The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-04-08
PULPIT UTTERANCES..
DR.. Talmage on the Power Of Left
Handed Men.
The Danger OF Striving for worldly Eis
vatioft-what Awkward Usefulness Has
Accomplishments Highest OF All
,, Euioglums--Homo Pictures. i Z.

DroohiJh iapoihtlclo was Ou Uue bUDJecD Oh
Awkward Usefulness" The text was
from Judges, ill.,, 10: "But when the chill
dren of Israel cried unto the Lord the Lord
raised them up deliverer, Ehud, the son
Of Gera, Benjamite, q man left-handed,
and by him the children OF Israel sent
present unto Eglon, the King of Moab"
A LEFT-HANDED JUDGE.
Ehud was ruler in Israeli He was left
handed, and what was peculiar about the
tribe Of Benjamin, to which he belonged,
there were in 1t seven hundred left-handed
men; and yet so dexterous had they all
become in the use of the left hand that the
Bible says they could sling stones at a
hairs breadth aud not miss. Well, there
was King by the name of Eglon, who
was an oppressor Of Israel. He imposed
upon them most outrageous tax. Ehud,
the man Of whom first spoke, had di.
vine commission to destroy that oppressor.
He came, pretending that he was going to
pay the tax, and asked to see King Eglon.
He was told he was in the summer house,
the place to which the King retired when
it was too hot to sit in the palace. This
summer-house was place surrounded by
flowers and trees and spIinging fountains
and warbling birds. Ehud entered the
summer-house and said to King Eglon that
he had a secret errand with him. I'M
mediately all the attendants were waved
out of the royal presence. King Eglon
rises up to receive the messenger. Ehud,
the left-handed man, puts his left hand to
his right side, pulls out dagger and
thrusts Eglon through until the haft went
In after the blade. Eglon falls. Ehud
comes forth to blow a trumpet of right
amidst tho mountains Of Ephraim; and q
great host is marshaled, and proud Moab
submits TO the conqueror and Israel Is free.
SO, o Lord, let all Thine enemies perish |
80, o Lord, let all Thy friends triumph "A
LEFT-HANDED GENIUS.
J learn first from this subject the power
OF left-handed mon. There are some men
who by physical organization have as
much strength in their left hand as in
their right; but there is something in the
writing Of this text which implies that
Ehud had some defect In his right hand
which compelled him to use the left Oh,
the power Of left-handed menl Genius Is
often self -observant, careful Of itself, not
given to much toll, burning incense to its
own aggrandizement, while many q man
with no natural endowments, actually de-
fective in physical and mental organiza.
ton, has an earnestness for the right, q
patient industry, an all consuming perse-
yerance, which achieve marvels for tho
Kingdom Of Christ. Though lsft.handed
as Ehud, they can strike down q sin as
great and imperial as Eglon. have seen
men Of wealth gathering about them all
their treasures, snufling at the cause Of a
world lying in wickedness, roughly order
ing Lazarus off their doorstep; sending
their dogs, not to lick his sores, but to
hound him of heir premises; catching all
tho pure rain Of Gods blessing into the
stagnant, ropy, frog-inhabited pool of
their own selfishness-right-ha man
worse than useless-while many a man
with large heart and little purse has out of
bis limited means made poverty leap for
joy, and started an influence that over
spaus the grave, and will swing round and
round the throne OF God, world without
end, amen. All, me! it Is high time that
you left-handed men, who have been long
ing for this gift and that eloquence aid
the other mans wealth, should take your
left band out Of your pockets. Who made
all these railroadsy Who set up all those
cities? Who started all these churches and
schools and asylunsy Who has done the
tagging and running and pullingf Men OF
no wonderful endowments, thousands Of
them acknowledging themselves to bo left
handed, and yet they were earnest, and
yet they were determined, and yet they
vero triumphant.
LEFr-HASDED USEFULNESS.
But do not suppose that Ehud, the first
time he took sling In his left hand, could
throw a stone hairs breadth and not
miss. l suppose II was practice that gave
him the wonderful dexterity. Go forth TO
your spheres Of duty and be not discouraged
II in your first attempts you miss the mark.
Ehud missed It. Take another stone, put
II carefully into the sling, swing 1t around
your head, take better aim, and the next
time you will strike the center. The first
time mason rings his trowel upon the
brick he does not expect 10 put up q per-
fact wall. The FIRST time carpenter sends
his plane over u board or drives bit
through beam he does not expect to
make perfect execution. The first time
boy attempts rhyme he does not expect
to chime a "Lal.a Rookh" or a Lady Of
tas Lake" Do not be surprised II in your
hrst efforts to do good you are not largely
successful. Understand that usefulness is
an art, a science, a trade. There was an
oculist performing a very difficult opera
tion ON the human eye. A young doctor
stood by and said: "How easily you do
that; IL doesu't seem to cause you any
trouble at ALL" "Ah," said the old oculist,
sit Is very easy now, but | spoiled q hat
ful OF eyes 10 learn that.n Be not surprised
IL II takes some practice before we
can help men tomoral eyesight, and bring
them to vision OF the cross. Left handed
mon TO the work! Take the Gospel for q
sting and faith anl repentance for the
smooth stone from the brook; take sure
sjra, God directs the weapon, and great
Gonaths will tumble before you. When
Oorihsldi wa, goug Quit battle he told
his troops what he wanted them TO do;
and after he had described what he
,~antod tbcm 10. do they said; "Well,
osnersi, Mbst are you going TO give us for
all this" "Wcll," he replied, ~ don't
know what else you will get, but you will
get hungsr, and cold, and wounds and
death. How do Won like ityD His men