Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-09-09


are loyal and true to their country. as
their one talented ancestors have al
ways 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 Of
ficcr who. In 1880. under flag Of
Francis Marion. aptly called the
Swamp Fox" After the business for
which he came was ended. General
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. hornely clad men kicked
d fire into pieces and rolled out some
sweet potatoes. "Is that all you have
for dinner!" exclaimed the English
officer. NO" said Marion. mot al-
ways. Sometimes we cannot get as
good as sweet potatoes. Then we
tighten our belts and drink 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 ma
tive land. he went back 10 the British
lines and threw up his commission and
returned 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 he beaten" All. yes. the strength
and power Of our government today are
not In its few millionaires. but In the
loyalty OF It's common people.
Who the First Christians Were.
II 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 10y
atty 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 princes
mansion! Did they come from the
tents OF the Roman generalsi Oh. no.
They came from the fisherman's hut.
from the laborcr's fields. from the
homes of the one talented folks. The
first Christian church had its congrega-
ton not clothed In silks or satins. but
In homespun. The arlstocracy 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 state
craft. His people were the ordinary.
commonplace. one talented worshipers.
II was the one talented Christians
who composed the Christian church.
Has II not always been the one talent
ed folks who have carried II on? Who
were the Christians who made the ref
ormation OF Martin Luther possible?
Who were the Christians who helped
John Knox shake old Scotland and
shake the world? Who were the Chris
tians who came over In the Mayhower
and established the Puritan church Of
the Plymouth colonyi From whence
did John Wesley and Charles Wesley
and George Whitefield draw most OF
their foilowersi Who made Finney
and Moody the mighty religious fac
tors 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 II is
the one talented folks who crowd our
pews today. When you take the one
talented folks out the church. like
Samson. whose hair was shorn by the
shears OF an evil mistress. will decay
and as mighty spiritual and temporal
power will lose her entire strength
Man-one talented man-you think you
do not amount TO much In Gods church!
Woman-one talented woman-you do
not fully reckon your influence In pray
er meeting and In Sunday school and
In church pew. 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 I am trying TO show the I'm
portance OF the one talented people In
the store. the factory. the home and
the church. must not end here.
must show you that. though your in
fiuence 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 Ave
talented men went TO work. They are
In the treadmills. They cannot stop
and get out. They have TO go ahead
or be ground 10 pieces. But the one
talented men think their work Is OF 80
little Importance that they can stop
any time aud no one cares.
! enter great merchants store.
Come" say. "let Us HE ourselves
OF TO the woods" "Nay. nay" says
he 81 cannot stop. II did not keep
working and keep my men working
the payroll OF my business would soon
land me In the bankruptcy court"
Come" say to minister Of Jesus
Christ, "come. let us run away from
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