Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-06-07
RECOVERED FAMILIES
Rev. DR.. Talmage Discourses on
the Above Subject.
How sorrowing Relatives May RejoI.
Loved Ones Gone Before-Must
Travel the Same Road-Trnst
in Christ and Fight the
Flesh and the Devil.

he Will start on his round-the-world
journey, Rev. DIR. Talmage halted at
Little Rock, Ark, and preached to a
large audience on the subject of RE
covered Families" The text chosen
was l. Samuel Xxx.. 4. 10:
Then David and the people that were with
MIN iiited up their voices and wept, until they
had no more power to weep. David re-
covered all"
There IS intense excitement in the
village of Iilllag. David and his men are
bidding good-by to their families. and
are off for the wars. In that little viii
lage Of Ziklag the defenseless ones viii
be safe until the warriors, flushed with
victory, come home. But viii the de-
fenseless ones be safe? The soft arms
OF children are around the necl1s Of the
bronzed warriors until they shake
themselves free and start. and handl1er-
chiefs and flags are waved. and kisses
thrown until the armed men vanish be-
yaud the hills. David and his men
soon get through with their campaign
and start homcward. Every night on
their way home, no sooner does the
soldier put his head on the kuapsack
than in his dream he hears the welcome
OF the wife, and the shout of the child.
o what long stories they will have to
tell their families, of how they lodged
the battle AK. and then viii roll up
their sleeve and show the half-healed
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 overloolSs Xix
lag. and they expect in moment To
see the dwelling places of their loved
ones. They look, and as they look |
their cheek turns pale. and their lip
Quivers and their hand involuntarily |
comes down on the hilt Of the sword |
Where is ZilSlag? Where are our
homesY they cry. Alas the curling |
smoke above the ruin tells the tragedy |
The Amalekites have come down and |
consumed the village. and carried the |
mothers and the wives and the children
of David and his men into captivity.
The swarthy warriors stand for
a few moments transfXed with horror.
Then their eyes glance to each other
and they burst into uncomfortable
weeping; for when strong warriors
weep, the grief is appalling. It seems
a if the emotion might tear him to
pieces. They 'wept until they had no
more power to weep" But soon their
sorrow turns into rage, and David,
swinging his sword high in the air,
cries Pursue for thou shalt overtake
them, and, without fail recover all.
Now the march becomes double
quick" Two hundred Of David's men
stop by the brook Besor faint with
fatigue and grief They cannot 60
step farther. They are left there. But
the other four hundred men under
David with a sort of panther step,
march on in sorrow and in rage. They
find by the side of the road a half-dead
Egyptian, and they resuscitate him,
and compel him TO tell the whole story
He says, 'Yonder they went, the cap
tors and the captives, pointing in the
direction. Forward, We four hundred
brave men of fire! Very soon David
and his enraged companions came upon
the Amalekitish host. Yonder they
see their own wives and children and
mothers, and under Amalesitish guard.
Here are the officers of the Amalekitish
army holding banquet. The cups
are full, the music is reused, the dance q
begins. The Amalekitish host cheer c
and cheer and cheer over their victory.
But without note of bugler or warning !
Of trumpet. David and his four hundred I
men burst upon the scene. David and o
his men look up, and one glance at u
their loved ones in captivity and under =
guard throws them into a I
very fury of determination; for you =
know how men win fight when they '
fight for their wives and children. All! y
there are lightnings in their eye, and $
every finger is a spear, and their voices .
like the shout of the whirlwind. .
Amidst the upset tankards and the D
costly viands crushed underfoot. the o
wounded AmalelSites lie their blood a
with their wine), shriel1ing for
mercy. No sooner do David and his l
men win the victory than they throw n
heir swords down into the dust-what a.
10 they want with swords now?-and a.
he broken families come together q
amidst great shout of joy that makes .
he parting scene in Zilxlag seem very ~
nsipid in the comparison. The rough II
I'D warrior has to use some persuasion V
,efore he can get his child to come to a
linn now after so long an absence; but y
con the little finger traces the familiar ID
wrinkle across the Scared face. And Oh
hen the empty tankards are set up. .
nd they are filled with the best wine
rom the hills, and David and his W
aen the husbands. the wives, the y'
rothers, the sisters. drink to the over "
brow of the Amelelzites. and to the r
ebgilding Of Zil1lag. SO, o Lord, let p
hine enemies perish. =
Now they are coming home, David - 4.
nd his men and their families-a long -
recession. Men, women and children -
laded with Jewels and robes and with IN
u kinds of trophies that the Amale- =.
ties had gathered up in years of con-
hest everything now in the hands OF X,
avid and his men. When they come ~
Il.