Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-08-30
Ca(n1aQe
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talnoase, ID. ID.

sermon the preacher shows the uplift-
ing power ana influence of a strong,
upright character upon the lives and
conduct of those with whom he may
be associated. The text is Acts xvii,
36, 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
go souls aboard turn to this little Jew
and beg his advice as to what they
should do. They say, 1--WE 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
took some meat
Now, why did these sailors upon the
Mediterraneancorn ship have such faith
In this evangelist? In the first place be-
cause they realized that there was su-
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
filled life he realizes the supernatural
influence. The more worldly the man
the more that spiritual influence will
be made manifest to him. was never
more impressed with this fact than
when 1 read an incident in the life of
the great French surgeon Dupuytren.
Or. Dupuytren was the greatest Pa
risian surgeon of his time, but he
was an ungodly man. He hated the
sides that, he was one of those brusque.
cruel, unfeeling 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 be entirely lack
ing. But one day there came into his
Office an old, gray haired, gentle. beau
tful faced priest what do YOU
wantF' grufliy asked Dupuytren. For
answer the good priest began to take
on big wooden cravat 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 brutality said: you'll
have to die with that. This tumor can
never be cured" Thank you.- said
the priest Then he began to replace
the wooden cravat as he replied, 'I now
Know that l must prepare myself for
giving up my life's work and also pre-
pare my poor parishioners who love me
much for my leaving them" The great
surgeon turned his cold gray eyes up
on the priest Il minute, and those eyes
bored straight down into the patients
heart. Then he said, with gentle
voice: "0ome TO my hospital tomor-
row and we will see what we can do
There is one chance In a thousand TO
save you.''
Curing the Priest.
The priest came to the hospital the
next day. With a submissive prayer
he laid himself down upon the on
Grating table. In month he was
discharged a well man. AS he was
leaving he took out OF his pocket thir-
" pieces OF silver and with trembling
hand offered them to the surgeon, say
Ing: Doctor, this is all the money /
have. 1 walked all the way from nv
house to pay you this" But Dupuy-
trsn said, Keep them, man; keep
them" Then he opened his money
drawer and took out handful OF gold
ana poured the napoleons into the
priests lap and sand: Here is some
money for the poor. May God bless
you. his servant, to labor for him for
many years among your people, A
lew years later that great surgeon
died' believing, trusting Christian,
IN the arms Of that humble priest.
DID you ever read story more beam
ufulF And yet the power of the GOSPEL
Is being preached in many lives as that
humble priest by his serenity and faith
preached to Dupuytren. A man does
not have to stand in a pulpit TO he an
evangelist of Jesus Christ. The spirit
hiied life radiates supernatural ,nfiu-
ence everywhere. No sooner did those
sailors upon that Alexandrian corn
snip come into touch with Paul than
they felt there was a supernal power
about him which they lacked. What
Is the spiritual influence of your life. o
man! What Is the spiritual Influence
or your life, O woman? In order that
your friends and neighbors may be sure
that you are a Christian, do they have
10 go to the church books and find
your name enrolled among its mem
bers? Or by your looks, by your gen.
tie words, by your simple, trustful
faith, do they perceive that you are
walking with God, even as Enoch
walked in the early ages of the worlds
history? I do not ask you if Won ara
= preaching Christ from a plpit but T
ask whether your light is shining so
that men seeing your daily life realize
that God Is in YOU of u truth? Is ii
spirit filed life which breaches the
gentieness of Jesus Christ wherever
yousgo2 i The sailors of that Alexan-
drian corn ship believed in Paul be-
cause PaulS face, like Moses, faca