Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-03-03

Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaee. d. d.

Incident and suited to the needs of the
times. was given by the preacher to-
day who took for his text Matthew tx,
-. According 10 your faith be II unto
YOU"
Rev. John Watson. better known TO
Americans by his literary sobriquet of
Ian Macarcn. wrote Il powerful para
graph in Il retrospect Of his life's min
islry. This Is his message 10 the preach
crs of the present day The review Of
the past has convinced me that while
preaching has various ends the chief
ought to be comfort. II Is useful in its
way TO explain the construction of the
book of Isaiah and 10 give the history
Of Hebrew literature. but IL Is better
to minister the consolation Of Isaiah's
iifty-third chapter To the weary heart.
No one can blame preacher for cx-
pounding Christian dogma. but his
words will he more useful when they
declare the Christ himself of whom
dogma mt It's best is but the garments.
The preacher IL justified in attacking
sin with righteous Indignation of soul
hut perhaps he would come more quick
ly 10 his purpose If he turned the sin
ner from his sin by causing him to fall
IN love with goodness" In other words,
according 10 Dr. Watson. the chief
work of the ministry il not iconoclas-
tic. but constructive. II is not 50 much
To WELD the dissccting knife and ex-
pose the awful ravagc> of the disease
called sin as il is Ia lead his congre-
CATION out into the flower gardens OF
Gods love and To show his people what
IN possible for them 10 attain II they
are only willing Ia drink the water of
life. of which. If II man once drinks, he
shall never thirst again. always did
believe that the sight of good man be-
ing honorcd for his virtues had Il more
bcncticcnt influence upon Il community
than the sight of a grcwsOmc gallows
upon which murderer had been stran-
glcd 10 cxpiatc his crime. and always
did believe that Murillo's Ascension"
and William STRUTS "A Little Child
Shall Lead Them have had more pow
or to eradicate evil than Michael Ange-
los horrible aguneS of lost souls. de-
pictcd In his great masterpiece of the
Last Judgment"
Thus we turn TO my next toda! with
feelings OF infinite joy. When we
study the assurance which Jesus Christ
gave tn the two blind men of the east.
who came To him crying, Thou son of
David. have mercy on rs, we do not
have to explore with Dante the dark
caVerIiS and tile lakes of fire of an aw-
full inferno or have John Milton echo
for us the dcspairful calls Of his Par
adise Lost or climb with lgnatius Don
nelly the funercal pyre Of his Caesars
Column" But we can walk with Sir
Thomas More amid the incense laden
avenues Of his Utopia. We can watch
men by the power of faith lifting noun
tainS: we can see Christians, as mighty
reforming chirftainS, going forth to
conquest. as David, the shepherd boy.
went forth 10 overthrow the gigantic
phliStine: we can see men aSsailed by
the hosts of temptations raising high
the golden shield of faith So that the
fiery darts of Satanic attack fall TO the
ground with harmless ring. faith.
thou art not mere gospel theory.
Thou art a mighty workman. able to
graft all the powers OF the supernat-
ural into our bcin. Thou art the mes
scngcr ready To lift man to God and
TO bring God down to man. accord
ing to your faith he II unto you"
spakc Christ 10 the blind men Of old.
according TO your faith lie ii unto
you," says Christ to the men and the
women Of the present day