The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-10-26
GIDEON'S BATTLE.
DR.. Talmage Discusses a Subject
of Much Interest.
Lessons Drawn from the Contest with the
Midianitss-The Few Who Figh the
Battles of Christianity-Ths
Final Triumph.

In a late sermon at New York DR..
Talmage discussed a subject of special
to Sunday school teachers and
scholars at the present time, being
Gideon's battle with the Midianites,
near Mount Gilboa. The ext chosen
was from Judges, vii. 2O-21: And the
three companies blew the trumpets,
and brake the pitchers, and held the
lamps in their left hands, and the
trumpets in their right hands to blow
withal. And they stood every man in
his place round about the camp, and
all the host ran, and cried, and fed"
The sermon follows:
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 wan to &c home, may go; and
twenty-five thousand of them scam
pered away, leaving only ten thou
sand men. But God says the army is
too large yet; and SO He orders these
tan thousand remaining to march
down through q stream. and commands
Gideon to notice in what manner these
men drink OF b water as they pass
through It II they get down on oil
tours and drink. then they are
to be pronounced lazy and iucom-
petent for the campaign; sbut II
In passing through the stream, they
scoop up the water in the palm OF their
hands and drink, and pass on. they are
to be the men selected for the battle.
Well, the ten thousand men march
down into the stream, and most Of
them come down on all-fours and plunge
their mouth, like q horse OF IN OK, into
the water and drink; but there are
three hundred men, who, instead of
STOPPING, just dip the palm of their
hands into the water and bring 1t to
their lips, tapping as the dog lap
peth." Those three hundred brisk,
rapid, enthusiastic men were chosen
for the campaign. They are each to
take . trumpet in the right hand and
, pitcher in the left hand, and q lamp
inside the pitcher, and then, ct . given
signal, they are to blow the tumpets,
and throw down the pitchers and hold
mp the lamps. SO IL was done.
II 10 night I Q Q great host Of
Midianites, sound asleep In the valley
Of Jezreel. Gideon comes up with his
three hundred picked men. and when
everything Is ready the signals given.
and they blow the trumpets and they
throw down the pitchers and hold up
the lamps, and the great host of Midi
antics. waking out OF Q sound sleep.
take the crash OF the crockery and the
glare OF the lamps o the coming OF
IN overwhelming Zoe; a they run
and out themselves to pieces and hor-
ri6ty perish
The lessons OF this subject Are very
spirited and impressive. This SEEM
angly vagueiess lump OF quartz has the
pure gold In It The smallest dewdrop
on the meadow st night has Q altar
sleeping In Its bosom. q The most In
significant passage OF Scripture has IN
It's shining truth. 1ods mint CONS
no small change.
earn In the nrst piace: from TINS
suoJec+ the iawiuiuess o. Onrist,sn
ssrstsRem. o kno" vory we'l sns'
the Rrea.est viStor'es eVer gs'nea oy
Wesnington or NsPoieon were gaineo
ton the h.cs 'na' '"ey camo wnen
ana IN . way tney We're not expected-
sonaeeimes f.iing PACK 20 rsw OUT
the foe' somst.mes oreeking u from
emousn, sometimes crossing . river on
unnearo OF raits; all q time keeping
the opposing forces In wonderment as
70 wnat would DC oone next
You al know what strategy 10 IN
military snsira. NOW l think II 10
nigh time we had this art ssnctined
ana sp'rituaiized. IN a cnurcn wnea
we are .oou' 70 make . Cnris''.n u.s.
.sul'' We souu woru inc opPosius
Iorco wnea We eAPec. 70 CONS now
@.ny 'roops We nase' .n% nov many
rcenos OF sno., rna "netnel We wli
come WIN srtiilery' in'sn'Ty OF cav
Try ana OF course we are deteaped.
fnere are thoasanas OF men VINO
mient % surprisea INTO tne
OF uoo. we neeo more ACT q IN
genuity IN Christisn work. ~ Is IN
sparitust snAirs, - IN miiitery' tnst
sucSess oeponos 20 s~:..ck.ng .nAs Pefs
s. " "" anu
nuisance here |. m.n AZ ,,%ea
-"
oUp ."' Pre'n".s,o
~. ~
o. - iii 81. 80. A..
10y ~. e,S-
0u.Jus' w yV.l coP. 40
eN... ~ 49,.