Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-03-07
Calnnase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. d. d.

bandman the preacher shows us how
to secure the richest harvests by using
our opportunities for rendering loyal
service to God and our fellow men. The
text Is fiaggal. |, 3. u: Consider your
ways Ye have sown much and bring
In little"
4 short time ago | had most inter
es;ing conversation with an American
missionary who had spent many years
In China He was telling ME about the
marvellous changes which have been
Initiated In China since the Boxer up.
rising of 1900. | had asked him to tell
me something about the Japanese peril
and what would be the condition OF
the east II the mikado succeeded In
dominating the whole Asiatic cont.
nent.
Much to my surprise he answered:
Japan will never dominate the east.
Japan will never dominate China. The
great peril of the east is not to be
found In Japan. but In China. The
oldest civilization on earth was in
China All the civilization Japan has
ever received has come from China.
The dominance OF the east will come
not from military but from CONNER
cial power. and the greatest merchants
Of all the east are the Cinnamon. They
can buy and sell all round the Japa-
nese. They have the kcenest mercan.
tile brains of the eastern hemisphere.
| Furthermore. they have military gen
ius. Lord Wolseley as well as General
Grant testified that when he is rightly
trained and handled the Chinaman
makes the greatest soldier that ever
| lived. He Is a man absolutely without
nerves. lie can exist upon the dainty
diet OF a handful OF rice. And he is
man who knows no fear.
"China has been dead for 1000 years.
But the giant of the east is now wax
Ing up China has never been govern
ed by set of practical men. but only
by n set of scholars, or of what is
| called the literary class. For instance.
four years ago In my province 10000
students came up for examination upon
the teachings and the legends of an
cient China. From among those schol-
airs would be selected the future rulers
of China. But now all that Is done
away. Two years ago by an edict
from the throne the Chinese literary
students were wiped from the face Of
the earth. When that little handful OF
foreigners marched from the seacoast
up 10 Picking the Chinese court was
compelled to acknowledge that west
ern civilization was more potent civ
illZatlon than theirs. Now China IS be
ing reorgaulzed upon the lines or our
western civilization. Her armies are
being disciplined by German officers.
Her students are being educated along
technical lines. Her mines and re-
sources are being developed Her
opium curse In ten years Will be COM
pletey wiped out by governmental
power. And within thirty years a new
China will arise which will not only
| dominate the east but will he mighty
factor in dominating the world And
II we are going to Christianize China
we must do II within the next thirty
years for after that II will be too late"
IN inirtt years.
This was the testimony of Chris
tian missionary who knows China
we'll Now, II 1t il true. as believe
1t Is, 1t indicates that the Chinese gov
eminent has statesmanlike sagaclty.
They found that their method of edu-
cation did not produce good results
! did not produce the results they ex-
pected from II, so they have changed
II. That Is wise course. Thinking
over II. | wonder whether we, as a
Christian community. ought not to do
the same thing. Our methods are not
producing the effects we expected
Where Is the fault? What is the cause
Of the poor spiritual harvest? SO this
morning want you 10 join with me In
following the prophets advice. Let us
consider our ways"
Now. think the fault Is not that
you are unwilling 20 work for Christ
You are like the people OF my text
who as husbandmen have scattered
the seed far and wide But at the time
or harvest you have only gathered In
few miserable grains OF wheat, all
withered up and almost useless. Now.
are YOU willing to let me diagnose the
spiritual failings OF your lifef And
remember that when | am preaching
against your spiritual faults am dag
hosting my own spiritual shortcomings
rs well.
Our scanty spiritual harvests. In the
trst place. are due TO our lack of 10y
atty to God We are not as class de
voted heart and mind and soul 10 his
service. We only give TO him luke
warm allegiance. Indeed. most OF us
and | speak the words calmly and de
nberately-do not know what the word
loyalty" means In any department OF
life. We do not know the full signlh
canoe OF allylng ourselves to man or
Institution. And we are jus; as luke
warm to our spiritual king.
The Spirit Of Loyalty.
go down 70 the store and find a
clerk behind the counter. Now, by