I have done. I'm Chicago and have
my voice heard i'm New York city. 1000
miles away? l do not consider IL any
more of wonder thin for Theodore
Roosevelt to start the great, ponderous
machinery I'm the worlds fair at st.
Louis by touching simple button.
Christ walking upon the waves OF Lake
Galilee excited the wonder of the spec
tators. but how they would have Won
dered how they have seen that sub.
marine boat constructed by an Ameri
can inventor. which he supplied with
such wonderful mechanism that II can
sink TO the bottom of the sea and sup
port life there for twentyfour hours
ap fhar Gould hava Ennv-n i,nu- q.