The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-16
LESSONS OF SAMSON'S LIFE.
DR.. Talmage Discusses the Two Sides of
the Character of the Bible Giant.
PHYSICAL Power Not an Index Of Moral
trength-Nischief that May BE Done
by Force That Is Wrongly Guided.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal

BROOKLYN n Y, Nov. l5.-There was an
Overlooking attendance at the Tabernacle this
morning and the service was intensely inter
esting throughout Musical selections included
On organ solo by Prof. Henry Eyre Brown,
namely Sonata No /, in D minor, by Gull
mant An impressive characteristic of the vocal
music at DR.. Talmage's Tabernacle is the sing
ing by the entire congregation Six thousand
voices blended, those of men, women and chill
dren make noble chorus The opening hymn
was:
'tAm soldier of the cross,
A follower of the lamb
DIR. Talmage expounded the chapter in the
book of Samuel where David is called while
watching sheep and anointed king. the preacher
remarking that God always calls busy people
and never calls idlers and that there were fish
ermen yawnng in the sun, on the bank of Cali
lee too lazy to move. and got no divine recog-
milton, while the honors of discipleshp came to
those who were mending their nets. The text
was taken from Judges xiv, l: "And Samson
went down to Timnath" The subject of the
sermon was Drawn and Muscle" DR.. Talmage
said
There are two sides to the character of Sam
son. The one phase of his life, if followed into
particulars, would administer to the grotesque
and the mirthful; but there is phase Of his
character fraught with lessons of solemn and
eternal import To these graver lessons we de-
vote this discourse This giant no doubt in
early life gave evidence of what he was to be.
It is almost always so. There were two Napo-
Icons, the boy Napoleon and the man Napoleon,
but both alike; two Towards, the boy Howard
and the man Howard, but both alike; two Sam
sons the boy Samson and the man Samson, but
both alike. This giant was no doubt the hero
of the playground, and nothing could stand be-
fore his exhibitions Of youthful proves. At
eighteen years of age he was betrothed to the
daughter of a Philistine. Going down toward
Fimnath a lion came out upon him. Although
this young giant was weaponless, he seized the
monster by the long name and shook him as a
hungry hound shakes March hare. and made its
bones crack, and left it by the wayside bleeding
under the shifting of his fist and the grinding of
his heel. Passing along after while, the same
place, he turned into thicket to see the remains
of the monster he had slain Under the hot
climate all the perishable particles of the lion
had disappeared and under the rain and the sun
the skeleton had been washed and bleached until
it was as pure and as white as vase of porce-
lain. Into this skeleton the bees had gathered
their honey, the sweetness of grass tops the
juice of the pomegranate, the aroma of the wild
flowers which had stood in the gloom of the
thickets, pale nuns in natures convent On the
wedding day Samson had propounded riddle
riddle so foolish that it has been regarded as
warning for those who, without talent for face
tiousness, attempt it. By the treachery of his
wife the riddle was easily guessed by the
Philstnes, and Samson in his indigna-
ton slew thirty people. Further to avenge
the wrong done him he sets on fire three hun
dred foxes, and these terrified creatures, in their
alarm, rush into the corn-shocks and vineyards,
until the whole land is ablaze with the desola-
ton. Surrounded one day by three hundred
men, this giant picked up jawbone from the
waysde, and mows down armed mer as in the
harvest field the full head tumbles llder the
swing of the sickle.
There he stands looming up above ether men.
a mountain of flesh; his arms punched with
muscle that can lift the gate of city, taking an
attitude defiant of everything His hair had
never been cut and it rolled down in seven great
plaits over his shoulders adding to his ferceness
and terror. The Philistines want to conquer
him, and therefore they must find out where the
secret of his strength lays There is
dissolute woman living in tho valley of
point her the agent in the case. The
Philistines are secreted in the same building
and then Delilah goes to work and coaxes Sam
son TO tell what is the secret of his strength.
"Well," he says, 'if you should take seven
green withes such as they fasten wild beasts
with, and put them around me, l should be per-
fectly powerless" SO she binds him with the
seven green withes. Then she caps her hands
and says: 'They come-the Philistines" and he
walks out as though there were no impediment
Shap hI1Yla nd Nov
She secret of this great strength" and he replies:
IF you should take some ropes that have never
been used and tie me with them, should be just
like other men," She ties him with the ropes,
claps her hands and shouts: They come-the
Phllistines!' He walks out as easily as he did
before--not single obstruction. She coaxes
aim again. and he says "Now, if you should
sake these seven long paits of hair and.
by this house-loom, weave them into
Web could not get away" So the houseloom
is rolled up and the shuttle flies backward and
forward and the long plaits of hair are woven
into web Then she claps her hands and says
''They come-the Philistinesp' He walks out as
easily as he did before dragging a part of the
loom with him. But after while she persuades
aim to tell the truth. He says: IF you should
take razor or shears and cut off this long hair,
should be powerless and in the hands of my
enemies" Samson sleeps, and that she may not
wake him up during the process of shearing,
help is called in. You know that the BARRIERS of
the East have such.a skillful way of manipulate
ing the head to this very day that instead of
waking up sleeping man, they will put man,
wide awake sound asleep hear the blades of
the shears grinding against each other
and see the long locks falling off. The shears
razor accomplishes what green withes and
new ropes, aud house loom could not do. Sud
denly she claps her hands and says: ''The Phil
istines be upon thee. Samson!" He rouses up
with struggle but his strength is all gone He
Is IN the hands of his enemies l hear the groan
OF the giant as they take his eyes out and then
see him staggering on in his blindness, feeling
his way as he goes on towards GAIA. The prison
door Is open and the giant is thrust in He sits
down and puts his hand on the mill-crank.
which, with exhausting horizontal motion. goes
day after day, week after week, month after
month-work, work. work! The CONSERVATION
of the world in captivity, his locks shorE, his
eyes punctured, grinding corn in Gazal
First of all, behold in this giant of the text
that physical power is not an index of moral
power. He was q huge man. The lion found it