Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1880 — A Spoiled Sermon. [ARTICLE]

A Spoiled Sermon.

A Yarmouth (Me.) preacher, while illustrating the need and efficacy of prayer, drew an illustration from his own experience. He was out on a lake in a boat, w hen by mischance he lost both oars. The wind was rising, night was coming on and he was in imminent danger of being swamped and finding a watery grave. What could he do ? Evidently nothing for himself, so he knelt down and prayed long and fervently for deliverance. He placed himself in the hands of the Lord and so was saved. So he passed from one thing to another, and at last the sermon was finished. He raised his hands to pronounce the benediction. The audience stood with bowed heads waiting for the gracious words, when old Capt. Sweetser, of North Yarmouth, a rugged old sea-dog, cried out: “Say, Mr. Preacher, I w’ant you to tell me how you got ashore ?” The audience was still no more, but broke into a roar, and it was fully five minutes before the minister could explain that a man saw him from the shore and put out in another boat and took him off. But the effect for good of one sermon was spoiled.