Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-10-06
Caln,ase
Sermon
ny Rev.
Frank De Witt Tslmase. ID. ID.

quently lead men TO ruin Is the lesson
Of this sermon. the text chosen being
Proverbs ri. IL. "In the multitude u
counselors there IL safety"
In my time have been much asso-
clatcd with many classes of men. A.
result OF this association | am struck
with two far reaching facts. The FIRST
Is how much the average man knows
When say this refer 60 the NO called
common people as well rs 10 the
weather. or the more influential social
class. Some OF the most valuable mug
gets Of gold have been dug out VI the
common dirt. Some Of the rarest ideas
and the most brilliant intellects are
coarse clothes and live In very humble
houses.
Rev Dr. William ~ Lawrence. who
for many years was the most proni-
nent Baptist preacher Of Chicago. once
told me that he always made II prac-
tice when II was possible 10 ride upon
the platforms Of the street cars and
talk with the conductors and the mo-
tormen and the mechanics and labOrers
who were returning from their daily
toll. And" said he. some OF the very
best ldens which have preached from
my pulpit have been suggested by
them" Because an old well IL some
times covered by moss and creeping
ivy and entangled thickets. that does
not prove that there are no pure. spar
Killing waters among Its rocks. Because
gem is found glittering amid lot
OF cobblestones. that does not prove
that Il IL n cobblestOne. Many Il great
philosopher dresses. like Tolstoi. in
PEASANTS garb Many II stonemason
can And. like Hugh Miller. the Foot
prints OF the Creator" In the old red
sandstone OF CrOmarty. Many u polit-
ical sage is scanning the horizon OF
statecraft, like Marcus POrcius Cato.
with an eagle eye. while he is guiding
his plow across the field OF country
farm.
The traveller who cannot CLEAN in
formation from all classes OF men. no
matter where he may go. as gentle
Ruth gathered her golden stalks after
the reapers who were binding the
sheaves in the harvest fields Of Boaz.
IL tourist who has ears to hear and
will not hear. who has eyes to see and
Will not see and who has dumb
tongue too clumsy 10 probe for the
treasures of mankind by asking the
leading questions which will bring
forth the desired answers. Said old
Robert South: ut takes both flint and
steel 10 make spark. You must pound
the one upon the other or else the IRE
will never come You can pound a
piece OF steel for days and weeks upon
u wooden log. and the wood will never
flash back u flame. You must rub up
intelligence against Intelligence In or
der TO make the intellectual sparks ny.
IL the traveller has a brain of flint he
will find that the average man has
brain of steel Then the intellectual
sparks will follow thick as the stars
on the Milky way Of the heavens. But
II the traveller has a wooden brain
then lie will think that most people he
meets have brains OF wood also"
Common Weakness.
The second fact which impresses me
about the human race Is that. though
the average man has much intelli-
gence. yet most people make failures
out OF life To use an expression
which | once heard used by DIR. Mac
A serhnrr
10 be able 10 put their mental goods
upon the market" They seem TO have
all the capabilities OF success: they are
like an exquisitely and perfectly con-
structed rifle, but they always seem to
miss lire. You recognize this fact as
do. What Is the matter with Lawyer
So-and- sof" | ask. He was an old
college chum of yours. Why has he
not made a greater successf Has he
not brains and application "oh,
yes" you answer. He was one OF
the most prominent men OF my class.
lie was an honor man and graduated
n member OF the Phi Beta Kappa no
clety He IL honest and hard work
or. But somehow he never seems to DO
able to get ahead"
That statement Is true Of most law
yers, most doctors, most ministers.
most merchants. most men OF all de-
partments OF life. Mentally equipped
they seem 20 be- Honest they are also.
But failures they have actually turned
out. Now. II were TO put my finger
upon the chief weakness OF these
lives. ! would state that egotism has
been the main cause OF their failure.
In the critical moments OF their career
they will not take advice. They will
not heed the warnings which their
friends are 50 anxious TO give. And.
Hike a fire horse with the blind stag
gers. they needlessly crash into this
obstacle and that danger until at last
they are fiung aud In one sense ruined
as far as their earthly careers are con
cerned. King solomon well expresses
my thought In the words Of my text
when he says. Where no counsel IL
the people fall. but In the multitude OF
counselors there Is safety"
The blind egotlst In the first place
nearly always undcrestimates the diff