West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-01-31
MARCH HOMEWARD.
REV. DIR, rALMAGEs SERMON
words OF Good Cheer For All Who
Travel Life's Journey.

TEXT: Pursue: for thou shan s.r,l,
ouertake them, and ,oithout rail recoue,
AL Samuel, Xxx, s.
mere Is intense excitement in the villan,
ol IiklaR. David and his men are biddin,
kooo-pye 70 their families, and are or foi
= nan In that little village OF Ziklag Tn,
uoiehseiess ones will be safe until the war
rlors, flushed with victory, come home. Bnt
VIII the deienseless ones be safol The son
arms OF children are around the necks of tins
Dronzed warriors until they shake them
seises ireo start, and handkerchief,
ana nags are waved and kisses throw
unsu the armed men vanish Ieyond IN,
hils David and his men soon Gel
through with their campaign and start home
snona livery night on their way home, nc
FnapSack than in his dream no hears tn
welcome OF the wife and the shout % tins
child; oh, what long stories they viii have
SO.eh tneir families, of how they lodged the
oattle-ax! and then will roll up their sleevs
ana show the half healed wound. With glad.
quick step they march on, David and hi,
men, Tor they are marching home. Now
sISy come up, 70 tho last hill
IN a moment to sec the dwelling places n,
their loved ones. They look, ami as thew
look their cheeks turn pale, and their lin
qulNers, and their hand involuntarily comes
down on the hilt Of the sword. sIyhere h
Ziklagi Where are our homes, tbsv q
AIasi the curling smoke above the ruin tell,
the tragedy. The Amalekites have conn
down and consumed the village. and carried
s1e motners and the wives and the children
oL Davld and his men into captivity. The
swarthy warriors stand for a few moments
transnxed with horror. Then their ewes glance
at each other, and they burst into nncon.
trolaole weeping; for when a strong war.
Ilor weepS, tho grief is appalling. IL seems
as II the emotion might tenr him 10 pieces
1ney "ept until they had no more power tc
weep" But soon their sorrow Turns intc
rage, and David, swinging his sword high in
y uir, cries; Pursue, for thou shalt over.
take them, and without fail recover
NIL" Now the march becomes n
. double-quick." Two bundred
Davids men stop by the brook
Desor, rant with fatigue and grief. They
cannot go a step farther. They are left
there. but the other four hundred men nm
der David, with a sort of panther step. march
on In sorrow and in rage. They find by the
s,ae OF the road a half-dcad Egyptian, and
tney reSuscitate him, and compel him to tell
the whole story. He saws: "Yonder tbev
went, the captors and the captives.o p%ointine
IN the direction. Forward, We four hun. |
1red brave, men Of firel Very soon
c D@rou ana his enraged company
tney sec their own wives and children and
mothers, and under Amalekitish guard Here
areth officers of the Amalekitish army hold
ing a banquet: The cups are full, the music
CNAAt 0NkAnd. TIC AfnHlGkltl-h /
most cheer and cheer and cheer over
onelr victory. But, without note OF buele
or warning Of trumpet, David and his four
hundred men burst upon the scene, suddenly
as rooerI Bruce hurried his Scotchmen upon
the jewellers at B~annockburn. David and
ms men icok up, one glance at their loved
ones IN captivity and under Amalekitfsh
guard throws them into n very fury of de-
seFmination; for you know how men
VIII tight when they fight for their
wives and children. Al, there are
nghtnings in their eye, and every fnoer
y a spear, and their voice is like the shout OF
me whirlwlnd. Amidst the upset tankards
and the costly viands crushed underfoot the
wounded Amalekites lie their blood minD-
ing with their wine) shrieking for mercY.
NO sooner do David and his men win the vic.
tory than they throw their swords down
,nuo the oust-what do they want with
come together amidst n great shout OF
10y, that makes the parting scene i'm
Ilkiag seem very insIpid IN the com
parlson. The rough old warrior has to uso
persuasion before he can get his child
70 come to him now after so long an absence.
Out soon the little finger traces the familiar
wrinkle across the SCARED face. And then
sne empty tankards are set mp, and they are
1ileu with the best wine from the hills. and
and his men, the husbands. the wives
tne brothers, the sisters, drink to the over
throw OF the AmalekItes and TO the REBUILDING
Oh Ziklag. Soc Lord, lot thine enemies perishf
40" tney are coming home, David and his
men and their families long procession
Men, women and children, loaded with
jewels and robes and with all kinds ~
that the A~malekites had gathered
~ IN years OF conquest-everything now in
hands OF David and his men. When
they come by the brook Besor. the nIoce
Nnere staid the men sick and incomnetant
70 travel, the jewels and the robes
and AL kinds OF treasures are divided
among the sick as well as among the Wall ]
Surely. the lame and exhausted ought In
nave some Of the treasures. Here is n robe /
TOT thls pnle-faced warrior. Here is a pillow
TOT tnls dying man. Here is a handful Of
Eoid ior the wasted trumpeter. / really
shlnk that these men who tainted Tow the
brook Besor may have endured as much az
lnose men who went into battle. Some mean
fellows objected to the sick ones having anv
OF me spoiis. The DIRECTORS said: "Those
mons heart, replies: "As his part : that
Eceth down 20 the battle. so shall his mart 49,
that t%arrieth 10y the stuff"
lhis fub,ect Is practically supgestfva "a
Ihank Sod. III these times a man can
on on a journey, and be gone yyeeks ana
months and come back aud see his bouss nm
boucned OF incendiary, and have his family
on tne step TO greet him, il by telegram Ia
has ioretold the moment OF his coming But
mere are Amaiekitish disasters, and there
IRE Amalekitish diseases, that sometimes
come down upon ones home, making as do
aaSbatlng work as the day when ZikfaO tool
ne mere are families in my CONGREGATION
whose homes have Deen broken no. No bat-
bIlng ram smOte ia the door, no f-conoclegt
efunnbled the statues. no fame leaned amidst
nc curtains; but 90 far as ali the ioy and
Inerrlment that Opce belonged 20 That house
are concerned. the home has departed
armed diseases came down upon The o,iot.
ness OF The 6cene-scarlet fevers o. rIc,Its;o-
or cOnsumptiOns, or undefnad diSorJo-
eaule and seized upon some MEMBER ~ tbs9
AMY, and carried them away. Zikiap ia
u ANA You 20 about. sJmetimeq wen.
~ abd sometimes enraged. wanting ~ -
~ your loved ones a. much as DaStJ
3nd hls men wanted 70 reconsfrn~e tho,r
= spolod households. Zikiag ina asbesf some
"a you went OF from home You counted
~ t7yb % your absence. Every day ssemof
~ ~ as p week OBJ, how glad you were
ne ZINE came Tor you TO 20 aboard the
DDaJ or raj chr and start for bomei
-. a,l.gen you went up the street where
4NeHihg vas, % in the night Won uut
your hand on the door bolI and L.bCItFtt
wrapped with the signal Of beraaveme,t
you found that Amalekifiab Death
hleu mas devastated n thousand ofbor
i~yusehoids, had blasted yours Won 90 abort
amidst the de50latiou of your once
laPpy nome, thinking u the bright eves
lp.-ar ana the noble hearts eforrad 81 49,
nto nand8 folded, and you ygesp rfnfii ~,
no more power % weep. Ziklag in
- gentleman went 10 a friend OF mine IN
.It w warrington, and asked That
- nlm ne might get n conmlship 10
~ foreign port. Ny friend eafd ~ I'm
70 you want % go away from y0ur
80 nome Tor, into a fore On Dortr5