Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-06-08

tlon.
BROOKLYN, June 4.-The sermon selected
by the Rev. DR.. Talmage for this forenoon
is founded on the text. Judges 3; Is. "But
when the children of Israel cried unto the
Lord, the Lord raised them up deliverer,
Ehud, the son of Gera, Benjamite, man
left-handed."
Ehud was ruler in Israel. He was
left-handed and, what was peculiar
about the tribe of Ben amln, to which
he belonged, there were in 1t 700 left
handed men and yet so deXterous had
they all become in the use of the left
hand, that the Bible says they could
sling stones at hairs breadth, and
not miss.
Well, there was a King by the name
of Eglon, who was an oppressor of
Israel. lie imposed upon them a most
outrageous tax. Ehud, the man of
whom ! first spoke, had divine com
mission to destroy that oppressor. lie
came. pretending that he was going to
pay the tav. and asked to see King
Eglon. lie was told he was in the
summer-house, the place to which the
King retired when it was too hot to
sit in the palace. This summer-house
was place surrounded by flowers,
and trees, and springing fountains, and
warbling birds. Ehud entered the sum-
mer-house, and said to King Eglon
that he had q secret errand with him.
Immediately all the attendants were
waved out of the royal presence King
kglon rises up to receive the messen-
ger. Ehud, the left handed man, puts
his left hand to his right side, pulls
out dagger, and thrusts Eglon through
until the haft went in after the blade.
Eglon falls. EhuG comes forth to
blow a trumpet of recruit amidst the
mountains of Ephraim; and great
host is marshallcd, and proud Moab
submits TO the cOnquerer, and Israel IS
free. SO, q Lord, let all thy enemies
perish! So. O Lord, let all thy friends
triumph.
learn first, from this subject, the
power of left-handel men. There are
some men who by physical organiza-
ton, have as much strength in their
left hand as in their right hand; but
there is something in the writing of
this text which implies that Ehud had
some defect in his right hand, which
compelled him to use the left. Oh,
the power of left-handed men. Genius
is often self-obServant. careful of itself,
not given to much toll, burning in
cense to its own ACKNOWLEDGMENT;
while many man, with no natural
en1Owments, actually defective in ply
Steal and mental organization, has an
carnestness for the right, patient in
dustrv, an all-r Onsuming perseverance,
which achieve marvels for the king
dom of Christ. Though left-handed as
Ehud, they can strike down sin as
great and imperial as Eglon.
have seen men of we, 18th gathering
about them all their treasures, snufiing
at the cause of a world lying in wick
edness, roughly ordering Lazarus off
their doorstep, sending their dogs,
not to lick his sores, but to hound him
off their premises catching all the
pure rain of Gods blessings into the
stagnant, ropy, frog-inhabited pool of
their own seltshness-right-h handed
men. worse than useless-while many
a man, with large heart and little
purse, has, out of his limited means,
made poverty leap for joy, and started
an influence that overspans the grave,
and will swing round and round the
throne of God, world without end
Amen.
All me, it is high time that you left
handed men, who have been longing
for this gift, and that eloquence, and
the other mans wealth. should take
your left hand out of your pockets.
Who made all these railroads? Who
set up all these cities? Who ,tarted
all these chur, hes, and schools, and
asylums? WHO has done the Juggling,
and running, and pulling? Men Of no
wonderful cndowments, thousands of
them acknowled ying themselves to be
lcft-handed, and yet they were earn
est, and yet they We're determined, and
yet they were triumphant.
But do not suppose that Ehud. the
first time he took Il sling in his left
hand, could throw stone a hair S
breadth, and not miss. | suppose il
was pra'tice that gave him the won
dC,ful deXterity. 60 forth to your
spheres of duty, and be not discour-
/ aged if, in your first attempts, Won
miss the mark. Ehud missed it. Take
another stone, put it carefully into the
sling. swing it around your head, take
, better aim, and the next time YOU will
strike the center The first time q
mason rings his trowel upon the brick,
lie does not expect to put up perfect
wall The first time 4 carpenter sends
the plane over board, or drives n bit
through BEAM he does not expect to
make perfect execution. The first
time n boy attempts a rhyme. he does
not expect TO chime II "Lalla Rookh. "
or Lady OF the Lake" 70 not be
surprised if, in Your first efforts at
doing good, YOU are not very largely
successful. Understand hat useful
ness is an art, science, a trade
There was an oculist performing a
very difficult operation on the human
eye. AyOung doctor stood by and said,
How east V you do that: it don't seem
to cause you any trouble at all. " ''Ah, "
said the old Ocullst, lit is very easy
now, but | spoiled hatful of eyes to
arm that. BE not surprised if it
takes some practice before we can h In
men to moral eyesight and bring them
to vision of the cross. Left-handed
men 10 the work. Take the gospel for
sling, and faith and repentance for the
smooth stone from the brook: take
sure aim, God direct the weapon, and
great Goliaths will tumble before YOU.
When Garibaldi was going ont to
/ battle, he told his troops what he
wanted them 10 GO, ana after he had
described what he wanted them to do
they said, We'll, General, what are
you going to give us for all thi -"
We'll" he replied, II don't know
what else you will get, but you will
get hunger, and cold and wounds, and
! death. How do you like it," His
men stood before him for little while
in silence, and then they threw up
their hands and cried, I'VE are the
men. We are the men" The Lord
Jesus Christ calls you TO his service
do not promise you an easy time in
this world. You may have persecu-
tions, and trials, and misrepresenta-
tions; but afterward there comes an
eternal weight OF glory, and you can
bear the wounds and the bruises, and
the misrepresentation, if You can
have the reward afterward. Have YOU
not enough enthusiasm to cry out,
1--WE are the men! We are the menu
| learn also from this subject the
hanger of worldly elevation. This
Eglon was what the world called a
great man. There were hundreds of