Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-06-21
RFT, DR.. lALNAGF'S SERMON
Tse Brooklyn Divfne's Sunday
Sermon.
sunJe6t: 'Iesson Learned From tho
Story of Ehud.o

Ehud was q fuller in Israel. He WAS lsr,
handed, and what was peculiar about this
tribe Of Benjamin. TO which he belonged
there were in it 700 left handed men and
y5tsO dexterous bad they all become In the
use o. the loft hand that the Bible savs tbau
could sling stones at hairs breadth ana
not miss.
Well, there WIS = king Of the mama y
E--0l who was an OppressOr OF Israel. He
imposed upon them q most outrageous tax-
Eaud, the man %! whom first spoke, had a
divine commission to destroy that oppressor
He came, pretending that he was going 10
pay tho tax, an asked 10 see King Eylonl He
was told he was in the summer house the
place % which the king retired when il was
too hot TO st IN the palace. This summer
hOu-s WIS q place surrounded by flowers and
trees and spr.2SinS fountains and warbIinc,
birds.
EhuG entered the summer house and saIo
TO King EglOn that he had secret errand
with him. Immediately all the attendants
were waved out OF the royal presence. King
Ec.on rises up to receive the messenger
Elui, the left handed man. puts his left hand
10 bis right side, pulls out a dagger and
thrGss EE.on through until the haft went
IN after the blade. EglOn falls Ehud comes
forth to blow a trumpet of recruit amid the
mountains OF Ephraim, and a great host Ia
marshI.ei, and proud Moab submits to the
cOlgug-1r. and Israel is free. So, o Lord
let all Thy enemies perish SO, 0 Lord. lei
ell Thy friends triumph
Ilsarn first from this subject the power @.
left handed men. There are some men who
by physical organization have as much
strength in their left hand as In their rig t
hand, but there is something in the writing
Of this text which implies that Ehud had
s0le defect in his right hand which com
psllet him 70 use the left. Oh, the power of
left handed men Genius is often self obser-
want careful OF itself, not given to much toll,
burning incense to its own aggrandizement,
WIie many man with no natural endoy-
m-uts, actually defective in physical and
mental organization, has an earnestness for
the right, patient industry, an all consum-
ing perseverance which achieve maryels for
the kingdom OF Christ. Though left handed
as Ehud, tuey can strike down sin as great
and imperial as EglOn.
I have seen men Of wealth gathering ahout
them all their treasures, snufflng at the cause
Of a world lying in wickedness roughly
offering Lazarus of their doorstep, sending
their dogs, not TO lick his sores, but to hound
him oil thst- premises, catching all the pure
rain OF God blessing into the stagnsnt ropy
ros-.n1ahitad pool OF their own selhshness
-riElt-hanLei men, worse than useless
while many man with large heRrt and little
pursa has out OF his limited means made
poverty leap for Joy and started an influence
tnit 0verspans the grave and Will swing
round and round the throne Of God, world
without end, amen.
All, me. 4 is high time that you left handed
men who have been longing for this gift and
that oquence and the other mans wealth
should take your left hand out Of your pock-
ct Who made all these railroads2 Who set
up all these cities? Who started all these
churches AMI schools and asylums? Who
has done all the tugging and running and
pull nCT Men OF no wonderful endowments,
thousands Of them acknowledging themselves
to De let handu-, and 1t they were earnest,
and yet they were determined, and yet they
were triumphant.
But DO not suppose that Ehud the first
time be took a sling in his hand could throw
a stone q hairs breadth and not miss.
suppose ii was practice that gave him the
wonderful dcNterity. Go forth to your
spheres Of duty and be not discouraged If ia
yOur first attempts you miss the mark Ehud
missed It. Take another stone, put 1t care
July into the sling, swing IL around your
leaI, take better aim, and the next time you
vii strike the center. The first time that
mason rings his trowel upon the brick ne
does NOT expect to put up perfect wall.
Inc a--t time carpenter sends plane over
board or drives a bit through beam he
does not expect to make perfect execution.
The -rst time a boy attempts a rhyme he
does not expect to chime "Lalla Rookh"
or LAZY OF the Lake" Do not be sur
prsei If IN your first efforts at doing good
you ara not very largely successful. Under
stanL that usefulness is an art, science, q
trai-.
There was an oculist performing very
difficult operation on the human eye. 4
young doctor stood by and said Glow easily
you 10 that. 1t doesn't seem to cause you
any trouble at all" "Ah," said the old ocu-
list, 1t is very easy now, but spoiled hat
lal OF eyes to learn that" Be not surprised
Il II takes some practice before we can help
men 90 moral eyesight and bring them to a
Vision OF the cross. Left handed men to the
50. % NF444 NJ FT-a a. md faft
and repentance for the smooth stone from
the book, take sure ain, God direct the
weapon, and great Goliaths will tumble be-
lore you.
l learn also from this subject the danger
oI worldly elevation. This ESlon was what
tAe world called great man There were
HuI-ETIS OF men who would have considered
"tAe greatest honor OF their life Just to have
u. 7''7- % fH'n. Yet. although he IL so
I'ih up "a worldly position, he is not beyond
'-r reach OF Ehui's dagger. see a great
..'hE people trying to climb up in social
'.-.'A, having an idea that there is a safe
''' some where 'ar above, not knowing that
l' |aIEtn p 0I fame has a top Ike Mount
'..- p covered with perpetual snow.
We laugh at tho children of Shinar fortry-
.- ,' Md q tower that could reach to the
-t''h~. tut I think if our eyesight were
.. ..'t enough we could see q Babel in
r"-t 'o'rFarI. Oh, the struggle is fierce,
~ 7'r' against store, house against
use street against street, Nation against
L i"' goal iOr which men are run
-' d. chairs AMI chandeliers anl mirrors
.. .'t~7 and lands and presidential equip
-.7. II they ret what they anticipate,
.', -t'" they @oty Mem are not safe from
,..l.Ay whsle they live, and, worse than
r-i tt ts...t are not 7lfe alter thee are dead.
'A. seen swine root up grayeyaris.
''+F % man goes up INTO publicity,
'N' "9ri doas him honor, and
80 Gitn' mp into sycamore trees to
80" nun Es he passes, and as he
- a.'Hr pu the shoulders of the people
,.'I' Is % wlvur of hats and a wild huzza
morrow the same man is caught between
49, '. tl' printing press and mangled
s-rf.-.-. .- use. an the very same persons who
t'-','.. htu before cry Down with the
.-,r. 5,r. Down with him ~
n l..l1l''r sits mt the feast the mighty men
-t..t'oa sitting all around him. Wit
.'A..7 aae t.e wine anl tine wine like the
.-, --'7., rolls up among the chandeliers
l...'h ,eliorS flash down on the decanters.
"'atll OF hanging gardens floats in or
It5 t5-N, ar the voice or revelry floats out.
rs-s. r-s! "f'aths " and tapestry and folded ban
8as-T an ger writes. The march Of host Is
,hro,. U" the stairs. Laughter catches in the
TbI' thousand hearts stop beating
.-e eiow is struck. The blood on the floor
I5ar-s..' 4led than the wine on the tabla
Nhidom has departed.
1rals II. 'zzlr was no worse perhaps than hun
..a-. o' people in Babylon, but his position
o-,s,.5,--. I'm. On. bo content with just such a
'-.'l 5St -. u as God has placed you in 1t may
or ~, SAD lL OF us He was a great general"
- ne vas an honored chieftain," or "He
.hi5, ,,'rS,,ty ry in worldly attainments" but this
yooi .i.iy oa said Of you and me, "He was
Jas- To-. g,.'-zan faithful Christian. a friend of
bjoIs-. And that in the last day will be the
s' OF al euiogiums.
earn further from mi, snbioc, +,,t d.,tb
~. 49, 20 the summer house. EgIon aid not
soTys,.. Sow. 70 20 die in that fine place Amid all the
s1n4o,I' IeAEeS that drlfted like snow into the
si1s'# IN the tinkle and dash OF the foun-
ssrn,, =. ~ 'he sound Of thousand leaves frt-
that cs-., ous Tree branch IN the cool breeze
the kir-.,5 kit5 up 70 shake feverish trouble out OF
oidea.RS looks, there was nothing that spaks
vben ~ out there he died In the winter,
- Ile snow Ls q shrnnd ana xh.a a.