The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-05-25
ZIKLAG IN ASHES!
DIR. TALMAGE'S ELOQUENT SERMON
AT LITTLE ROCK.

We Must Fight Like the Warriors of Old
to Recover Our Loved Ones.
LITTLE Rock, May 20.-On his way
to California, whence he will start ON
May 81 on his round the world journey,
Rev. Dr. Talmage, having halted here,
preached today to a large audience on
the subject of Recovered Families. +"
10: "Then David and the people that
were with him lifted up their voice and
wept until they had no more power to
weep. David recovered all. I"
There is intense excitement in the
village of Ziklag. David and his men
are bidding goodby to their families and
are off for the wars. In that little vii
lage of Ziklag the defenseless ones will
be safe until the warriors, flushed with
victory, come home. But will the de-
fenseless ones be safe? The soft arms of
children are around the necks Of the
bronze warriors until they shake them
selves free and start, and handkerchiefs
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 knapsack than in his dream
he hears the welcome of the wife and
the shout of the child.
Oh, what long stories they will have
to tell their families of how they lodged
the battleax, and then will roll up their
sleeve and show the half healed wound.
With glad quick step, they march on,
David and his men, for they are march
ing home. Now they come up to the
last hill which overlooks Ziklag, and
they expect in a 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
Ziklag? Where are our homes?" they
cry Alas, the curling smoke above the
ruin tells the tragedy!
Captured by the Enemy.
The Amalekites have come down and
consumed the village and carried the
mothers, and the wives, and the chill
dren of David and his men into captiv-
ity. The swarthy warriors stand for
few moments transfXed with horror.
Then their eyes glance to each other,
and they burst into uncomfortable weep
ing, for when q strong warrior weeps
the grief is appalling 1t seems as if the
emotion might tear him to pieces. They
''wept until they had no more power to
weep" But soon their sorrow turns in
to rage, and David, swinging his sword
high in air, cries, Pursue, for thou
recover all. f." Now the march becomes
a "double quick. Two hundred Of
David's men stop by the brook Besor,
faint with fatigue and grief. They can
not go step farther. They are left
there. But the other 400 men under
David, with a sort of panther step,
march on in sorrow and in rage. They
find by the side of the road half dead |
Egyptian, and they resuscitate him and
compel him to tell the whole story. He |
says, "Yonder they went the captors
and the captives, pointing in the di-
rection. Forward, ye 400 brave men of |
firel
Very soon David and his enraged |
company come upon the Amalekitish |
host. Yonder they see their own wives
and children and mothers, and under |
guard. Here are the Off
GERS of the Amalekitish army holding
banquet. The cups are full; the music
is reused; the dance begins. The Anna
lekitish host cheer and cheer and cheer
over their victory But, without note of
bugle or warming of trumpet, David and
his 400 men burst upon the scene.
David and his men look up, and one
glance at their loved ones in captivity
and under Amalekitish guard throws
them into very fury of determination,
for you know how men will fight when
they fight for their wives and children
All, there are lightnings in their eye
and every finger is spear, and their
voice is like the shout of the whirlwind!
Amid the upset tankards and the cost
" viands crushed underfoot, the
wounded Amalekites lie, their blood
with their wine, shrieking for
mercy. No sooner do David and his
men win the victory than they throw
their swords down into the dust-what
10 they want with swords now?-and {
,he broken families come together
amid a great shout of joy that makes
,he parting scene in Ziklag seem very ;
nsipid in the comparison. The rough
I'D warrior has to use some persuasion
before he can get his child to come to '
him now after SO long an absence, but !
loon the little finger traces the familiar
wrinkle across the SCARED face. And {
hen the empty tankards are set up, and s
hey are filed with the best wine from
he hills, and David and his men, the q
the wives, the brothers, the {
listers, drink to the overthrow of the {
Amalekites and to the rebuilding of
,iklag. So, o Lord, let thine enemies {
'erishl
Spells of Victory. I
Now they are coming home, David
nd his men and their families long {
Men, women and children, I
oaded with jewels and robes and with I
II kinds of trophies that the Amale-