Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-01-27
TIE lI0MEWARD MARCH.
SERMON PREACHED BY REV. 7. De
WITT TALMAGE, o. o., JAN. 20.

ami Recover Their Loved Ones from the
Power Of the Evil One.
BRooGLYY, Jan. 2O.-The Rev. T.
De Witt Talmage, ID. D., having ex-
pounded appropriate passages of Scrip
ture, gave out the hymn;
Who arc these in bright array.
This inuumerable throne,
Round the altar night and day
Tuning their triumphant songy
Tie subject of the sermon was The
March Homeward," and the text |
Samuel, XXX, s: Pursue: for thou
shalt surely overtale them. and with
out fail recover all" Dr. Talmage
said:
There is intense excitement in the
village of Ziklag. David and his men
are bidding good-by TO their families,
and are oil for the wars. In that lit
tie village Of Ziklag the defenselcss
ones will be safe until the warriors.
flushed with victory, come home. But
will the defenseless ONES be safe. The
soft arms of children are around the
necks Of the bronzed warriors until
they shake themselves free and start,
and handkerchiefs and flags are
waved and kisses thrown until the
armed men vaNish beyond the hills.
David and his men soon get through
with their campaign and start nome
ward. Every night on their way
home, no sooner does the soldier put
his head OH the knapsack than in his
dream he hears the welcome of the
wife and the shout OF the child. Oh,
what long stories they will have to tell
their families, of how they lodged the
battle AK and then will roll up their
sleeve and show the half healed wound.
With glad, quick step, they march ON,
David and his men, for they are march
ing home. Now they come up 10 the
last hill which overlooks Ziklag, and
they expect in a moment TO see the
dwelling places Of their loved ones
They look, and as they look their
cheeks turn pale, and their lip quivers,
and their hand involuntarily comes
down on the hilt OF the sword.
Where is Ziklagl Where are our
homesr they cry. Alasl the curling
smoke above the ruin tells the tragedy,
The Amalekites have come down and
consumed the village, and carried the
mothers and the wives and the chill
dren of David and his men into
captivity. The swarthy warriors
stand for a few moments trans
fixed with horror. Then their
eyes glance 10 each other. and
they burst into uncomfortable weep
ing, for when a strong warrior weeps
the grief is appalling. II seems as II
the emotion might tear him to pieces.
They ''wept until they had no more
power TO weep" But soon their sor-
row turns into rage, and David, swing
ing his sword high in air, cries: "Pur-
sue for thou shalt overtake them, and
without fail recover all" Now the
march becomes q double quick
Two hundred Of David's men stop by
the brook Besor, faint with fatigue
and grief. They cannot 60 O step
farther. They are left there. But the
other four hundred men under David,
with sort Of panther step, march ON
In sorrow and in rage. They find by
the side Of the road o half dead
Egyptian, and they resuscitate him,
and compel him TO tell the whole
story. He says: "Yonder they went,
the captors and the captives, pointing
in the direction. Forward, ye four
hundred brave men of frel Very
soon David and his enraged company
come upon the Amalekitish host.
Yonder they see their own wives and
children and mothers, and under
Amalekitish guard. Hero are the Of
ficers OF the Amalekitish army hold
ing q banquet The cups are full,
the music is reused, the dance
begins The Amalekitish host cheer
and cheer and cheer over their vic
tory. But, without note Of bugle On
warning Of trumpet, David and his
four hundred men burst upon the
scene suddenly, as Robert Bruce hurled
his Scotchmen upon the jewellers at
Bannockburn. David and his men
look up, and one glance al their
loved ones in captivity and under
Amalekitish guard throws them into q
very fury Of determination; for you
know how men will fight when they
fight for their wives and children.
All, there are lightnings in their eye,
and every finger is q spear, and their
voice is like the shout OF the whirl-
wind. Amidst the upset tankards and
the costly viands crushed under foot,
the wounded Amaiekites iie their
blood mingling with their wine)
shrieking for mercy. No sooner dc
David and his men win the victory
than they throw their swords down into
the dust-what do they want with
swords nowf-and the broken families
come together amidst n great shout
Of Joy that makes the parting scene IN
ziklag seem very insipid IL ;;;;ss com
pariAon. The rough old warrior be-
70 use some persuasion before he can
get his child 70 come 10 him now after
70 long an absence; but soon the little
finger traces the familiar wrinkle
across the SCARED face. And thcn tho
empty tankards are sct up, and ucy
arc oiled with the best wine from the
hills, and David and his men, tho hus'
bands the wivcs the brothers the
sisters, drink 10 tnc overthrow oi uhc
Amalckites and 10 the rebuild'ng OF
zikIag 30, D Lord, let thine encmics
mE LOST sEcovEnEp.
Now thcy are coming home. David
and his men and their families long
uroo~rsion Nan. women and chill