The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-08-27
CalnaQe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmage, D. d.

upright character upon the lives and
conduct of those with whom he may
be associated. The text is Acts xvii.
80, Then they were all Of good cheer"
The prejudice against ministerial
passengers formerly held 10y sailors
aboard ship was very bitter. Yet to
day in the scene of my text we see
Paul, the gospel missionary. overcom-
ing the pre- judlce 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 treacl-
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 aud cast Off our anchor ca
bles when you tell us TO east 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 1t 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 n SUI
pernatural power about this strange
man Of God. They could not analyze his
power. They could not tell theologic-
ally from whence 1t came. But they
felt Its power just the same, as we can
feel the thrill of the electric current as
soon as we place our fingers upon the
handles of an electric battery. And the
man of the world does not have to
matriculate at n theological seminary
In order to learn the power of one who
Is In touch with God. As soon as such
man comes in contact with spirit
filed life he realizes the supernatural
influence The more worldly the man
the more that spiritual influence will
be made manifest to him. ! was neve,
more impressed with this fact than
when l read an incident in the life OF
the great French surgeon Dupuytren.
DR.. Dupuytren was the greatest Pa
risian surgeon Of his time. but be
was an ungodly man. He hated the
church with an intense hatred. Be
sides that. he was one of those brusque
cruel. unfeeling men who have no sym
patty with pain. Tie knife to him
was the remedy for all Ills. AS long
as his knife could cure he cared not
whether the patient suffered mental OF
physical anguish. Surgery was to him
4 business. The spiritual development
of his soul seemed to be entirely lack.
ing. But one day there came into his
Office an old, gray haired, gentle, beau
tiful faced priest. What do you
want?' grufiiy asked Dupuytren Fol
answer the good priest began to take
OF big wooden crayat and showed
the surgeon hideous tumor upon his
neck. Dupuytren looked at it a mo
ment. He pressed it roughly with his
finger and then brutally said: You'll
have to die with that This tumor car
never be cured" THANK you," said
the priest. Then he began to replace
the wooden cravat as he replied. II now
know that | must prepare myself fol
giving up my life's work and also pre-
pare my poor practitioners who love m'
much for my leaving them" The grea
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 a thousand t.
save you.'
| Curing the Priest.
| The priest came to the hospital thu
next day. With submissive praye
he laid himself down upon the op
Grating table. In month he wa
| discharged well man. As he wa
leaving he took out Of his pocket thir
| ty pieces Of silver and with trembling
hand offert4 them to the surgeon. say
Ing: Doctor. this IS all the money
have. l walked all the way from m,
house to pay you this" But Dupuy
tren said. Keep them, man; kee
themw Then he opened his none.
drawer andgtook out handful Of gol'
and poured the napoleons into tn
priests lap and said: Here Is som
money for the poor. May God bles
you, his servant, to labor for him 70
many years among your people,
few years later that great surgeon
died. believing. trusting Christian
In the arms of that humble priest.
Did you ever read story more beau
tiful? And yet the power Of the gospe
Is being preached In many lives as tina
humble priest by his serenity and fait
preached to Dupuytren. A man doe
not have to stand in pulpit to be a
evangelist Of Jesus Christ. The spiri
filled life radiates supernatural Unfit
ence everywhere. No sooner did thos
sailors upon that AleAandrinn cor
ship come into touch with Paul tina
/, they felt there was a supernal powe
about him which they lacked. VIVA
Is the spiritual influence Of your life.
man? What is the spiritual infiuene
Of your life, 0 woman: In order tina
your friends and neighbors may be sur
that you are a Christian. do they hav
| to 20 to the church books and fin
your name enrolled among its men