The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1895-11-23
GODS WAY BEST.
Rev. DR.. TalmaVe Endeavors to Elk
plain Why.
The Battle Of Gideon's Little Army with
the Midianite Hosts, Near Mount
Gllbos. Used by Way Of
illustration

The following discourse by Rev. I.
Dewitt Talinage is given out for pub
lication this week. 1t is based on the
texts
And the three companies blew the trumpets'
and brake the pitchers. and held the lamps III
their left hands. and the trumpets In their
right hands to blow withal And they stooo
every man In his place round about the camp
and all the host ran, and cried, ana hea'-
Judges viii. 2O-2l.
That is the strangest battle ever
fought. God had told Gideon to go
down and thrash the Midianites, but
his army is too large; for The glory
must be given to God, and not to man.
And SO proclamation is made that all
those of the troops who are cowardly,
and want to go home, may go; and
twenty-five thousand of them scamp
cred away, leaving only ten thousand
men. But God says the army is too
large yet, and so He orders these ten
thousand remaining to march down
through stream, and commands Gid
con to notice in what manner these
men drink of the water as they pass
through it. If they get down on all
fours and drink, then they are pro-
nounced lazy and Incompetent for
the campaign; but If, in passing
through the stream. they scoop
up the water in the palm OF
their hand and drink, and pass on,
thew are to be the men selected for the
battle. Well. the ten thousand men
marched down in the stream, the most
of them come down on all-fours, and
plunge their mouths, like horse or
an on, into the water and drink; but
there are three hundred men who. In
stead of stopping. just dip the palm
of their hands in the water and bring
it to their lips, Tapping it as dog
lappeth." Those three hundred brisk,
rapid, enthusiastic men are chosen for
the campaign. They are each to take
trumpet in the right hand and a
pitcher in the left hand. and lamp
inside the pitcher, and then at given
signal they are to blow the trumpets
! and throw down the pitchers. and hold
ND the lamps. So it was done.
!, It is night. see great host 81
! Midianites, sound asleep in the valley
, of Jezreel. Gideon comes up with his
, three hundred men, and when every
, thing is ready, the signal is given, and
, they blow the trumpets, and they
throw down the pitchers, and hold up
! the lamps, and the great host OF
Midianites, waking out of sound
sleep, take the crash of the crockery
and the glare of the lamps for the
coming on of an overwhelming foe
and they run, and cut themselves te
pieces, and horribly perish.
The lessons of this subject are very
spirited and impressive. This seem
ingly vagueless lump Of quartz has
the pure gold in it. The smallest dew
drop on the meadow has star sleep
: ing in it's bosom, and the most insig
: nificant passage of Scripture has In i
: a shining truth. Gods mint coins M
small change.
learn In the first place, from Thu
subject, the lawfulness OF Christian
stratagem. You know very well tina
the greatest victories ever gained b,
Washington or Napoleon were gaines
through the fact that they came whel
and in a way they were not expected
sometimes falling back to draw GU
the foe, sometimes breaking from am
bush. sometimes crossing a river o.
unheard-of RATS; all the time keeping
the opposing forces in wonderment d
to what would be done next.
You all know what strategy is i
military affairs. Now I think 1t
high time we had this art sanctifie
and spiritualized. In the church. whe
we are about to make Christian al
sault, we send word to the opposin
force when we expect to come. hoy
many troops we have, and how man
rounds of shot, and VIII ether we wi
come with artillery, infantry or cay
airy, and of course we are defeated
There are thousands of men who nigh
be surprised into the kingdom OF God
We need more tact and ingenuity |
Christian work. 1t is in spiritual a
fairs as in military, that success d.
ponds in attacking that part OF tn
cattle which is not armed and IL
trenched.
For instance, here is man all arme
on the doctrine of election; all h
troops of argument and prejudice III
at that particular gate. You ma
batter away at the side of the cast
fifty years and you will not take
= but just wheel your troops to the sic
gate of the hearts affections, an
in five minutes You capture him.
never knew a man to be save
through brilliant argument. Yc
can not hook men into I'll
kingdom of God by the horI
OF a dilemma. There is no graz
in syllogisms. Here is man arme
on the subject of perseverance OF II
saints; he does not believe in it. A
tack him at that point, and he wi
persevere to the very last in not b
lieving it. Here is man armed {
the subject of baptism; he believes
sprinkling or immersion. All yol
discussion of ecclesiastical hydr
patty will not change him. 1remer
ber when 1 was boy. that wit
q other boys / went into the river
IS q summer day to battle, and
y used to dash water on each othe
Is but never got any result except tn
T. our eyes were blinded; and all tn
rs splashing of water between Baptis
re and Pedo-Baptists never results
q anything but the blurring of Il
" spiritual eyesight. In other word
L. you can never capture mans soul
- | tho ,,o;nt ut which be is eSnQeipl1v /