The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-05-23
RECOVERED FAMILIES"
Rev. DR.. Talmage Discourses on
the Above Subject.
How sorrowing Relatives May R'join
Loved Ones Gone Before-Must
Travel the Same Road-Trnst
In Christ and Fight the
Flesh and tho Devil.

On his way TO California, from whence
he will start on his round-the-world
Journey, Rev. DR.. Talmage halted at
Little Rock, Ark, and preached to
large audience on the subject Of IRE
covered Families" The text chosen
was l. Samuel xxx, 4, 10:
"Then David and the people that were with |
tim lifted 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 Ziklag. David and his men are
bidding good-by 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
bronzed warriors until they shake
themselves free and start, and handker-
chiefs and flags are waved, and kisses
thrown until the armed men vanish be-
yond 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.
o, what long stories they will have to
tell their families, of how they lodged
the battle AK! 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 marching home. Now they come
up 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 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 Zihlag? Where are our
homes?' they cry. Alas! the curling
smoke above the ruin tells the tragedy.
The AmalelSites have come down ana
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
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. 1t seems
as II 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 oyertake
them, and, without fail recover all
Now the march becomes "double
quick" Two hundred of Davids men
stop by the brook Besor faint with
fatigue and grief. They cannot go
stop farther. They are left there. Bu'
the other four hundred men undei
David, with sort of panther step
march on in sorrow and in rage. They
find by the side of the road a.half-dest
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 tn
direction. Forward, ye four hundre'
brave men Of frel Very soon Davi
and his enraged companions came upo
- the Amalekitish host. Yonder the
see their own wives and children an
mothers, and under Amalekitish guard
Here are the officers of the Amalekitis
army holding banquet. The cup
are full, the music is reused, the dane
begins. The Amalekitish host chee
and cheer and cheer over their victory
But without note of bugler or warnin
Of trumpet, David and his four hundrc
men burst upon the scene. David an
his men look up, and one glance q
: their loved ones in captivity and unde
D. Amalekitish guard throws them into
- very fury Of determination; for yo
=, know how men will fight when the
!. fight for their wives and children. AL
there are lightnings in their eye, an
= every finger is a spear, and their voice
-, like the shout of the whirlwin,
- Amidst the upset tankards and II
q costly viands crushed underfoot, Il
K wounded Amalekites lie (their bloc
mingling with their wine), shrieking Il
mercy. No sooner do David and h
men win the victory than they thro
20 their swords down into the dust-wh
/; do they want with swords now?-aI
i the broken families come togeth
ut amidst great shout of joy that max
NJ the parting scene in Ziklag seem We
- insipid in the comparison. The roul
K. old warrior has to use some persuasi,
- before he can get his child to come
:, him now after so long an absence; b
! soon the little finger traces the famili
" wrinkle across the Scared face. Al
n then the empty tanlxards are set u
and they are filed with the best wi
Ill from the hills, and David and
De men, the husbands, the wives, I
brothers, the sisters, drink to the ov,
throw Of the Amelekites, and to I
rebuilding Of Zilslag. So, o Lord,
ur thine enemies perish.
a Now they are coming home, DAY
= and his men and their families-a 10
r procession. Men, women and childr'
loaded with jewels and robes and wi
all kinds Of trophies that the ANA
kites had gathered up in years Of cc
W quest everything now in the hands
David and his men. When they co
vi by the brook Besor, the place wit
IT. stayed the men sick and incompetent
~ travel, the jewals and the robes and
W kinds of treasures are divided amo
the sick as well as among the W,
)al Surely, the lame and exhausted oul
10 have some Of the treasures. Herr
Ok a robe for pale-faced warrior. II
loo is pillow for this dying man. Her,
hoO A...1f,,I % s,o1J for tba xua IA "A tr,,t