The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-10


 nursery How great an influence that is but few people seem to realize! Some time ago a worldly man was taunting celebrated pastor because his congrega- tions were made up, for the most part, of common people and servant girls. T know it." sai dthe noted divine. My church is composed for the most part of just such converts as Christ and his apostles gained. But, as for the servant girls, I had rather be instrumental in converting them than almost any other class of people. for the servant girls as nurses have charge of all the growing children. But, though the greatest op- portunity on earth that can come to the average one talented young woman is to be nurse, yet many women seem to flee that noble occupation as they would a virulent plague. They would rather go and peddle groceries or pincushons or tend to factory bobbins than mold boys and girls into mighty men and women for God. Oh. ye nurses! Oh, ye young women whom God has sent as faithful Mirams to watch the infant Moses, great is your calling. Do your work well. That boy by your side, if you are faithful and true under God may some day lead his people out of an Egyptian bondage. That young girl, through your prayers, may some day be able to raise a whole fam fly of Christian sons and daughters. Oh, the transcendent one talent of a Chris tian nurse upon the home life!
 Talents of Men in Ranks.
 Speaking about the influence of one tal- ented folks, shall we neglect to speak of the one talented soldier boys who so free ly pour forth their lifes blood for the perpetuation of their country's govern ment? ''To hear some people talk said prominent gentleman to me some time ago, "one would suppose that the only 1,..f,- aft.xr during the civil war were Grant and Sherman and Sheridan and Lee and Stonewall Jackson" That is not true. The civil war was mighty because the man in the ranks carrying a musket was faithful apd true as well as the officer carrying q sword. Yes, and the war of 1776 and the war of 1872 and the war of 1898 were mighty wars for the same req son. The common soldiers who fought in those wars were ready to sacrifice everything for thelr countrys good. And. my friends, this nation never need fear a foreign invasion or internal revolution as long the common people, it's one talented citizens, are loyal and true to their country, as their one talented an- eestors have always been.
 Oh, the sacrifices which the common people have made for their native land in the past. Many of you perhaps have read the story of the English officer who, in 17SO, under flag of truce, visited the American general, Francis Marion, aptly called the Swamp Fox" After the bus mess for which he came was ended, Gen eral Marion asked the representative of the English throne to stay to dinner. Bring on the dinner. Tom," said the American commander. With that one of the rough, homely clad men kicked fire into pieces and rolled out some sweet potatoes. 'tIs that all you have for din- ner?" exclaimed the English officer. No" said Marion, mot always. Some times we cannot get as good as sweet potatoes. Then we tighten our belts and drink a lot of water and starve awhile"
 When the English officer found that these rough, sunburned men, thinly clad and ununiformed, had for months been serving their country without pay and food, just for the love of their native land, he went back to the British lines and threw up his commission and re- turned home. What chance have we against such men as these?" said he Men who, without proper clothes and without pay are ready to live for months on roots and berries in order that their country might be free, can never be beaten" An, yes, the strength and pow CT of our government today are not in it's few millionaires. but in the loyalty of it's common people.
 Who First Christians Were.
 If our government is dependent upon the loyalty of its one talented patriots how much more truly can we state that our church, the beloved church of Jesus Christ, is dependent also upon the loy- alty of its one talented members. When Christ established his church from whence did he draw his first recruits? Did they come from the palace? Did they come from the merchant princess mansion? Did they come rom the tents of the Roman generals? Oh, no. They came from the fishermen's hut, from the laborers fields, from the homes of the one talented folks. The first Christian church had its congregation not clothed in silks or satins, but in homespun. The aristocracy despised Christ's disciples on account of their humble social positions. The common people heard him gladly" Not the ten talented men and women were they; not the geniuses in finance and statecraft. His people were the or dinary, commonplace, one talented worshipers
 It was the one talented Christians who composed the Christian church. Has it not always been the one talented folks who have carried it on? Who were the Christians who made the reformation of Martin Luther possible? Who were the Christians who helped John Knox shake old Scotland and shake the world? Who were the Christians who came over in the Mayfiower and established the Puri- tan church of the Plymouth colony? From whence did John Wesley and Charles Wesley and George Whitfield draw most of their followers? Who made Finney and Moody the mighty religious factors they were? For the most part the great masses of church members have been and are today taken from the ranks of the common people. It is the one talented folks who crowd our pews today. When you take the one talented folks out the church, like Sam son, whose hair was shorn by the shears of an evil mistress, will decay and as a mighty spiritual and temporal power will lose her entire strength. Man--one tal- ented man-you think you do not amount to much in Gods churchl Woman-one talented woman-you do not fully reckon your influence in prayer meeting and in Sunday school and in church pewl The church of Jesus Christ is dependent for most of its laborers and members upon the one talented people. You may belong to that class. Never desert the temple of God, which he calls his divine church.
 But as l am trying to show the inn portance of the one talented people in the store. the factory. the home and the church, I must not end here I must show you that, though your influence is worldwide yet there is no class of people on earth who are so ready to shirk their tasks as the one talented folks. The teaching of this parable Is absolutely true The five talented men went to work. They are in the treadmills. They cannot stop and get out They have to go ahead or be ground to pieces But the one talented men think their work of so little importance that they can