Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-01-31
SUNDAYS SERMON.
VT Of REV. DIR TALMAGEs
O' srERLING DISCOURSES.
..,t.ct. orhe Homewara March


There Is intense excitement in the village
.,gitlag David and his men are bidding
ea.od-hve to their families, and are of for
ss wars. in that little village OF Ziklag the
satonseless ones will be safe until the war
v;ors flushed with victory, come home. But
III the deienseless ones be safel The soft
',ms If children are around the necks of the
s.Onzed warriors until they shake them
.alyos free ami start, and handkerchiefs
sns Aags are waved and kisses thrown
mil the armed men vanish beyond the
sIs David and his men soon get
,sbrourh with their campaign and start home
Srd Every night ON their way home, no
'0oner does the soldier put his head on the
s"ansack than in bis dream he hears the
sslfome of the wife and the shout of the
'Sld oh, what long stories they viii have
.otell their families, of how they lodged the
ssttIeaxl and then will roll up their sleeve
snd chow the half healed wound. With glad
INCL stem they march on. David and his
Tsn for they are marching home. Now
,hsy come up to the last hill
rhicb overlooks Ziklag, and they expect
n a moment to see the dwelling places of
,beir loved ones. They look, and as they
ook their cheeks torn pale, and their lip
cniyers. and their hand involuntarily comes
down on the hit of the sword. "Wbere is
Nkag! Where are our homesW they cry.
Aasl the curling smoke above the ruin tells
he tragedy. The Amalekites have come
Sown and consumed the village, and carried
me mothers and the wives and the children
n David and bis men into captivity. The
suarthy warriors stand for a few moments
transfxed with horror. Then their eyes glance
Al each other and they burst into uncon-
rolable weeping; for when a strong war
ior weeps, the grief is appalling. 1t seems
AZ il the emotion might tear HIM to pieces.
Thew "wept until they had no more power to
weep But soon their sorrow turns into
rage and David, swinging his sword high in
me air. cries. Pursue, for thou shalt over
Dke them, and without fail recover
ALL Now the march becomes a
adouble-quick' Two hundred OF
Besor, faint with fatigue and grief. They
cannot 90 step farther They are left
there Eut the other four hundred men UNI
der David, with a sort of panther step, march
On in sorrow and in rage They find by the
side of the road halt-dead Egyptian, and
tbey resuscitate him, and compel him to tell
NE whole story. He says: "Yonder they
vent the captors and the captives," pointing
in the direction Forward, ye four hun.
drd brave men Of fire. Very soon
David and his enraged company
come upon the Amalekitish host. Yonder
thew see their own wives and children and
mothers and under Amalekitish guard. Here
srethe officers of the Amalekitsh army hold
ing banquet. The cups are full, the music
kroused the dance begins. The Amalekitish
h9t cheer and cheer and cheer over
TIER victory. But, without note of bugle
Gwarnng Of trumpet David and his four
4 hundred men burst upon the scene. suddenly
Robert Bruce hur ed his Scotchmen upon
The jewellers at Bannockburn. David and
bis men ltok up and one glance at their loved
ones in captivity and under Amalekitish
guard throws them into very fury of de-
termination; for you know how men
will fight when they fight for their
wives and children. All, there are
ightnings in their eye, and every finger
is spear, and their voice is like the shout of
the whirlwnd. Amidst the upset tankards
and the costly vianis crushed underfoot the
wounded Amaekites lie their blood ming
ling with their wine) shr eking for mercy.
No sooner do David and his men win the VIC
tory Than they throw their swords down
into the dust-what do they want with
swords nowt-and the broken families
come together. amidst great shout of
Joy that makes the parting scene in
Llsag seem very insIpid IN the com
parson. The rough old warrior has to use
some persuasion before he can get his chlld
70 come to him now after SO long an absence;
but soon the little finger traces the familiar
wrinkle across the Scared face. AMI then
The empty tankards are set up, and they are
filed with the best wine from the hills, and
David and his men, the husbands. the wives,
lle brothers the sisters, drink to the over
1row Of the Amalekltes and TO the rebuilding
Of Liklag So, o Lord. let thine enemies perishi
Now they are coming home. David and his
men and their families-a long procession.
Men, women and children. loaded with
jewels and robes and with all kinds of
trophies that the Amalekites had gathered
Up 10 years OF onquest-everything now IN
ite hands Of Davi and his men. When
llsy come ty the brook Besor, the place
Were stad the men sick and incompetent
70 travel, the jewels and the robes
ana all kinds OF treasures are divided
snolg the sick as well as among the well.
Srely, the lame and exhau.ted ought to
i've some OF the treasures Here is robe
LAS pae-faced warrior Here is pillow
ms dying man. Here is a handful OF
wv lot the wasted trumpeter. ] really
wax mat these men who tainted 10y the
t@k besor may have endured as much as
~ - men who went INTO tattle. Some mean
.. sos objected TO tie sics ones having any
y zoe spolls The objectors said: These
usl ola mo- fghtn David, with magnani
,uos heart, replies: LAS his part is that
sS.a Down to the battle, so shall his part be
O1i larrieth by the stuff"
ias SUBJECT is practically suggestive to
| NO. M ihank God in these times n man cen
80 oh a journey, ana De gone weeks ant
IL, a.ls and come back and see his house I'm.
s' uslel OF incendiary, and have his family
-, 1e step to greet him, il by telegram he
H., .O,eIold the moment of his coming. But
/ Az are Amalekitish disasters, and there
nm, laiektish diseases, that sometimes
r,ss.. eO"n upon ones home. making as de-
A. ~ work as the day when Ziklag took
M, tuere are families IN my congregation
- uoihes have Ueen broken up. No bat
e,g,.s9 i ~, smote in the door, no iconoclast
~ 49, tne statues no flame leaped amidst
| ns.. rams; but so far as all the joy apd
4 4, .ueht that once belonged to that house
- F,erned. the home has departad
1 - diseases came down upon the quiet
= y. tae seene-scarlet fevers, or pleurisies,
a. 1mptions, or underlined disor iers
4 irle seized upon some mem Ders of that
| - ana carried them away. Ziklag in
4 I, = ana You 20 about. Sometimes weep
Il sometimes enraged, wanting to get
our loved ones as much as David
49, men wanted TO reconstruct their
i IL, g. ~. households. Ziklag in ashes! Some
vent on from home You couubsd
Your absence. Every day ssem,-l
q - 4 = a week Oh. how glad you were
s.-i - TINE came for you to go aboari the
Il fr,aal or rail car and START for homel
4 M 5-..,,'ssa n on went up the street where
Issr6,.si ~ was, and in the ght you put
4, lAnd on The door hell and behalli il
"a ,tpsi with the signal OF bereavement.
~