Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-01-30

DRoOKLYN, January 20.-Tbe Rev. L.
ID De Witt Taimage, d D., having ex-
pounded appropriate passages of Scrip
ture gave out the hymn:
"Who are these in bright array.
This inumera;le lhrong,
Round the altar night and day
Tuning their triumphant song p
The subject of the sermon was: "The
March Hpmeward." ard the tex' Samuel,
chapter 30, verse 8: pursue; for thou shalt
surely overtake them, and without fail re-
cover ALL" DR.. Talmage said:
There is intense excitement in the village
of Ziklag. David and his men are bidding
good bye to their families, and are off for
the wars. In that little village of Ziklag
the defenceless ones will be safe until the
warriors, flushed with victory, come home
But will the defenceless ones be safe? The
soft arms of children are around the necks
of the b1opzed warriors until they shake
themselves free and start, and -handker-
chiefs 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 homeward.
Every night on their way home, no sooner
does the soldier put his head on the KNAPP
sack than in his dream he hears the vel
come of the wife and the shout of the child
On, what long stories they will have to tel
their families, of how they lodged the bat
tle-axe; and then will roll up their sleeves
and show the halfhealed wound. With
glad, quick step they march on, David and
his men, for they are marching home. Now
| they come up to the last hill which over
looks Ziklag, and thay expect in moment
to see the dwelling places of their lovec
ones. They look, aud as they look theil
cheeks turn pale, and their lip quivers, ano
their hand involuntarily comes down on the
bilt of the sword. "Where is Ziklag
Where are our homes?" they cry. Alas
the curling smoke above the ruin tells the
tragedy. The Ama!ekites have come
down and consumed the village, and car
ried the mothers and the wives and the
children of David and his men into captivi-
| ty. The swarthy warriors stand for few
moments transixed with horror. Then thei
eyes glance to each other, and they buss
into uncomfortable weeping; for when {
strong warrior weeps, the griefis appalling
1t seems as if the emotion might tear hin
to pieces. They swept until they had nt
more power to weep" But soon their sor
row turns into rage, and David, swinging
his sword high 10 air, cries: pursue; fo
thou shalt oversake them, and without fal
recover all.' Now the march becomes
''double quick" Two hundred of David
men stop by the brook Besor, faint with
fatigue and grief. they cannot go stel
father. They are laft there. But the 9th
er four hundred men under David, with
sort of panther step, march On in sorroV
and in rage They fad by the side Of tn
road half-dead Egyptian, and they re
suscisa ate him, and compel him to tell th
whole story. He says: "Yonder they went
the captors and the captives." pointing il
the direction. Forward, ye four hundred
brave men of fire! Very soon David hst
his enraged company come upon the Amale
kitish host. Yonder they see their owl
wives aud children ard mothers, and pnde
Amalekitish guard. Here are the officer
of the Amalek,t tisb army holding banquet
The cups are full, tie music is ronsed, III
dance begins. The Amalekitish host cbee
and cheer and cheer over their victory. Bat
without note of breie or warning of truIn
pet, David and his four hundred men burs
upOn the scene. suddenly ss Robert Bruc
hurled his Scolchmen upon the revelers d
Bsunock burn. David ard his men looke
up, and one glance at their loved ores il
captivity and under Amalekitish guar
throws them into very fury of determine
tion; for you know how men will fgh
when they fight for their wives and chi
dren. All, there are Eghtniugs in thei
eye, and every finger is a spear, and thei
VOICE is like the shout of the whirlwind
Amidst the upset taukards and the cnstl
viands crushed nnGerfoot the wouude
Amalekites lie (their blood miugliDg wit
their wine) shriekiDg for mercy. No sooI