Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-05-21
Caltnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmacc. ID. d.

Journey on any waters. whether for
pleasure or business. Is today the
theme of the preacher The text Is
Acts xxvii. 81. Then they We're 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 10 the
maximum of comfort. we little think
of the discomforts attendant upon the
ocean VOYAGES of half Il century ago.
But. though the conditions of sea travel
have so vastly improved in recent
years that a journey across the Allan
tic or up the Mediterranean Is no
longer an undertaking 10 he dreaded.
there are still 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 superstitious sailors who dis
like 10 carry ministers. or. as they call
them. SKY pilots" in their ships. Ever
since the recreant Jonah was the cause
OF Mediterranean cyclone. because
he would persist in going 10 Tarshish
when God told him TO 20 TO Nneveh.
there have been sailors who believe the
presence of II minister upon their ship
means head winds and storms and dis
asters and misfortunes. This prejudice
against carrying n minister. like the
prejudice against carrying corpse or
the starting Of Il voyage on Friday.
has been gradually getting less and
less as 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
mutterngs in the forccastle We're loud
and deep if two or more missionaries
happened 10 be enrolled nj the same
time on the ships passenger list.
Rev. Dr. James Mct;reGor Alexan-
der. the honored missionary of India.
told me that when he and his wife and
five other missionaries In 1850 set sail
for India the sailors We're in almost
open mutiny nj the idea of carrying
such "A dangerous cargo of human
freight. hut 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 rs fair weather angels. So
completely had their opinion changed
that they told their CAPTAIN. who knew
of their former foreboding. that they
wished the missionaries We're going
back with them on their return voyage.
Paul In the storm.
Superstition. however. is not easily
eradicatcl. 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. a lan,lsman.
prisoner and IA missionary. so win
ming the confidence of the crew that
they heed his warnings AMI follow his
suggestions Ii WAS. too. In 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
Ia fury There was darkness even at
midday: all reckoning lost. all hope
given up. Then the 20 persons on
board turned Ia this little Jewish mis-
sionary for guidance and encourage
ment. They had begun the voyage
against his advice They might be
prcjudiccd against him as a preacher
and a prisoner. but they listened to
him when hc addressed them. bidding
them Ice Of good cheer And when he
had thus spoken he took bread and
gave thanks 10 God in presence OF
them all. and when he had broken il
he began To eat. Then were they all
of good cheer. and they also took some
meat
Why wcIc the crew and the pas
scngers of this Alexandrian corn ship
happy of heart? First. because faith
always begets faith. and confidence
confidence. and good cheer good cheer
The belief which Paul felt that there
should Ice no loss of any mans life but
of the ship" WAS. 10y his personal ex-
ample. instillcd into the hearts and
minds of those Icy whom he was sur.
rounded. We know that cowar,lice is
infectious. We know that when
ship Is sinking at sea there is liable
10 Ice such rush for the boats that
panic may ensue. Then the captain,
knowing well that only 10y order and
equanimity is there hope for the safety
Of any. will draw his pistol. and. with
determined mien. declare that he will
shoot the first man who disobeys or
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 of the line and shoot down
any cowardly soldier who would turn
and flee. II one soldier were allowed
to run 10 the rear. the whole regiment.