Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-14
CalnnaSe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmase, D. D.

LON AQBcleb, Nui', ''cp" iV.-iu NnS
sermon tho preacher describes mans
mission Of helpfulness to bis fellows
and indicates the lines upon which
that mission may be carried out. The
text 10 John xi. ~. loose him and let
him Co."
Never was human leader In closer
touch with his followers than Jesus
Christ. Ne walked and ate and slept
with his disciples He was closer than
that. He shared their Joys and sor-
rows and privations. He set them an
example of self sacrifice. flo never
asked his followers to make any sacri-
Gee which he himself was not willing
TO make. n they wept, he wept with
them. II they were a-hungered, no
starved with them. When he warned
them that they might have to lay down
their lives for his sake, he set them the
example Of martyrdom by yielding
himself to the cross. One Of the great
est elements which bind n human
heart to another heart Is the willing
ness Of man to make sacrifices for
friend or a neighbor.
In our own history we have seen an
example Of this fraternal leadership.
George B. Mcclellan, the most popular
commander the Army Of the Potomac
ever had, was beloved ny his men on
that account. Let me give you an in.
cident how this devoted general
gripped the affections Of his army with
links Of steel. The northern army was
making a forced march from Harrison
Landing to Newport News. Toward
the evening hour II was miles away
from its destination. The soldiers.
marching four abreast, came to a small
stream, not very wide or deep. but
just deep enough TO wet their feet II
they waded through IT,
Near to the ford large tree had
fallen, and the trunk had bridged tho
stream. The soldiers. dropping into
single Ale. were crossing over the tree
trunk. This, of course. took extra time.
The lines In the rear. marching rapidly
forward. became conges'ed. The whole
brigade was becoming disorgnnizei
with that three or four officers on
horseback rode up to the ford. AT once
they saw the difficulty. Then one OF
those officers IN :hc dusk cried out
Wade right through. my men. Wade
right through. Never mind about getting
your feet wet. Wade right through
With that one Of the private soldiers
surlily grumbled back. Wade through
yourself and don't sit there OH horse
back with dry feet telling us how &c
get wet" Hardly wore the words O,it
OF the soldiers lips than this Officer
leapeti of his horse and wnded through
snying: "Come on. men We must no.
block the line Wade right through.
When the officer turned the men saw
he was their sturdy little commander
George B. McClelan They at onc'
raised a cheer and waded through. ant
the disorder In the rear ranks ceased
Mcclellan never asked his soldiers Il
do what he himself was not ready e
do. The result was he was idolized b!
his army az but few men have eve
been. When ne was superseded SOM
of the strongest OF men wept az chill
dren.
Chriat Sought Corporation.
But. though Christ never asked hl
followers to make any sacrifice which
he himself was unwilling TO make. ye
as I study tho miracles OF Christ
find that almost without exception h.
sought cooperation from those whom
he would help. lie was willing (,
feed the multitude with few loavc
and fishes. hut he made the disciple
distribute the bread and the fish ant
lie WINS ready to give his disciples
great catch Of fish on Lake Galilee
but lie made them launch their boa
out into the deep and let down tie ne
and bring the fish TO hand. He wa
ready and willing to rcsurrect the dea,
Lazarus, but he called upon the by
ISLANDERS to loose the graveclothe
which bound him hand aud foot. No
until they obeyed could the brother O
Mary and Martha 60 forth free. Wha
Christ did Of old Christ is doing today
He is ready to save men. but he es
} poets his disciples to help him IN man
) liberation, mental. financial. mora
physical and spiritual. want to sho,
how wo can aid In tho emancipation O
} helpless men. as the disciples took Of
the grnveclothes Of resurrected la,
arus to loose him ana let him 60"
. Christ bids us help liberate the II
/ tellectual man who IL struggling in b
. mental di6icuities. He wants us to G,
asunder the old bonds OF prelude
, with which they are born ana whic
, are gripping them almost as powe
, fully as tho officers handcuHa hold II
criminal by his side, He would In,
us not laugh at or sheer at or ridicu
the doubter and the skeptic and II
!. atheist. He bids us not hurl o,
. taunts at the poor mental crippies VIII
. with hot, blistering feet. are painful
, limpine over tho awful deserts
, blighting agnosticiam. But he bids ,
, go to our brethren In mental or inte
lectual dif1culties and kindly ar
! gently and lovingly yet firmly, lea
h them out of the boys and the qua
q mirss and quicksands IN which tht
a have fallen and in which they q
T. Struggling today. Oh. the awful tra
n edy Of being mentally blinded and
Z ing unable TO get right conception
}. God! Yet there are thousands Of me-
4 and women who BY constitution
= brain and intellect are natural Dol
z doubtess. They suspect the sincsri
r OF every good work. and therefore tn,