The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-01
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 2 DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON
S.GS.Ss.Ess6sSSs'ts'0 '
 BY THE REV FRANK TALMAGE D.

is being preached in many lives as that humble priest by his serenity and faith preached to Dupytren. man does not have to stand In the pulpit to be an evangelist of Jesus Christ. The spirit filled life radiates a supernatural intlu- ence everywhere. No sooner did those sailors upon that Alexandrian corn ship come Into touch with Paul than they felt there was supernal power about him which they lacked. What Is the spiritual influence of your life, womanY In order that your friends and neighbors may be sure that you are | Christian. do they have to go to the church books and find your name enrolled among Its members? Or by your looks, by your gentle words. by your simple, trustful faith, do they perceive that you are walking with God, even as Enoch walk ed in tho early ages of the worlds history2 I do not ask you if you are preaching Christ from q pulpit, but | ask whether your light Is shining, so that mon seeing your daily life realize that God is in you of truthY It IS a. spirit filled life which breaches the gentleness of Jesus Christ wherever you go? The sailors of that Alexandrian corn ship believed - in Paul, because Paul's face. like Moses face, after he had been upon Mount Sinai, was shining and radiating with the superna1 love Of the Divine Teacher.
 Brave in Counsel.
 Bnt there was still another reason why Paul exerted this marvellous infiu- ence over the sailors of the Alexan- drlan corn ship. He had spirit hlled life. Oh, yes Every one who came in touch realized that. But he was also one who was faithful in pointing out g. mans mistakes. When the ship was tossing and tumbling about in the Med iterranean cyclone he practically said this: T am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a messenger of the Lord God Almighty. Men, last night one Of Gods angels came to me and said; Fear not Paul. Thou must be brought before Caesar. and, To, God hath given thee all theIn that sail with thee' Yes, we arc all going to be saved, every one or us; But stop. How did Paul introduce thls statement which had come from God? He turned and pointed his finger at those trembling sailors and said: Men, the reason you are in your present plight IS because you would not heed my advise in the beginning. I told you not to loose from Crete I told you we would get into difficulty if you did. But you want ed to hasten on and get to Phenice and snend the winter there in sin and ca ronsaI You have made one mistake. Now will you make anotherT And, my friend, you and l can never preacn Jesus Christ alright unless we are hrst brave enough to point out to men the errors of their past life. We cannot men to come to Christ unless we, like Paul are first faithful In warning men against the sinful acts of their bygone years
 If does not take very much grace to 70 and compliment man on his Vir- tues and praise him when he is doing right But 1t takes a lot Of gr1t to put your finger upon the weaknesses ne a p,an,s life and tell him when he is doing wrong. It takes lots of grit for a Nathan to stand up and say to King David, Thou art q libertine and a murderer" 1t takes lots of grit for the members of a privy council of King Solomon to say to the young prince Rehoboam: Thou art wrong. Comply with the requests of the people, and they will serve thee" And when they said if they knew that their advice would cost them their official positions. It takes lots of grit for a young preacher like Henry Ward Beecher to be at tho head of a church in Indianapolis, where most of it's members are antagonistic to the abolitionst movement, and stand up and defy a whole community and say' lots of grit for a young clerk when he is asked to do something dishonest, to say to his employer No sir. l will not do it, because it is swrong." It takes The slave ought to be free" It takes lots of grit for q young girl who loves a young man devotedly to say to that young man: Harry. l love you. love you with all my heart. and yet If you are not true to your better self. and if you do not turn your back upop your evil associates l must turn my back up- on you" In other words, 1t takes lots of grit 10 come to your friends and neighbors and place your finger upon the weak spot of their mental, moral and