Milford chronicle., 1905-09-15
Calmaqe
Sermon
BY Rev.,
Frank De Witt Talmase. D. D.

that mission may be carried out. Tn
text is John xi, Al, loose him and le
him 60"
Never was human leAagr IN close
touch with his followers than Jesu
Christ. He walked and ate and slep
with his disciples. He was closer thai
that. He shared their joys and sOr
rows and privations. He set them al
example Of self sacrifice. He nevel
asked his followers to make any sacri
1ice which he himself was not willing
to make II they wept he wept with
them. II they were a-hungered, he
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 a human
heart to another heart is the willing
ness Of man to make sacrifices for a
friend or 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 by his men on
that account. Let me give you an in
cident how this devoted general
gripDed 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 it 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 if |
they waded through it.
Near to the ford a large tree had
fallen, and the trunk had bridged the
stream. The soldiers, dropping into
single file. were crossing over the tree
trunk. This, Of course, took extra time
The lines in the rear marching rapidly
forward, became congested. The whole
brigade was becoming disOrganized.
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 the dusk cried out: {
Wade right through my men. Wade {
right through. Never mind about getting !
your feet wet. Wade right through" I
With that one of the private soldiers I
surlily grumbled back. Wade through
yourself and don't sit there on horse
back with dry feet telling us how to I
get wet" Hardly were the words out j
If the soldiers lips than this officer i
capped off his horse and waded through, 0
laying: Come on. men! We must not b
block the line. Wade right through" b
When the officer turned the men saw fl
le was their sturdy little commander, p
ieorge B. Mcclellan. They at once f,
aised a cheer and waded through, and p
he disorder in the rear ranks ceased. b
IcClellan never asked his soldiers to e
10 what he himself was not ready to b
o. The result was he was idolized by W
is army as but few men have ever IA
cen. When he was superseded some b
f the strongest of men wept as Chill So
rem, ui
Christ Sought Cooperation. 81
But, though Christ never asked his til
blowers to make any sacrifice which G.
e himself was unwilling to make, yet al
> ElNAF NAt ulAI0tlHS vi Z lIlSl "
nd that almost without exception he be
ought cooperation from those whom bi
e would help. He was willing to bC
aed the multitude with a few loaves tn
nd fishes. but he made the disciples of
istribute the bread and the fish and he
ollect the fragments that remained. us
lie was ready to give his disciples a dc
reat catch of fish on Lake Galilee, IT,
ut he made them launch their boat ey
Ut into the deep and let down the net
nd bring the fish to hand. He was
lady and willing to resurrect the dead slt
azarus, but he called upon the by on
anders to loose the graveclOthes m,
hich bound him hand and foot. Not ed
ltil they Obeyed could the brother Of ar
ary and Martha go forth free. What loo
lcist did of old Christ Is doing today. W.
e is ready to save men, but he ex- lin
,ets his disciples to help him in mans w,
leration, mental, financial. moral, NO
lysical and spiritual. 1 want to show IN,
w we can aid in the emancipation Of ho
lnless men. as the disciples took Off Ioo
e graveclothes of resurrected Laz- no
us to loose him and let him CO." 80
Christ bids us help liberate the in str
Ilectual man who is struggling in his 60
entail difficulties. He wants us to cut ,.o|
under the old bonds Of prejudice on,
tn which they are born and which
e gripping them almost as power s,,
lly as the officers handouts hold the 10,
mlnal by his side, He would have doI
not laugh at or sneer at or ridicule co.
2 doubter and the skeptic and the no
ieist. He bids us not hurl our ct
lnts at the poor mental cripples who. an,
tn hot, blistering feet are painfully IN,
lping over the awful deserts Of +o,r
ghtlng agnOsticism. But he bids us in,
to our brethren in mental or intel. ~
tual difficulties and kindly and +
itly and lovingly, yet firmly. lead sto
m out of the bogs and the quag- use
res and quicksands in which they VIII
re fallen and in which they are frle
juggling today Oh. the awful trag he
Of being mentally blinded and be- har
.