Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-29
Caln,age
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae, d. d.

sermon the preacher shows the uplift-
ing power and influence of a strong.
upright character upon the lives and
conduct of those with whom he NAV
be associated. The text Is Acts xvii.
&c, Then they were all of good cheer"
The prejudice against ministerial
passengers formerly held by sailors
aboard ship was very bitter. Yet to-
day In the scene Of my text we see
Paul, the gospel missionary, overcom-
ing the prejudice Of the crew. Amid the
Mediterranean euroclydon we see him
winning their confidence to such an ex-
tent that he becomes practically the
captain instead Of the captive. After
weeks Of tossing about upon a treach-
erous sea- with all bearings lost, the
215 souls aboard turn to this little Jew
and beg his advice as to what they
should do. They say, eve Will obey
your orders; we will eat when you tell
us to eat and cast off our anchor ca
bles when YOU tell us to cast them off,"
And when he had thus spoken he
took bread and gave thanks to God in
presence Of them all, and when he had
broken it he began to eat Then were
they all of good cheer, and they also
took some meat"
Now. why did these sailors upon the
Mediterranean corn ship have such faith
In this evangelist? In the first place be-
cause they realized that there was Il SUI
pernatural power about this strange
man of God They could not analyze his
power. They could not tell theoloslc-
ally from whence 1t came. But they
felt its power ust the same, as we can
feel the thrill of the electric current as
soon rs we place our fingers upon the
handles Of an electric battery. And the
man of the world does not have to
matriculatc Mt a theological seminary
in order to learn the power Of one who
is in touch with God. As soon rs such
man comes in contact with spirit
filed life ne realizes the supernatural
influence The more worldly the man
the more that spiritual influence will
he made manifest to him. | was mover
more impressed with this fact than
the great French surgeon Dupuytren.
DR.. Dupuytrcn was the greatest Pa
riSan nurCcon Of his time. but 10
was an ungodly man. lie hated the
church with an intense hatred. Be.
sides that, he was one of those brusque,
cruel. unfreling men who have no SYM
patty with pain. The knife to him
was the remedy for all Ills. As long
as his knife could cure he cared not
whether the patient suffered mental or
physical anguish. Surgery was to him
business. The spiritual development
Of his soul seemed to he entirely lack
ing. But one lay there came into his
office an old, cay haired. gentle, beau
tiful faced II est. What do you
/ want|' gruflly asked Dupuytren. For
answer the good priest began to take
off biz wooden rravat and showed
| the surgeon hideous tumor upon his
neck. Dupuytreu looked at 1t Il mo-
ment. lie pressed it roughly with his
| finger and then brutally said: You'll
have to die with that. This tumor can
never DC cured Thank YOU" said
| the priest. The he began to replace
I the wooden cravat rs he replied, Il now
know that | must prepare myself for
giving up my llf"'S work ami also pre-
pare my poor pensioners who love me
much for my leaving them" The great
! surgeon turned his cold gray eyes up.
on the priest minute, and those eyes
bored straight down into the patients
heart. Then he said, with gentle
voice: Come to my hospital tomor-
row and we will see what we can do
There is one chance in Il thousand to
save you
Curing the Priest.
The priest came to the hospital the
next day. With Il submissive prayer
he laid himself down upon the op
Grating table. In a month he was
discharged n well man. AS he was
leaving he took out of his pocket thr,
ty pieces of silver and with trembling
hand offered them TO the surgeon. say
Ing: doctor this is all the money
have. walked all the way from my
house to pay you this But Dupuy,
tren said, keep them, man; keel
them" Then he opened his money
drawer and took out a handful of gold
and poured the napoleons into the
priests lap and said: Here Is some
money for the poor, May God bless
you, his servant, to labor for him fol
many years among your people" A
few years later that great surgeon
died, believing trusting Christian
in the arms o. that humble priest.
Did you ever read a story more beau
tiful? And yet the power of the gospe
Is being preached in many lives as thai
humble priest by his serenity and faitf
preached TO Dupuytren. A man does
not have to stand in q pulpit to be al
evangelist of Jesus Christ. The spiri
filed life radates n supernatural inlu
ence everywhere. No sooner did thos,
sailors upon that Alexandrian corr
ship come into touch with Paul thar
they felt there was a supernal power
about him which they lacked Wha
Is the spiritual influence OF your life, {
man? What is the spiritual influence
Of your life, O woman? In order tina
YOUR friends and neighbors may be sure
that YOU are Christian, do they havi
To ~ TO the church books and fine
your name enrolled among its mem
hers? Or by your looks. by your gen
tie words by your simple, trustfu
faith. do they perceive that you arr
walking with God, even as Enocl