The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-23
STRATAGEMS.
Rev. DR.. Talmage's Sunday Sermon.
He breaches to the Thirteenth New
York Regiment.
The Lessons of Joshua's Attack On
the City of All.
A Plea for the Courage Of Joshua
Among Christians.
ut is Easy to Keep on Parade Amid a
Shower Of Bouquets, But Not to
Stand Up in the Day of
Battle"
Special Dispatch to The Appeal.

Special Dispatch to The Appeal
PErKsKILI, N. V, July %. Chaplain
T. Dewitt Talmage preached today TO the
Thirteenth regiment OF the New York State
National Guards, now encamped here. The
regiment assembled at 3 o'clock p. m,
when people from the neighboring country,
towns and cities, were present in immense
numbers. A military band conducted the
musical part Of the service. Chaplain Tai
IMAGES sermon, which was on Uses Of
stratagem," was based on Joshua, viii,
z: Then We shall rise up from the am
bush, and seize upon the city," lie said /:
Men of the Thirteenth regiment, and
their friends here gathered, Of all occupa-
tions and professions, men Of the city and
men OF the fields, here is a theme fit for all
OF MS.
One Sabbath evening with my family
around me, we were talking over the scene
OF the text In the wide-open eyes and
the quick interrogations and the blanched
cheeks, realized what a thrilling dream
II was. There is the old city, shorter by
name than any other city in the ages,
spelled with two letters, A, Al. Joshua
and his men want to takeit How to do il
Is the question. On former occasion, in
n straightforward, face to face fight, they
had been defeated but now they are going
TO take il by ambuscade. Gen. Joshua has
two divisions in his army-the one division
the battle-worn commander will lead him
self, the other division he sends oil TO en-.
camp in an ambush on the west side OF
the city OF Al. No torches, no Ian
. terms, no sound OF heavy battalions,
but $4,000 swarthy worriors moving in
silence, speaking only in n whisper;
no clicking Of swords against shields
lest the watchmen of Al discover II and the
- stratagem be- a failure. II registering
soldier in the lsraelitish army iorgcts him
self, all along the line the word is "hush!"
Joshua takes the other division, the one
with which he is 10 march. and puts in on
the north side Of the city of All, and then
spends the night in accommodating in the
valley. There he is, thinking over the for
tunes OF the coming day, with something
ol the feelings OF Wellington the night be.
fore Waterloo, or Meade and Lee the night
iiANlN hffAANHuuIEs lUhNt ilt III INC
night and says 10 himself "Yonder is
the division have under my especial com.
mand ON the north Of Al. There Is the
old city slumbcring in liz sin. Tomorrow
will be the battle. Look the morning al
ready begins 10 tip the hills. The military
officers OF Al look out in the morning very
early, and while they do not see the divis.
ion in ambush, they behold the other
division Of Joshua, and the cry, ito arms
90 arms" rings through all the streets Of
the old town, and every sword, whether
hacked and bent or newly welded, is
brought out, and all the inhabitants Of the
city OF Al pour through the gates, an iniur-
lated torrent, and their cry H. Come,
Wen make quick work with Joshua and
his troops" No sooner had these people
Of Al como out against the troops OF Josh.
IN, than Joshua gave such a command as
he seldom gave: Fall back" Why,
they could not believe their own cans. Is
Joshua's courage failing him?
The retreat Is beaten aud the Iraelites
are flying, throwing blankets and cantcens
on every side under this worse than Bull
Run defeat. And you ought 10 hear the
soldiers Of Al cheer and cheer and cheer.
But they huzza too soon. The men lying
In ambush are stmining their vision 10 get
FNlNf III AhA nun hNNANA AllAA NlAfN may
know what time 10 drop upon the city.
Joshua takes his FURNISHED spear, glitter
il. ing In the sun like a shaft Of doom. and
points Il toward the city, and when the
men up yondcr In the ambush secs il with
hawk.like sWO0p they drop upon Al, aud
without stroke Of sword or stab Of spear
take the city and put i 10 the torch. No
much for the division that was In ambush.
How about the division under JOshua's
rommand3 No sooner does Joshua stop
IN the fight than all his men stop with
him, and NJ he wheels they wheel. Tor In a
voice Of thunder be cries HALT" One
strong arm driving back torrent Of flying
troops. And then. NJ he points his spear
through the golden light toward that fatal
city, his troops know that they arc 10 start
for H. What n scene Il was when the
division In ambush which had taken the
city marched down against the men Of Al
on the one side aud the troops under
Joshua doubled up their enemies from the
other side, and the men Of Al we're caught
between these two hurricanes Of Israeli.
fish courage, thrust before and behind,
stabbed In breast and back, ground be.
tween the upper and the neither mllstones
OF Gods indignation. Woe 20 the city
OF All Cheer for the triumphs OF israeli
~ victorious retreat. JOshua's falling back
was the iint chapter In his successful be,
ncgcmcnt. And there are times In your
life when the best thing YOU can do Il "a
run. You were once the victim Of strong
rink. Tho demijohn aud the dccantci
we're your fierce ioa. They came down
upon YOU with greater fury than the men
81 Al upon the men Of Joshua. Your only
aicty u 20 get away from them. You
disipating companions will come around
you for your overthrow Run for YOU
liiol Fall back Fall back from IN,
drinking saloon. Fall back from the win,
party. Your flight Is youradyance. You
retreat Is your victory There Is a saloot
down on the next street tina, las almos
been the ruin Of your soul. Then why AZ
y0a 30 along that street? Why do yot
not pas through some other street mthcl
than by the place Of your calamity
spoonful Of brandy taken for medcna
purposes by man who, twenty years be
lore had been reformed from drunkenness
hurled into inobricty and the grave one o
The best friends ever had. Your retreat
A your victory Here IA "A converted inf