Connecticut western news., 1894-05-24
ZIKLAG IN ASHES!
oR. TALMAGE'S ELOQUENT SERMON
 AT LITTLE ROCK.

Burning of the Village or David Dy the
 Amalekites the Theme of His Discourse.
 We Must Fight Like the Warriors of old
 to Recover Our Loved Ones.
 LITTLE ROCK, May 2O.-On his way to California, whence he will start on May 81 on his round theworld journey, Rev. Dr. Talmage, having halted here, preached today to large audience on the subject of Recovered Families. '" The text chosen was I Samuel xxx, 4, 19: "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. ~
 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 will 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 dodged 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 chil- Ol odNlu tauo HID luth luto ity. The swarthy warriors stand for a few moments transfixed with horror. Then their eyes glance to each other, and they burst into uncomfortable weep ing, for when a strong warrior weeps the grief is appalling. It 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 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 can not go step farther. They are left there. But the other 400 men under David, with 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 Wonder they see their own wives and children and mothers, and under Amalekitish guard. Here are the off cers of the Amalekitish army holding a 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 1yrry 1o <,f 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. An, there are ightnings in their eye, and every finger is spear, and their voice is like the shout of the whirlwindl Amid the upset tankards and the cost ly viands crushed underfoot, the wounded Amalekites lie, their blood mingling 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 do. they want with swords 1ow?-and the broken families comd together amid g. great shout of joy that makes the parting scene in Ziklag seem very insipid in the comparison. The rough 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, the sisters, drink to the overthrow of the Amalekites and to the rebuilding of ,Ziklag So, O Lord, let thine enemies perishi
 Spells of Victory.
 Now they are coming home, David and his men and their families-a long procession. Men, women and children, loaded with jewels and robes and with all kinds of trophies that the Amale- kites had gathered up in years of con- quest-everything now in the hands of David and his men. When they come by the brook Besor the place where staid the men sick and incompetent to travel, the jewels and the robes and all kinds of treasures are divided among the sick as well as among the well. Surely the lame and exhausted ought to have some of the treasures. Here is a robe for pale faced warrior. Here is a pillow for this dying man Here is a handful of gold for the wasted trumpet CT. really think that these men who tainted by the brook Besor may have endured as much as those men who went into the battle. Some mean fel- lows objected to the sick ones having any of the spoils- The objectors said, ''These men did not fight. :" David, with magnanimous heart, replies, ''As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff. "