Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-09-09
Calnnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee, D. d.

Los Angeles. Cal. Sept. BIN this
Labor day sermon the preacher appro-
priately takes for his theme the great
army Of humble everyday workers up
on whose faithful use of their single
talent in their particular sphere de-
pend the welfare and happiness of
nation. The text IL Matthew XIV. 10.
ITO another one"
''The Driving Of the Last Spike" Is
to me one OF the most suggestive pic
lures ever painted. not because 1t is
the work Of Thomas Hill. one Of
Americas famous artists, who I'm his
lifetime has been awarded thlrty-two
first medals In competition with other
painters; not because copies Of that
picture have been distributed broad
cast over the United States In thou
sands Of w0odcuts. not because I per-
sonally have seen the old artist In his
last days. helpless as little child and
therefore. on account Of the personal
lty Of the man, have been unduly in
fluenced by the power OF the picture.
but that picture has thrilled me
through and through because It Is an
epoch marking picture. II Is picture
which shows marriage altar. where
the far east and the far west-where
the Union railroad and the Central Pa
cific railroad-were united by the we'd
ding ring Of a steel rail. II illustrates
the dramatic moment when the great
work Of Leland Stanford and G. p.
Huntington and Charles Croker and
Mark Hopkins was consummated. In
the presence of some Of the most
prominent men. north. south. east and
west. the golden spike was driven
which forever made the east and the
west. the metropolis of New York and
the metropolis Of California. next door
neighbors.
Vast was the amount of brain and
physical energy expended which made
the scene Of that picture possible. Over
the mountains. down into the valleys,
the leaping rivers and the ravines, has
see putting and painting behind Leland
Stanford as the first president Of the
Central Pacific drives IN the last spike.
Far. fur away from any human resi-
dence went the workmcn. Cannot you
see the deer and the buffalo and the
prairie dogs look up I'm wonderment as
that strange looking creature called a
railroad train dashes by? How could
man have hundreds and thousands
and tens OF thousands of men ut work
for him. as did Leland Stanford. and
not have thousands OF financial leak
ages. which would sweep away his en-
tire fortune?" l asked great railroad
contractor when talking about the les
sons of this picture. "Simply by per-
feet organization" no answered. Each
man has his allotted work TO do. Each
man Is responsible for gang Of men
or for certain sections OF the work
until you get down TO the lowest boss
and the lowest workman digging In the
ditch. The success Of Leland STAN
ford's railroad enterprises. as well as
OF all great enterprises. depends as
much upon the men OF one talent doing
their work honestly as II does upon the
men OF five or ten talents doing their
work honestly and we'll" Great lesson
Is that-great In temporal life. great
I'm spiritual. God has no insignificant
workmen in the purpose for which the
human race was created. The people
who are considered ordinary folks are
just as essential In Gods great econ
omy rs the men styled mental giants.
No workmen Are Useless.
No Inn. fas. No
In Gods sight. Oh. yes. we can prove
that by the value of the old Hebrew
talent as well as by the conversation
OF the great railroad contractor In ref
erence TO Thomas Hills Driving Of the
Last Spike" Was the Hebrew talent
small capital with which to start
llfe's battles? No. That talent repre-
scented about 5000 shekels OF silver or
about $1.016 In American money. Then
when you furthermore estimate that
the laborer In Chrlst's day received
only penny day. which In our time
would be an equivalent Of about IS
cents. you can readily understand that
the good man OF the parable OF my text
gave to even the humblest Of his serv-
ants an equivalent OF about 5000 In
our money. That Is no small amount
OF money to put out at interest. And
so this Labor Sunday TO the clerk. the
servant. the laborers In the ditch. the
common soldier and the common church
member God gives "a powerful one
talent" My object Is to talk about
some OF the one talented people.
would show their vast influence upon
the great wide world. ! would also
show why all OF us ordinary folks
should employ well the talent God has
given US to use.
In the first place. study the influence
of the one talented folks In the mer-
camille world. Your wife some day
says TO you: "Come. my dear. let US
go shopping You have day or.
There Is no reason for your not spend
ing the day with me-" In u moment
OF mental weakness you go shopping.
Why do say in n moment OF mental
weakness? do not believe any man
on earth can look more out OF place
and feel more uncomfortable and mis-