Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-05-25
REV. DIR. TALMAGE
THE BROOKLYN DIvINE'S sun
DAY SERMON.
The Subject: Recovered Families
preached az Little Rock, Ark.


until they had no more power TO weep.
David recovered ALL Samuel ky
4,la
There is intense excitement in the village
OF Ziklag. Davil AMI his men are hiddln :
goodby to their families AMI are or for the
wars. In that little village Of Ziklag the de'
fensoless ones will he safe until the warriors,
flushed with victory, come home. But will
the leTenseless ones no SAFE The soft arms
OF chill lren are around the necks OF the
bronze warriors until they shake themselves
free an start. md hanlkerchieis AMI flags
are wave an kisses thrown until the armed
men vanish beyon the hills. David and his
men soon get through with their campaign
and start homewarl Every night on theit
way home no sooner loes the soldier put his
head on the knapsaok than in his dream he
hears the welcome OF the wife and the shout
ofthe child.
Oh. what long stories they will have to tell
their families of how they lodged the bat.
tleax, and then will roll up their sleeve and
! show the half healed wound. With glad,
quick step. they march on, David and hi.
men. for they are marching home. Now they
come lp to the last hill which overlooks Zik-
lag. and they expect In moment to see the
dwelling places of their loved ones They
look. and az they look their cheek turns pale,
and their lip quivers and their hand invol-
unfairly comes down on the hilt OF the
sword. Where is ZikaC2 Where arc our
homes they cry. Alas. the curling smoke
above the ruin tells the tragedy,
The Amalekitos have come down and con-
sumed the village anl carried the mothers.
and the wives. and the children OF David and
his men into captivity The swarthy war
riors stanl fora few moments transit Ned with
horror. Then their eyes glance to each
other, and they burst into uncomfortable
weeping, for when n strong warrior weeps
the grief is appalling. 1t seems as If the
emotion might tear him to pieces They
"wept un,ilthey had no more power to weep"
But soon their sorrow turns into rage, and
David. swinging his sword high in air. cries,
pursue, for thou shalt overtake them. and
without fail recover all. " Now thu march
becomes double quick" Two hundred OF
David's men stop by the brook Besor, faint
with fatigue and grief. They cannot go q
step farther They are left there But the
other 400 men under David, with n 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
Wonder they went, the captors and the cap
tives. pointing In the direction. Forward,
ye 400 brave men OF fire
Very soon David and his enrage company
come upon the Amalekitish host Yonder
they see their own wives and children and
mothers, and under AmaIekltish quart. Here
aIe the officers OF the Amalekitsh army hold
ing banquet. The cups are full the music
ls reused the dance begins. The Amalekit
ish host cheer and cheer AMI cheer over their
victory. But. without note ofbugle or warn
ing ottrumpat, David and his 400 men burst
upon the scene. David and his men look up.
and one glance at their loved ones in captiy.
lty 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 a
spenr, and their voice is like the shout OF the
whirIwind Amid the upset tankaris and
the costly vlands crushed underfoot, the
wounded Amalekites lie. their blood min.
Cling with their wine, shreking for
mercy No sooner do David an his men
win the victory than they throw their swords
down into the dnst-what do they want with
swords now?-and the broken families come
together amid great shout OF joy that
makes the parting scene In XiKlag seem very
insipid In the comparison. The ugh old
warrior has to use some persuasion before
he can get his child to come to him now
after so long an absence, but soon the little
finger traces the familiar wrinkle across the
Scared face. And then the empty tankards
are set up, and they are filled with the best
wine from the hills, and David and his men.
the husbands, the wives, the brothers, tho
sisters, drink to the, overthrow OF tn,
Amalekites and 10 the rebuilding OF Ziklag
So. Lord, let Thine enemies perish
Now they arc coming home. David and
his men AMI their fnmles-a long pro.
cesston. Men, women AMI children, 10 Ldel
with Jewels an | robes and with all kin Is OF
trophies that the AmalokItcs hal gathered
/ ND in of T. hinfy n In
the hands OF David and his men. Waen
they come by the brook Besor, the place
where staid the Ilen sick and inco npetent
10 travel. the jewels and the robes and all
Kinds OF treasures are divided among tho
sick rs we'll rs among the well. Surely the
lame AMI exhausted ought to have some OF
the treasures. Here Is II robe for u ptlr-
faced warrior Here is pillow for this
dying man. Here is han iful OF gold for
the wasted trumpeter. | realty think that
these men who tainted by the brook Busor
may have endured as much as those men
who went into the battle. Some mean fell
lows objected to the sick ones having any OF
the spoiIs. The object 1rs said "Thes, men
did not fight David, with magnaulmous
heart, replies, AS his part Is that gouh
down to the battle, so shall his part he that
tarrieth by the stun"
This subject is practically suggestive 10 ma.
Thank God, In these times n man can 20 of
on journey and be pOne weeks and month,
ana come back and see his house unit ouched
OF incendiary and have his family on the
step to greet him II by telegram he has fore
told the moment OF his coming But there
are AmaIektish disasters there are Amale-
Kltish diseases TINT sometimes comes down
upon one 8 home, making rs devastatn :
work as the day when Ziklag took fire.
There are families yol represent broken up
NO batterinS ram smote in the door, no
iconocIast crumbIel tho statues, no Il inc
Ieap'd amid the curtains but so far as all
the JOY and merriment that once belonged
10 that house are concerned the home has
departed
Armed diseases came down upon the aui-
ethess OF the scene-scarict fevers or pleu-
r'sics or consumptiOns or CndeAuel disor-
ners came and seized upon some members
OF that family and carried them away Zik-
lag in ashes And you go about, sometimes
Weepingn and sometimes enragel, wanting to
get back your loved ones as much as David
and his men wanted TO reconstruct their
despoled households. Xikag in ashes
Some OF you went of from home. You
counted the days OF your absence Every
day seemed as long as a week. Oh how
glad you were when tho limo came for YOU
10 10 aboard the steamboat or railroad and
start for home You arrived. You went
up The street where your dwelling WINS, and
IN the night you put your hand on the
hoorbell, and, behold 1t was wrapped will
the signal OF bereavement, and you foun
that AmaIaktlsh death, which has devas.
tated n thousand other households had
blasted yours. You 90 about weeping amid
the desoatlon Of your once happy home
thinking OF the bright eyes closed, AMI the
noble hearts stopped, aud the gentle hand.
folded. and you weep until you have nc
more power TO weep. Xtklag in ashes
gentleman went 10 II friend OF mine in
the city Of Washington and asked that
through him he might get II consulship tc
some foreign port. My friend said to him
what do you want to 90 AWAY from YOU
beautiful home Tor into foreign port?'
"Oh," hi replied, my rome is gone NJ,
six children are dead. mast get ava :, sir