The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-10-11
GODS WAY BEST.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Endeavors to Elk
81 plain Why.
xAs Battle Of .Gideon's Little Al my with
shc Midianite Hosts, Near Moaat
Gilboa. Used by Way of
Illustration.

location this week. 1t Is based on thu
text:
And the three companies blew the trumpets
and brake the pitchers. and hold the lamps II
sheir left hands, and the trumpets IN tneil
right hands to blow withal And they stood
every man in his place round about the camp
and all the host ran, and DRIED, and ned'--
Judges vii, 20-2l
That is the strangest battle ever
fought. God had told Gideon to 60
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.
md 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
tours 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,
they 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 OK, 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 |
1t to their lips, Tapping it as a dog |
lappeth." Those three hundred brisk.
rapid, enthusisastic men are chosen for
the campaign. They are each to take
a trumpet in the right hand and
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
up the lamps. So it was done.
1t is night. I see great host of
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
she lamps, and the great host Of
waking out of sound
lleep, take the crash of the crockery
lud the glare of the lamps for the
coming on of an overwhelming foe;
md they run, and cut themselves to
pieces, and horribly perish.
The lessons of this subject are very
spirited and impressive. This seem
ngly vagueless lump of quartz has
he pure gold in it. The smallest dew
Irop on the meadow has a star sleep
ng in it's bosom, and the most insig-
sificant passage Of Scripture has in it
shining truth. Gods mint coins no ,
mall change.
/ learn in the first place. from this {
ubject, the lawfulness of Christian |
tratagem. You know very well that ,
he greatest victories ever gained by
or Napoleon were gained I
through the fact that they came when 9
nd in way they were not expected I
ometimes falling back to draw out {
he foe, sometimes breaking from am I
ush. sometimes crossing river on
nheard-of raftsj all the time keeping a
he opposing forces in wonderment as t
0 what would be done next. I
You all know what strategy is In l
Military affairs. Now l think 1t is v
Ugh time we had this art sanctified q
nd spiritualized. In the church. when
re are about to make Christian as r
Ault, we send word to the opposing d
,rce when we expect to come. how S
ANY troops we have, and how many
1unds of shot. and VIII ether We will Il
ome with artillery, infantry or cav C
Try, and of course we are defeated. Il
here are thousands of men who might s
e surprised into the kingdom of God. p
4e need more tact and ingenuity in p
hristian work. It is In spiritual af-
hrs as in military. that success de- v
ends in attacking that part of the II
aztle which is not armed and in /
"
For instance, here is a man all armed "
q the doctrine of election; all his t
oops of argument and prejudice are 8
that particular gate. You may a
after away at the side of the castle a
fty years and you will not take It;
ut just wheel your troops to the side Il
ate OF the hearts affections, and d
five minutes you capture Aim. / h
aver knew q man to DO saved b
trough a brilliant argument You q
IN not hook men into the "
ngdom of God by the horns :,
dilemma. There Is no grace Il
sylIogisms. Here Is q man armed n
, the subject of perseverance Of the q
.ints; he does not believe in it. At Il
ok him at that point. and he will b
.rsevere to the very last in not be- Il