The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1886-10-15
TALMAGE..S SERMON.
An Interesting Discourse on the
"The Stolen Grindstone."
4 singular Instance of Tyrsnnicsi OpPres-
sion-The Church should Use the
Worlds Sharpening tnstru-
ments-A Call to Work.

Rev. T. De Witt Talmage chose for the
subject of a recent sermon in the Brook
lyn Tabernacle the Philistines' oppres-
sion of Israel and the Lords interpcsition
in their behalf. as illustrative of the duty
of the Church to seize the worlds weapons
with which to encounter its foes. His
text was:
Now. there was no smith round throughout
al, the land of Israel: for the Philistines
ssid lest the Hebrews make them swords or
spears) But all the Israel ties went down
10 the Phiisiines tn sharpen every man his
share, and his coulter. and his axe, and his
mattock Vet they had file for the mat
tocks. and for the eoulters and for the forks
and for the axes, and TO sharpen the goads
Il. Samuel. Kill. IA 81.
What a calling subjugation for the
Israelitess The Philistines had carried
of all the blacksmiths, and torn down all
the blsoksmiths' trade in the land of Is
raeI. The Philistines would not even al
low these parties TO work their valuable
mines of brass and iron, nor might they
make any swords or spears. There were
only two swords left in all the land Yes,
these Phiiistines went on until they had
taken oil the grindstcnes frorn the Ianl of
Israel, so that IL an Israeliiish farmer
wanted TO sharpen his pillow or is axe, he
had TO go over to the garrison of the Pulls
tines TO get it dane. There was only one
sharpening instrument left in The land,
and that was file. TIE farmeg and the
mechanics having nothing TO uhet up the
c. utter, AMI the goad, aud the pick-axe.
save simple file. Industry was hindered.
and work practically disgraced. The great
idea Of these Philistines was 10 keep the
lsraelites disarmed. They might get iron
out of the hills to make swords of, but
they would nothave any blacksmiths to
weld this iron. II they got the iron weld
ed they would have no grindstones on
which TO bring the instruments of agri-
culture or the military weapons up 10 an
edge. q. You poor, weaponlesS Israelitas,
reduced TO a file, how I pity YOU. But
these Philistnes were not ,rever 10 keep
their heel on the neck of Gods children.
Jonathan on his HAMS and knees climbs
up great rock bevonl which were the
Philisiines; ard his armor-Iearer. on his
hands and knees. climbs up the same
rock. and these two men with their two
swords hew TO pieces the Philistines. the
Lord throwing a great terror upon them.
80 il was then: so il is now. Two men OF
God on their knees, mightier than a
fhilistine host on their feet.
| learn first from this subject how
dangerous it is for the Chm On OF God TO
allow its weapons 10 stav in the hands ~
its enemies. These Israelites might again
and again have obtained a supply Of
swords and weapons, as for instance W hen
they took the spoils Of the Ammonites:
hut these lsraelites seemed content 70
have no swords, no spears, no blacksmiths.
no arindstones. no active iron mines. until
II was too late for them to make any re-
sstance. see the farmers Juggling along
NitHtheir pick-axes and pillow, and | say:
"''here are you going with those
tbngs:r
They say: "Oh, we are going over to the
garrison OF the Philistines 10 get these
things sharpened."
say: "You foolish men, why don't you
sharpen them at home:"
oh" they say. "the blacksmith's shops
tire all torn down, and we have nothing
left us but file"
So il is in the Church of Jesus Christ 20.
day. We are too willing to give up om
weapons TO the enemy. The world boasts
that it has gobhled up the schools. and the
colleges, and the arts, and the scien ces,
and the literature, and the printing press.
Infde!ity is making mighty attempt &c
get all our weapons in its hands aud then
TO keep them. You know it is max
ing this boast all the time, and
after awhile, when the great battle
between sin and righteousness has
opened, il we do not look out we will be as
badly off as these 1sraelises, without any
swords TO fight with and without any
sharpening instruments. | call upon the
superiasendents of literary institutions 10
see TO il that the men who 60 into the
class-rooms TO stand beside the Levden
jars, and the electric batteries. and the
microscopes and telescopes. be children OF
God; not Philistines. The Carlylean,
Emersonian and Tyndallean thinkers Of
this day are trying to get all the intel
lectual weapons Of this cen. ury in their
own grasp. What we want is scientific
Christians TO capture the science, and
scholastic Christians to capture the schol-
arship, and philosophic Christians 70
capture the philosophy, AMI featuring
Christians to take back the lecturiug plat
form. We want TO send out against
Schenkel, and Strauss, and Renan, q
Theodore Christlieb, of Bonn: and agains,
the infidel scientists of the dav God
worshiping Si.liman, and Hitchcock, and
Agassiz- We want TO capture all the
philosophical apparatus and swing around !
the telescopes on the swivel, until through
them we can see the morning star of the
Reieemer, and with meteorological ham
mer discover the Rock of Ages, and amid
the fora OF the realms find the. Rose OF
Sharon and the Lily Of the Valley.
We want a clergy learned enough to dis.
course of the human eve, showing ii to be
q microscope and telescope in one instru-
ment. with eight wonderful contrivances
and lids closing $1,000 or 1900 times a
day; all its muscles, and nerves, aud bones
showing the infinite skill of an infinite
God, and then winding up with the pero-
ration: q
He that formed the eye, hall he not see?
And then we want TO discourse about
the human ear, its wonderful integuments.
membranes and vibration, an its chain
of small bones, AMI its auditory nerve.
closing with the question:
lie that planted the ear, shall he not hear;
And We want some one able to expound
the first chapter of Genesis, bring to it
the geology and the astronomy of the
world, until, as Job suggested:
The stones Of the field shall be in league
with the truth, and the stars in their
course shall fight against Ssera o,
Church of God, go out and recapturs
these weaponsl
Let men of God go out and take possess
sion OF the platform. Let any printing
presses that have been captured by the
enemy be recap,ured for God: and the
reporters, and the type-setters,
and the editors, and the publishers
swear allegiance to the G Il of truth.
All, my friend. that day must come.
end il the great body OF Christian men
have not the fsith, or the courage. ar the
conservation to do il, then lei some Jana-
than On his busy hands and on his prav.
ing knees climb up on the r eek of Hin.
arsnce, and m the name Of the Lord God
Of Israel slash to pieces those literary
Philistines. II these men will not be con.
verted to God, then they m ust be over
thrown.
Again. I learn from this subject what